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Popping 5/32 rivets
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 5:44 pm
by Zookified
I am in the middle of putting chequer sill protectors on. I bought a stanley rivet gun for $35 from melco. It was the best one they had, so I thought it would be alright. The rivets I'm using are pretty big, and I was having trouble getting the to pop. I was squeezing the handle with both hands, as hard as I could and then snap. I broke one of the cast handles

I'll be taking it back for a refund.
What I need help with is how the fuck I am gonig to put these buggers in? I have about 40 to do so there are quiet a few. Is there a cheap air tool that does rivets or something?
Cheers.
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 6:00 pm
by Hoonz
super cheap have a air rivet gun ... fairly cheap i think
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:18 pm
by plowy
or they do make a heavy duty set in the shape of bolt cutters
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:32 pm
by guzzla
r u sure you had the end of the rivet all the way inside the pipe? if not this will not allow the rivet to expand and hence the massive handle pressure.
cheers,
nathan
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:45 pm
by chunderlicious
get the most expensive pair you will find. industriul steel rivet not aluminium rivet gun.... wont break and is better designed for the big rivets... go through lots of cheap pairs and had only one set of stanley ($93) riveters
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:56 pm
by runnin4life
im not sure what size 5/32 is but at work we dont use a hand rivvet for any thing over about a 3 mm size rivet
we even have rivets about 7 mm the air powered gun alone is like a grand and its a cheaper gun on the market
cheers
elliot
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:08 pm
by -Scott-
guzzla wrote:r u sure you had the end of the rivet all the way inside the pipe? if not this will not allow the rivet to expand and hence the massive handle pressure.
cheers,
nathan
Rivets too short for the job can have a similar problem, as well as not gripping properly.
Cheers,
Scott
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:32 pm
by cloughy
Tek screws!
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:39 pm
by spazbot
hire a big one from a place like kenards or cat hire
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:59 pm
by 80UTE
The big one's hand ones are called a " lazy tong " i used on when securing my Alloy Checker Plate to my steel tray frame using S/Steel 1/4 " (6.35mm) rivets and they work with one push. Ive done 5/32 (4.1mm) rivets with my hand gun no probs thou.
Wally
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 9:06 pm
by Slunnie
Even if the rivet isn't in properly, the mandrel should still snap off before the rivet gun breaks. It was just a POS.
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:05 am
by BundyRumandCoke
These are what you want. Magic tool for larger rivets.
http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgu ... f%26sa%3DG
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:58 am
by RaginRover
cloughy wrote:Tek screws!
ever tried to get a broken one or one with a broken head out ????
I will take a rivet any day over a tek screw if it is likely to get its head broken off like on sliders or side steps - they are so much harder than any drill bit I have been able to get my hands on
Tom
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 1:04 pm
by Tiny
RaginRover wrote:cloughy wrote:Tek screws!
ever tried to get a broken one or one with a broken head out ????
I will take a rivet any day over a tek screw if it is likely to get its head broken off like on sliders or side steps - they are so much harder than any drill bit I have been able to get my hands on
Tom
plus they will get loose over time ands require frequest re tightening
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:21 pm
by runnin4life
have you ever tried to get a rivet out when the mandrell hasnt snapped off properly and the little bit left in there wont go back inside
so there for you cant drill them
and even more of a prick when u cant get any thing in to grind the head off
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:29 pm
by RaginRover
well runnin - I will know I would have more success trying to sort out an ali rivet as opposed to the headless tekscrew.
each to their own though - just put one in a vice and try and drill it
Tom
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 5:37 pm
by Zookified
Thanks for the replys.
Yes, I had the rivet in correctly. I know how to use them

I will probably jsut hire a pneumatic (sp?) gun from aus hire or the likes and do it on the weekend.
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 7:05 pm
by r0ck_m0nkey
runnin4life wrote:have you ever tried to get a rivet out when the mandrell hasnt snapped off properly and the little bit left in there wont go back inside
Plenty of times. Can use many methods, grinder, chisel or start with a small drill bit as a pilot hole and step up in drill bit sizes.
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 7:44 pm
by cloughy
Tiny wrote:RaginRover wrote:cloughy wrote:Tek screws!
ever tried to get a broken one or one with a broken head out ????
I will take a rivet any day over a tek screw if it is likely to get its head broken off like on sliders or side steps - they are so much harder than any drill bit I have been able to get my hands on
Tom
plus they will get loose over time ands require frequest re tightening
You could use the washer heads with 7g phillips head wont bust them of on the rocks, Just a thought
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:18 pm
by runnin4life
yer i try all thoe tricks some times they work
but the problem we have at work ( i make tool boxes and other sheet metal objects) is when you use an alluminium rivet that has a steel shaft it just drifts off the steel mandrell and straight through the alluminium vivet body when you try to drill it and then it drills through the alluminium tool box and you end up with a hole twice as big as you need
although doesnt happen often it still hapens often enough to be a prick
although we use about 50 - 60 rivets per day each and there is 3 of us
i can see it would be easier in most cases to remove a dodgy rivet then to remove a dodgy teck screw but ive yet to have a teck screw stuff up (fingers crossed)
any ways cheers
elliot
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:27 pm
by Damo
Sikaflex dude.
And with the time you save you can sit back and admire your handiwork with a beer or 3

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 8:00 am
by BundyRumandCoke
Try getting a thin pin punch, and punching the broken end of the rivet mandrel through the rivet before drilling the remains out.
Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 3:39 pm
by runnin4life
i know what ur no about with the thin punch its just some time they snap way to far up to push it back in like there is still to much of the madrell left to fit back in the gap that is remaining
and to damo you would go great at blueys ute world
half there stuff is put on with teck screws and silastic
eg a roll top or aka roller shutter for the back of a ute
the tracks are attached with teck screws and silastic
the one we do at work is bolted and riveted and silasticed to seal it not to hold it together
and to those who will say im bull shitting about blueys
i have seen it first hand when trying to repair there genious work(not the sarcasim)
cheers
elliot
any ways back to topic