Rivet setting?

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BigIrish

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Location
Houston, TX
Getting ready to skin my car with aluminum sheets. I've never done much with rivets except a few pop rivets.

I bought a nice long-handle riveter that should allow me to get good leverage and control.

Question is this - I've seen in old pics of guys assembling planes that they will insert these temporary rivet things in the holes they've drilled to keep the alignment of the panel while they go on to drill other holes. No idea what those are called or if I should look into getting some. [S

Anyone know about those?
 
Hopefully, Gastrick will see this thread...........he is the King of Rivets. :D He showed my Son Dan how to do them and Dan was able to do all the rivets in his aluminum interior. There is a rivet gun that Dan bought to buck them, and it made it a whole lot easier. I'll try to dig up some more info for you and post some pictures.

But Gastrick will be the ultimate source for your info.

Don
 
I'm pretty sure they make pop rivits that are sealed over on the end and look like regular rivits.. I've done a little aircraft riviting and it wasn't something i'd like to do alot of.

I've considered pop riviting and soldering the hole up to look right. Pop rivits have suprizing strength, and are sure easier to mess with.

PA41
 
PA - Actually that is what I am using and they look awesome! They are called "shaveable brazier head" bulb-tite rivets. You have to buy a $230 tool that shaves them smooth after you pop them in, but it is worth it. The tool shaves/smooths them in about 3 seconds per rivet. They look exactly like a solid rivet when done.

I can't believe more guys aren't using these to decorate thier rods, other than the expense (about $0.30 apiece per rivet, plus the tool)
 
Can you post up a link to the tools you are using to set the rivets? I need a little how to lesson on them.
 
You need to get the Cleco pliers also, The rivets you are using I used years ago in aircraft work, I think we called them Cherry rivets, Would be a lot cheaper to use bucking rivets though.

I used to have all the tools for riveting & shaving rivets but let them slip away over the years.:confused:
 
I'm really sorry I didn't see your thread sooner but it looks like you already have it covered. I use the solid rivets and buck them.
 
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Can you post up a link to the tools you are using to set the rivets? I need a little how to lesson on them.

It looks like Gastrick is missing this thread, so I'll give you some info that I have on Clecos and rivet setting.

Here are how clecos work. The special pliers push down and shrink up the little prongs that go through the hole, then when you release the pliers the clecos grip the two pieces of metal so you can weld, bolt , or rivet them together. Here is the way we cleco'd the floor down in my Sons RPU before he riveted it in place for the final time. Those things sticking up are the clecos.

dansfloor.jpg


As for riveting, he bought this tool and aluminum rivets to do the job. I think the gun was only like $ 100 and the rivets were cheap. He found them on line somewhere.

dansrivettool.jpg


He simply laid the panels down on his welding table and used that as a buck. The rivet gun is like an air chisel and pounds the rivet , flattening out the backside against the buck.

Here is the rivet installed on the head of the tool:

dansrivettool3.jpg


He put an adjustable valve on the air supply inlet so he could cut down the action of the gun.

Here are the finished panels installed after riveting:

dansdoorpanels.jpg


Hope this helps explain how they work.

Don
 
Hey guys thanks for all the info! That is exactly what I was looking for. Also donsrods what did you use to make the holes in the sides of the seats. Looks great.

Thanks Guys.
 

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