Tool advice - rivet gun adaptor for cordless drill

[IIA]

Does anybody have a recommendation for a good rivet gun adaptor for a cordless drill? I don't have enough need for an air compresser and I've tried the hand rivet tools and just can't make them work - not enough hand strength I guess. There seem to be lots of adaptors available online but it's hard to tell which are any good, especially for the heavy duty rivets used on Rovers

[Tim Smith]

Does anybody have a recommendation for a good rivet gun adaptor for a cordless drill? I don't have enough need for an air compresser and I've tried the hand rivet tools and just can't make them work - not enough hand strength I guess. There seem to be lots of adaptors available online but it's hard to tell which are any good, especially for the heavy duty rivets used on Rovers

Curious question.

Curious answer:
1) Get your hands on an old motor. 2 stroke is good, I guess. 4 stroke probably gives more PSI. Put a flywheel on it so the drill doesn't give up too early. You know a couple of pounds short of your desired PSI. Testing will prove that.

2) Then get a holding tank for the air. Something reliable and preferably with three outlets. Bigger is better but time to work will be an issue.
Outlet 1 is for air inlet. Outlet 2 is for air outlet. Outlet 3 if for a pressure switch that you will control the drill with on automatic (pressure switch). Otherwise, you will just keep burning your drills out with the desire for more PSI and hold the drill "ON" for too long repetitively.

Other than adapters and testing, you have created an air-compressor. Hopefully powerful enough for the 100 or so rivets you might ever use it for but bingo for the rest of your hot air needs.

Hope that helps!
Tim

[Tim Smith]

Curious question.

Curious answer:
1) Get your hands on an old motor. 2 stroke is good, I guess. 4 stroke probably gives more PSI. Put a flywheel on it so the drill doesn't give up too early. You know a couple of pounds short of your desired PSI. Testing will prove that.

2) Then get a holding tank for the air. Something reliable and preferably with three outlets. Bigger is better but time to work will be an issue.
Outlet 1 is for air inlet. Outlet 2 is for air outlet. Outlet 3 if for a pressure switch that you will control the drill with on automatic (pressure switch). Otherwise, you will just keep burning your drills out with the desire for more PSI and hold the drill "ON" for too long repetitively.

Other than adapters and testing, you have created an air-compressor. Hopefully powerful enough for the 100 or so rivets you might ever use it for but bingo for the rest of your hot air needs.

Hope that helps!
Tim

Instead of rushing to do all the above. Get the bits you need and in the mean time send your panels out to *that friend* who has the big hand crank rivet driver. It looks like bolt cutters and is sold on sale at harbor freight for $17. Ask them nicely to do it for you.

In trade, show them how to make their very own air compressor from a bunch of junk and an air pressure switch. Have them bring the beer.

Jobs done cheap.

I would appreciate hearing how this works out for you!
Good luck!

[Tim Smith]

Last thought is... If you are talking hammer rivets, all you need is a drift... a heavy object with a small foot print on one flat corner, and a small... hammer.
Not sure what your budget is here either.

If you want the hammer rivets to look good, then drill that flat surface out to the depth of the cutting edge of the drill. 2-3 mil tops!!!!! Should fit the head of the rivet nicely. Or else disaster!

I used two river rocks once to make sure a corner didn't come loose halfway across an obstacle. Obvious stuff really

Tap away my friend. Tap tap tap away. Its easy to find your success story.

And again, please share your story.
We all need some real energy in this space!

[IIA]

Well, after some searching, I decided I couldn't go wrong by trying a cheap Amazon.com tool, and this one worked out pretty well. I wouldn't recommend it for heavy use, but for $17 it was worth a try and did a reasonable job for my 2 rivets.

[J!m]

A bit more coin, but I recently was hipped to a Milwaukee brand cordless rivet driver.

Now, none of my rivet drivers have cords now, but they take more effort than squeezing the trigger of this thing...

[victoryoverland]

A bit more coin, but I recently was hipped to a Milwaukee brand cordless rivet driver.

Now, none of my rivet drivers have cords now, but they take more effort than squeezing the trigger of this thing...

X2 on the Milwaukee riveter; I’ve used it in aviation, on my house siding/roofing/HVAC spots, and now my Series Rover……….excellent purchase!

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/products/2550-20