Thanks, Ryan. Funny, but that's almost exactly what I said when I was first shown the Jalopy Journal. The micro-stops with rolling bearings are rated at a higher continuous speed than the stops with bushings. Both are rated higher than the drill speed you'll likely use. I've heard the bushed units will get pretty warm after hard use and the bearing units are worth the extra dollars. However, I had a bearing unit that got sloppy due to the poor quality bearings used. Unfortunately, I don't know it's manufacturer so I can't identify it with any certainty. It's probably a wash in the end - maybe some others have experience. Vendors that have been reliable for me - maybe not the best prices, but straightforward to deal with - in no particular order: Aircraft Spruce, www.aircraftspruce.com Avery Tools, www.averytools.com Clear Air Tools, www.clearairtools.com Brown Aviation Tools, www.browntool.com (yes, that is correct) I don't have personal experience with the other companies found in the above replies, but I have not heard anything bad about them. I'll add information and answer questions as I find some time. Thanks for the compliments, all. Brian
Any hambers in central Fl would do well to check out Sun-n-Fun in Lakeland next week. Lots of hands on exihibits and classes on stuff that translates well to the Rod and Custom world. Great deals on tools and hardware also. http://www.sun-n-fun.org/
That's a good looking panel on the aircraft wing. Good post and an illustration of the proper tools. Once in awhile I amaze myself that I take stuff like this for granted and assume everybody knows this stuff, which is part of my own stupdity. I just wanted to add that the Aluminum rivets are soft and easest in most cases to Rivet and buck. However, if we are working with steel then we should be using steel or Monel (SS) rivets which require the same basic operations they are just a harder material. The differences in the material type i.e aluminum on steel can eventually start up some corrosion issues. Maybe not an issue to most but, over time it is a factor. Great stuff thanks for posting. Learned some of this doing mods on F14's.
Great post! I worked at Boeing as an assembler on the 737 line for a few years. It was the only job I've had that I truly liked.
I worked at Beechcraft, fitting emergency escape hatches on King Airs and Queen Airs. Cessna too and a couple of sub contractors back in the 80's. I knows all about drivin' rivets Mizz Scarlet. Very handy skill to have. That sure brought back some memories. Hand me that buck.
With a lot of guys looking for the warbird look on their hotrods, I would think this is very on-topic.
I've been wanting to learn to rivet for some time and this post gives me the inspiration AND the info to get my ass in gear and get started! Brilliant !!! Thanks much, and as bolt boy 49 said, I can't wait for post #3.
I suck at words but I am quite experienced with this stuff. I've been an A&P since 1994. One thing that wasn't mentioned is skipping around when rivieting a lot. If you start riveting on one end of a row and work straight down it to the other end, the metal is going to move and your holes will quit lining up, even with lots of clecos. You have to shoot a few rivets throughout the length of the job to get the sheets mated to where they won't move in relation to each other. Then go back and fill in the missing rivets. Like I said, I suck with words. I am much better with my tools.
GREAT thread, brought back great memories of restoring Bugatti GP cars. The dash and firewall was a six inch deep structure, aluminun angle hoops with engineturned aluminum sheets riveted together. I'm sure this allowed many drivers to survive a rollover. Often wondered if the countersunk copper rivets were used for strength or an artistic touch.
Here's a question for those who still have the knowledge of bucking rivets: I picked up a set of frame rivets from Mac's, and I want to use them to assemble a Model A frame. The rivets seem to be steel, and this wonderful tech document mainly talks about aluminum rivets. Is the methodology the same? Also:
Yep, but ya' need to know what alloy, and how the original steel rivets were installed, ( hot or cold?), and are the rivets you have in an "annealed" condition? Are they meant to be installed "as is", and to "work harden" to design strength upon installation? Don't know the diameter of said rivets, but I'm guessing a 1/4 inch dia. or larger. You would probably need at least a 6X strength gun to shoot them with. And with a gun that size, the shank diameter of the rivet sets changes from the "widely used" 4X strength gun sets. I believe, the 6X uses a .498 dia. set, and the 4X uses a .401 diameter set,( don't remember the numbers exactly), but yes, they make an adapter sleeve to use the smaller sets in the larger gun. Good thread here, and good on ya' for searching, and resurrecting it!
From reading around at other sites on the web, the rivets are meant to be installed hot. How do you heat them up? Individually with a torch?
Had to replace some rivets in my tailgate. Here is what we did: clean up the holes put the rivets in heat the rivets up with a torch, try to only heat the end piece of the rivet then hammer them to mushroom shape sure that's not the official way, but worked for us.
Sounds good to me! Just heat and upset the tail, and leave the head as blemish free as possible..........................But iffn' ya' ain't used to riveting, I bet you get a few "smiley faces" on those domed heads until you figure it out!...... Then you get to drill them out and start again.
I was an AMS in the Navy and was taught and got to do some rivet work. After this refresher course, (have forgotten quite a bit of the details),I guess we could all be making bomber seats!
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