How do I rivet? - not pop rivets

[mayberg]

Experts of varying degrees: I got the front chin spoiler extension add-on thingy from the good doctor for Christmas for my 1974, and I got the correct black rivets to attach it to the car. I was happy as a clam thinking I would use the pop rivet gun that the guy that owned my house before I did left for me (free tools!) to attach this to the car. These rivets aren't pop rivets. They're just plain old rivets - they don't have the little pin thingy going back through the head. What do I do? Is there some other kind of rivet tool for these kind of rivets? Thanks, GM

[Chuck Gongloff]

Hello Guy. I can offer a LITTLE insight. I've placed "correct" aluminum rivets through fiberglass doing any number of projects. Can't speak about this special black rivet, but you need a "buck"....or an anvil type gizmo to hold the head flat against the surface. You can actually use a hammer head for this. You then need another hammer to "bop" the other end to peen over the rivet. It can be a real PIA, especially when you don't have a lot of room to swing a hammer.

I don't know a better way, as I don't own a special "real" rivet setup. Hope this helps. Chuck

[M.Y.Freak]

As far as what to use to peen over the skinny end of the rivet, I've taken a king pin & drilled the end just deep enough to smash the rivet to resemble a factory job. Sometimes it comes out pretty good, sometimes not so good. Practice, Practice, Practice!
Some of the major vendors(LICS for one) sell various sized tools for different rivet sizes.

[Larry B.]

there is a pneumatic tool called a rivet squeezer that works very well if the rivets are reasonable close to an edge. Either way you need a special tool that most of us don't have. Some of the aviation mechs may have one or both kinds.

:smash:


[Modified by silvervetteman, 7:02 PM 1/24/2003]

[Mac]

Have I got a thread for you, mayberg!
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=315457

I'm looking at getting one of the spoilers. Let me know how it goes!! :)

[Larry B.]

When you choose a tool... Be aware that an air hammer/(muffler chisel) is NOT a rivet gun. The rivet guns have a very controlable trigger and are designed for installing rivets. You can do the job (or a lot of damage) with a cheap air hammer like the poster said by turning the air pressure down.. Practice on a few scrap pieces until you get a feel for it.


[Modified by silvervetteman, 8:33 PM 1/26/2003]

[Red69]

(Assuming you are refering to the OEM style rivites) one of the key points to get "good looking" results when using this type of rivit is the length of the shank.... If it sticks out too far, you'll have too much material to peen over... too short, not enough... Dr Rebuild's web site talks alittle about installing this type reivit... The gripping power is in the expansion of the shaft... not the peened head... so, the shaft length is important. They can be easly cut with dykes! ... I usually leave about .25" sticking out... and use a small sledg on the back side as my anval and a small ball-peen for "pounding" the shank down...

Good advice is practice, practice, practice....!

John

[Larry B.]

The end should stick out 1 1/2 times the diameter. The rivet should not be sloppy in the hole or it will bend over and look terrible.

[JohnZ]

Here's what I use - an Ingersoll-Rand air gun, dedicated regulator just for this application (set at 15-20 psi), and a concave-face 3/16" rivet-setting tool on a .401" shank to fit the gun. Aircraft Tool Supply Co. ( http://www.aircraft-tool.com ) has a terrific selection of 3/16" rivet-setting tools in many lengths and shank shapes. Just trim the (soft) rivet (I get mine from Dr. Rebuild) to correct length, back up the large end with an old hammer head, and the rivet-setter peens it in a flash with a nice rounded end.


:steering:

['65 Fuelie]

I have tried every conceivable method of peening the rivets and John's method is the ONLY way to do it right.