A trick for getting those plastic screw covers over the nuts on cabin ceiling

[tjspiel]

McMaster-Carr sells them in both white and black.

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/~/cap-type~snap-on/?s=snap+on+fastener+caps

But they are meant to go over screw heads and not nuts. They are tough to get on even over the lower profile lock nuts Dan recommended.

I did it last time by heating them with a heat gun which worked but it was still really difficult and I messed up a few of them by overheating them.

Precision must have had a better way and I think I stumbled on to it by accident.

Today I was using a Dremel to cut off the end of the screws from my new jib tracks so they were flush with the nuts. I noticed they got pretty got. So about half way through it dawned on me to try to snap one of the covers on right after cutting the screw, - and what do you know? It went on so much easier.

Wish I would have figured that out sooner.

For the rest I took a heat gut with a small diameter nozzle to heat the nut and the little saucer around it. With my Milwaukee 1200 heat gun, the low setting was good enough. You want to be careful just to heat the nut and not melt the monkey fur.

The caps did not go on quite as easy as after cutting off the screws but still better than heating the cap. The cap cools off too quickly, but the metal nut and saucer retain the heat.

[DBthal]

Tom,

Glad you "broke the code" on getting the plastic caps on. It's a bit of a chore and there sure are a lot of jib track fasteners to cover!

Dan

[Brian N.]

Interesting solution. Still curious as to how they installed the caps during the initial build on later models with the jib tracks factory installed.

[tjspiel]

Interesting solution. Still curious as to how they installed the caps during the initial build on later models with the jib tracks factory installed.

I'm assuming they had to cut the screws off flush like I did and if they popped the caps on as they did each one that might be all it took. They're pretty warm after being cut. Being in Florida probably helps.

[Krusen]

Holding a soldering iron on the bolt/nut end will also heat it easily without as much heat into the fiberglass for attaching those neat plastic caps.  Especially for those without a heat gun with a very small nozzle.

KRUSEN

[DBthal]

Interesting solution. Still curious as to how they installed the caps during the initial build on later models with the jib tracks factory installed.

I'm assuming they had to cut the screws off flush like I did and if they popped the caps on as they did each one that might be all it took. They're pretty warm after being cut. Being in Florida probably helps.

I had to cut the screw ends off with a carbide blade in an oscillating multi-tool.

[tjspiel]

Holding a soldering iron on the bolt/nut end will also heat it easily without as much heat into the fiberglass for attaching those neat plastic caps.  Especially for those without a heat gun with a very small nozzle.

KRUSEN

I might try this the next time I need to do it. With the soldering iron you can pinpoint the heat exactly where you want it.