I would recommend making a special tool for placing nutplates. I used 1/4" aliuminum stock which I drilled to 3/16" for the centering stud. For that, I used a leftover solid rivet from my wing spar days. It was an AN-480-AD-6-14 which I cut short. Before I drove it in place, I centered a nutplate over the center hole and drilled the two side rivet holes with a #40 drill. Next I hammered the 6-14 rivet in place, then ground off the head. Very simple. NORMAL INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS: Line up the parts to be joined. Pre-drill every center hole location with a #40 bit and cleco. Next drill up the size of the center holes in each part, separately, with #11 or #12 bit (in both access panel and larger part). On the part that will have the nutplate, use the placement tool for #40 rivet holes.
