A simple tool

[n3480h]

I hesitate to post this, since it's such a simple piece, but I will anyway. Many of you are aware that I am building an experimental aircraft, and this week I am starting on the all aluminum wings. There are a number of spar cap strips which must be hard riveted to the spars before the wing ribs can be assembled to the spars. The rivets are "AN" type hard aircraft rivets, and setting them can be tricky. Basically, I am using an arbor press and smacking the ram with a 3 pound hammer. This forms the rivet, but it can also deform the round head. So I made a little steel receiver tool which cups the head to prevent it from deforming. The tool press fits into the lower part of the arbor press to stay in position. As I said, simple . . . but also very effective.

Tom

 

[Terrywerm]

Glad you posted this, Tom. It is one of those simple things that many might overlook if not for someone such as yourself bringing it up.

 

[Uglydog]

The simple solution is often the most elegant.

Daryl
MN

 

[RandyM]

The tool is efficient, but the concept is BRILLIANT! Thanks for the post.

 

[ScrapMetal]

I can think of a number of times that would have come in real handy around my place, to the point where I'm sure I'll be making something similar at some point in time. I am curious as to what you used to make the "divot". Did you just use a ball-nose end mill or use something else to more closely match the head of the rivet?

Thanks,

-Ron

 

[Holescreek]

You might be interested in some other simple home made rivet setting tools for your project too. Rivets are still used in sheet metal gun builds (AK series weapons) and the rivet setting tools range from modified bolt cutters that have one jaw flattened and the other dimpled to retain the shape of the head to more elaborate fixtures that are used in conjunction with a press. Google "AK rivet jig" and check out the images. Maybe a design can be modified to work on your project.

 

[n3480h]

I can think of a number of times that would have come in real handy around my place, to the point where I'm sure I'll be making something similar at some point in time. I am curious as to what you used to make the "divot". Did you just use a ball-nose end mill or use something else to more closely match the head of the rivet?

Thanks,

-Ron

Ron, yes, it was done with a 1/2" ballnose. The rivet heads are not a true spherical form, but the 1/2" is very close and does not appear to reform the heads. Took all of 30 seconds to cut the divot, but 10 minutes to machine a "key" into the bottom of the piece so it would press fit into the narrow slot on the arbor's plate. I could buy a tool to do the same thing for about $7 + shipping, but I needed it that day - and I am not patient enough to wait, lol. Maybe when I finish the riveting I'll post a pic of one of the spars completed and show the method I chose to do the job. Test pieces exhibit very good rivet setting (lucky). FAA specifications dictate the shop head to be 1.5 times the rivet diameter, and a height of .5 diameter.

A lot of kindness in the comments from other members. Thank you all.

Tom



Tom