[ET_SoCal]

That stupid tool that holds the nut-part...
I can never seem get them to tighten enough.
Q: No grease on the flange areas, or where ring meets spider?
Q: No blue locktight on threads?

 

[Shayne]

I usually use a large Flat Screwdriver

...to hold the nut and that works 99% of the time. Usuallt the only time I need the tool is to loosen then after a few years. I grease the threads of the bolt; no grease elsewhere and no Loctite.

 

[ET_SoCal]

Screwdriver won't fit with a 58/94 compact bolt pattern in most slots, most middle ring teeth (32/34) are in the way. You can sort-of get a part of the screwdriver tip in there, but at an angle and it does not hold with tourque applied. Holding the driver flat and just pushing down works better, but that stupid tool works more than either of these ways.
Maybe I should be more specific - 8 speed, 5 bolt... '97 Specialized arms, Shimano rings.

 

[Shayne]

Middle Ring In The Way?

Forgive my ignorance but the chainring bolt usually goes through both the outer and middle rings. There should be no teeth in the way of the nut on the backside.

 

[ET_SoCal]

... chainring bolt usually goes through both the outer and middle rings. There should be no teeth in the way of the nut on the backside.

...
Yes, the nut does have a long "sleeve" that fit's through the rings.

I've put the hex (bolt) on the outside, the nut (stupid shimano tool) on the inside.
When assembling the crank/rings (off the bike of course) & looking from the inside, all but the one hidden by the arm (Which has nut/bolt reversed from the others) has the middle rings teeth just enough in the way preventing using a screwdriver in the slot straight-on.

In the past, when I've used non shimano rings, some times the bolt will "go in" farther than
"normal", and the end/tip of the bolt goes past the end of the nut, preventing me from using a screwdriver at-all. Must use the shimano tool that I would describe the end like a cross, so the tip of the tool goes in the nut head-hole, and the sides reach down farther to catch the nut indents on the sides to hold while tightening.

There also is a difference between HG and IG rings, with a indent on the nut side to recess the head a bit, but a lot of non-shimano rings (even shimano's small) do not have the recess in the bolt-side...