Rivets.

[SafeAirOne]

SafeAirOne: I guess I need to practice more, based upon your comments. I still don't quite get it - kind of thick today.

I assume there should be significant pressure on the bucking bar??

No--Let the mass of the bucking bar do the work--Just hold it against the rivet. The only thing you should have to do is to make sure the bucking bar is held flat/square against the rivet, although in non-aerospace applications where nobody is gonna see the bucktail, it probably won't matter much if the bucktail is a little lopsided. For a MUCH better explanation, see "How do solid rivets work? here.

Just to clarify the prevous posts: A "rivet set" is not a set of rivets, but the metal rod that plugs into the rivet gun and has a dished end that fits atop the domed rivet head and drives the rivet. It is (mis)labeled "TOOL" in the drawings I made in the last few posts. A rivet set is sized according to the size and type of rivet being used. Using one that is too deep for the rivet (labeled "INCORRECT" in the previous post's diagram) will cold work the surrounding metal, fatiguing it and may also ding it up.

The "bucktail" is the end of the rivet that is flattened or squashed during rivet driving.

Out of curiosity, are you using an air hammer or a rivet gun? They are similar looking but very different in function. An air hammer probably won't have the correct stroke or frequency of blows. Good luck controlling an air hammer in a riveting operation. I suppose it can be done, but it'll look like you did it blindfolded because the air hammer will probably come off the rivet and ding up the surrounding area and rivet head.

I recommend 1) Practicing in some scrap metal first and 2) using 2 people do do this job; You can focus your attention on getting the bucking bar flat and then ding the heck out of the panel with the riveter or you can concentrate on controlling the riveter and end up with a lopsided bucktail.

[Bertha]

Bertha,
I'm dragging this oneout the archives but I'm about to buy the set for applying the rivets desceribed in this post. If you don't mind, to save me trolling through the pages of different sets, what was the part number or decription of your set tool in the picture.

sorry for the delay
part #sm10-4356
this is for a button head rivet(original land rover style), however you can also get the tool for round head rivets(the incorrect Big Flats style) and it will work just as well. This part number above pertains to a 4" long, but 5.5" works well too.

[TedW]

Out of curiosity, are you using an air hammer or a rivet gun? They are similar looking but very different in function. An air hammer probably won't have the correct stroke or frequency of blows. Good luck controlling an air hammer in a riveting operation. I suppose it can be done, but it'll look like you did it blindfolded because the air hammer will probably come off the rivet and ding up the surrounding area and rivet head.

I'm using an Ingersoll-Rand 772. I don't seem to have any trouble at all controlling it, so I'm assuming it's correct.

[SafeAirOne]

I'm using an Ingersoll-Rand 772. I don't seem to have any trouble at all controlling it, so I'm assuming it's correct.

The 772 is an Air Chisel (Hammer) which seems to be working out for you, just take care that the rivet set doesn't jump off the rivet head and ding everything up and you should be OK.

[TedW]

Out of curiosity, are you using an air hammer or a rivet gun? They are similar looking but very different in function. An air hammer probably won't have the correct stroke or frequency of blows.

SafeAirOne: Do you know what the correct stroke and frequency of blows is? If you do, I will look up the specs on the tool I have and compare.

[Bertha]

SafeAirOne: Do you know what the correct stroke and frequency of blows is? If you do, I will look up the specs on the tool I have and compare.

Just run it on low air pressure 30-40psi

[greenmeanie]

Thanks Bertha.

Now what makes a good bucking bar other than it must fit in the space you're trying to work in. As a matter of interst I am using OEM rivets as I found a bag of them in my spares stash. Of course, I'm using them in a non OEM place.

[TedW]

SafeAirOne: Do you know what the correct stroke and frequency of blows is? If you do, I will look up the specs on the tool I have and compare.

SafeAirOne: I read that my gun puts out 3000 blows/min and has a 2.25" stroke. When I look up rivet guns on the web their specs seem to be all over the place: from 3 1/6 stroke and 1740 B/M to 2.25" stroke and 2600 B/M (close to what I have), and that's just what I found from a quick look.

I do know that the tool I bought wasn't cheap, and the power to the tool varies by the amount of pressure on the trigger. I have absolutely no trouble keeping it under control while in use. In fact, you sort of caught me off-guard with your comments about it possibly getting away from me. It is actually quite stable, and I've been running it at 40 psi.

[Bertha]

Thanks Bertha.

Now what makes a good bucking bar other than it must fit in the space you're trying to work in. As a matter of interst I am using OEM rivets as I found a bag of them in my spares stash. Of course, I'm using them in a non OEM place.

I have several bucking bars, but have found my favorite to be a 1" thick by 3" long bar of steel. It is a homemade item from steel stock that I got somewhere along the way. Rover only rounded off the ends on the inside of the bodyside galv, the rest of the button head rivets used throughout the truck have a flat crushed back .

[crankin]

now I've got another question....

For riveting the galvanized trim to body....I would use 3/16 D. X 1/2? Or are our rivets not something that is a standard length?

[SafeAirOne]

I do know that the tool I bought wasn't cheap, and the power to the tool varies by the amount of pressure on the trigger. I have absolutely no trouble keeping it under control while in use. In fact, you sort of caught me off-guard with your comments about it possibly getting away from me. It is actually quite stable, and I've been running it at 40 psi.

Sounds as if you've got a quality tool. Some of the cheaper tools blast away as soon as the trigger is pulled. You should be fine.

[TedW]

Remember, you use the hammer and tool on the rivet head, not the other way around. Counter intuitive but it works. It sounds as if some people are holding the head and hitting the other side. You need to hit the head and hold the back up tool. Hitting the head actually draws the whole mess together.

So I spent an hour last night setting rivets the right (counterintuitive) way. Amazing! Much cleaner and faster than the other way. Thanks!!!!!!

StX_Rovers: Is St. Croix as hilly as St. John? I was there (StJ)in January and thought about the workout my 88 would get on that island. Great place for a disc brake upgrade.....

[crankin]

Well, I am a huge advocate on using a rivet gun now! I had attempted to place the rivets in with an air hammer but could not get them to work without damaging things.

I purchased a rivet gun off of ebay and it came in last night. In half the time it took to use the air hammer, I had prefect rounded heads. The hits seems more solid with a rivet gun and the forming seems more controlled.

I would suggest saving the $35 that you would spend on an air hammer an invest it on a rivet gun!!

[SafeAirOne]

I purchased a rivet gun off of ebay and it came in last night. In half the time it took to use the air hammer, I had prefect rounded heads. The hits seems more solid with a rivet gun and the forming seems more controlled.

Glad to hear that it worked out for you. Any pics?

[crankin]

I'll get some pics for everyone. I ran about 15 through a piece of aluminum I had sitting around.