Would like to learn a little more about solid rivets and setting of solid rivets. I'm thinking of rivets used in airplane sheetmetal, floor and panels in cars, etc... The round headed type. Didn't see too much when I did a search. Where do you get these, how are they set, and has anyone used them for placing sheetmetal and other panels?
I've got a WHOLE HUGE box of them. Picked them up from an guy who used to assemble planes. I can send you some if you want. Let me know
Resoration Supply sells rivet headed bolts. They look like round headed rivets but with threads, always nice to be able to take stuff apart.
DID YOU EVER USE ANY OF THOSE GOVT. SURPLUS RIVETS ? I HAVE SOME AND THEY ARE HARDER THAN ALL HELL MIKE
I think they are called "Buck Rivets" at least that's what I've always heard 'em called. I have some I aquired from a few freinds in the aircraft industry. I also got a few air hammer tools for 'em that have a concave end that is meant to match the rivet size. The few times I've bucked rivets I used a dolly for backup and have managed to let the tool jump off a time or 2 and bent what I was fooling with and have come to the conclusion that they are not meant for the clumsy (me) or faint of heart.LOL Although practical experience (practice) would prolly help in that respect. That's all I've got,T.OUT
I'm in the process of assembling the bed for my '34 pickup and plan to use rivets in addition to plug welds. Do the rivets need to be heated with a torch or are they done cold?
I did my 'bomber' style seats with them, as explained, you use an air hammer/chisel with a concave ended head that matches the rivet head size and a bucking bar on the other end ,just a flat faced heavy piece of steel. the trick is keeping the bucking bar square to the panel and hard against the rivet while the hammer goes ratatatat.You really need a two people to do it and the one on the hammer has to be pretty sharp on the trigger.(i was lucky, my dad helped me and hes built rivet constructed aircraft) youll need to get some cleco's and cleco pliers too, to set it all up before you rivet. its a cool construction method for all sorts of suff.
Those are probably heat-treated alumimum rivets. They need to be pre-heated just before bucking, to a spedific temperature. Then, when they cool they revert to the original strength/hardness. What does the marking on the head look like? Aircraft rivets with no head marking are dead-soft aluminum (1100). Rivets with a dimple are 2024-T, harder and stronger than 1100 but driveable in normal state, etc. The rest is a book. Some have a teat(reverse of a dimple), some have a +, some have.....oh well you got the drift.........
Some aluminum rivets have a tiny 'dot' in the middle of the rounded head. These type of rivets are hard as a bears ass,even though they're aluminum. Look at a big-rig trailer & you'll see the rivets with the dots. I just put some new seat-tops on my Alum fishing boat with the softer variety. It took awhile to get the hang of it,but once you get going,it's kinda fun. As mentioned above,a helper is really the way to do it.
Thanks for the tips and rivet suppliers! Cool bomber seats lowsquire! Turned out nice and very cool you riveted them also. soontobe I'll send you a PM... Anyone care to do a TECH thread on this process? Also, is the airhammer/chisle attachment available anywhere or do you buy it from the rivet manufacturer? How about the dolly for the back? I just like the traditional aspect of assembling things with rivets, so I thought I would give it try. I would like to use it in the future for some ideas I have. Thanks everyone!! Keep this thread going if there's more to add and also a TECH article would be great if someone got the time to do it!
http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=5 You might try this link. The old Airstreams used aircraft type rivets and this is a "Pop Rivet" replacement. Its my understanding that you dont need the spendy finishing tool and that a Drimel or file will do the finishing job.
You might try this link. The old Airstreams used aircraft type rivets and this is a "Pop Rivet" replacement. Its my understanding that you dont need the spendy finishing tool and that a drimel or file will do the finishing job. http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=5
If your gonna' do it,don't get an air hammer, the trigger is like an on-off switch in most cases. find yourself,or borrow a 4x rivet gun,and the "conventional" rivet sets that you will need to shoot these rivets. practice on some scrap first ,as you will "smiley face" a few rivet heads till you get the hang of it. the gun needs to be controllable,trigger wise. some "AD" classed rivets should suit your purposes fine. hundreds of airplanes held together with them. stay 3/16 diameter or smaller,(easy to "buck"),and you will do find. do some searching on rivet identification,and you can tell by the head markings what you have. I'm at work now,at lunch. shot about 200 3/16 "AD" rivets before lunch. give it hell,or go hang out some aircraft sheet metal mechanics for a while, they will show ya' some stuff. might cost ya' some sodas,or beer,(my favorite),or lunch. but you can learn enough for what you wanna' do.
If you are using factory ford rivets, they were steel and bucked backwards. The were heated before bucking as well. They are a booger.
I work for Peterbilt, and use em all day, if you dont see the back side use a huck type, and we use the aluminum on the doors, Mac and snapon sell the air bits, it takes about three seconds per rivet, and just like said, it take two one to hold the buck/steel block and a on off trigger man keeping the head square so it doesnt mark or horseshoe the rounded end of the rivet. They dont need heat. You will need to find a willing truck shop to let you use a huck gun, huge money and they dont loan them out. Any questions PM me. There are a bunch of differant styles and lengths.
Steel or Aluminum... if what you want is steel for the frame, PM HotRodDrumer, he has worked with 'em.
I just discovered a neat little company that has many kinds of rivets. Also has instructions, tools and other info on rivets. The name is Big Flats Rivet Company in (where else) Big Flats NY www.bigflatsrivet.com 607-562-3501
You can't use an air hammer like someone else already said. Must be a rivet gun. I agree with the size, also. 4x, or a Jiffy 400. Also, what type of metal are you riveting? If it's steel, you may want to use monel rivets. If you use aluminum with steel, the rivets will corrode in no time or shear. You're in Las Vegas, right. Try the airport there for rivets. There should be plenty of general aviation places to get rivets from. I'm an Airframe & Powerplant mechanic and I'll try to answer your questions, but I don't do very much riveting. Something like once a week. Some people I work with do hundreds of rivets a day. Hope this helps.
This board RULES! Tons of great info here and I have a direction to go now. Thanks for all the tips!!! HUGE help! As it turns out, our sheetmetal guy here at work used to rivet airplanes too and is supposed to be super good at it. I'm going to sign up for a lesson from him!
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