Cut a couple of .025 strips to try out the nut plate idea I heard on the Matronics Zenith list the other night. Image 1) Using the center style dimple tool that you can pull with a pop riveter. Cut down one of the finish nails and used a piece ot maple as a backing and the 1 ton arbor press to make all the dimples for the nut plates. The bottom one stays pressed into the wood and all you have to do is line up the part, place the top die, and squeeze.
Image 2) Place the rivets and metal on steel plate and clamp the nutplate down.
Image 3) Used drift and a hammer to set the rivets.