Rivets

[Batmanacw]

Through the last few years I've bought several full Akro-Mils drawer organizers from the flea market. I resisted the urge to dump everything in the organizers, instead I sorted and stored anything I deemed worth keeping.

I ended up with quite a collection of rivets....not pop rivets, but real rivets.... I honestly know very little about using them...



I have some semi tubular rivets and the tool to roll them over so I'll use those.

I'm not sure about the solid steel and aluminum rivets. Is this a skill worth spending time developing? I'm going to look for videos on YouTube.

 

[RJSakowski]

I have used the solid aluminum rivets on one of my aluminum boats. I had an accident about thirty years ago where the boat skidded along the highway on it side, shearing a number of rivets. I beli3ve that I replaced about 80 or so. I have used solid steel and copper rivets also, but not nearly as many.

When setting solid rivets, you have to buck up the back side to ensure a tight joint. This can be done by setting the work on a solid backing , usually steel as in an anvil. In the case of the boat, I had a helper with a bucking tool on the other side doing the bucking while I set the rivet.

To set a rivet, you need to upset the rivet by peening, usually with a ball peen hammer. This it done by mushrooming the end of the rivet to capture the rivet in the work and then optionally working around the edge of the rivet with light taps to create a domed head. The process of setting the rivet will expand the diameter and shorten its length in the hole, creating a tight joint.

 

[woodchucker]

I rivet on occasion, nothing to it. Like RJ says, I also use a doming tool I made as a final shaper. Just used a ball nose end mill to dimple the metal, then heated it red and oil quenched it. then brought it up to straw color.
I have a bunch of copper, steel, and aluminum rivets that I have aquired.

I also peen over machine screws with nuts so they don't loosen.

I have also peened over rivets to be flushed in a hole. I have done this two different ways.
One drill lets say a 1/4 hole for the rivet, then use an F drill to drill out the last 1/16-1/8 inch. insert the rivet or stud into the 1/4 inch side and let it protrude out the F (slightly larger) side. keep spreading the metal out until it is firm, and then file or grind flat.
Or use a taper reamer on the back side rather than an larger drill. The goal is to set it so it can't come out.

 

[GeneT45]

I have only used steel rivets and prefer to crush them with a press if possible. With appropriately shaped tooling, like @woodchucker described, you can get excellent cosmetics in addition to a strong, tight, joint.

Gst

 

[LeeG]

I don't have a Tig welder, so I use solid rivets often with aluminum when I want a nicer look than blind rivets.



These are a pair if trash/recycle bins I made to fit a specific slide out cabinet.

Lee

 

[verbotenwhisky]

Through the last few years I've bought several full Akro-Mils drawer organizers from the flea market. I resisted the urge to dump everything in the organizers, instead I sorted and stored anything I deemed worth keeping.

I ended up with quite a collection of rivets....not pop rivets, but real rivets.... I honestly know very little about using them...

View attachment 494550

I have some semi tubular rivets and the tool to roll them over so I'll use those.

I'm not sure about the solid steel and aluminum rivets. Is this a skill worth spending time developing? I'm going to look for videos on YouTube.

We use to use the steel rivets to secure the blades on a sickle mower for cutting hay. Put 2 rivets through the holes then put the head against the anvil slide the blade over the rivets and hit the end square a couple times...

 

[verbotenwhisky]

I have used the solid aluminum rivets on one of my aluminum boats. I had an accident about thirty years ago where the boat skidded along the highway on it side, shearing a number of rivets. I beli3ve that I replaced about 80 or so. I have used solid steel and copper rivets also, but not nearly as many.

When setting solid rivets, you have to buck up the back side to ensure a tight joint. This can be done by setting the work on a solid backing , usually steel as in an anvil. In the case of the boat, I had a helper with a bucking tool on the other side doing the bucking while I set the rivet.

To set a rivet, you need to upset the rivet by peening, usually with a ball peen hammer. This it done by mushrooming the end of the rivet to capture the rivet in the work and then optionally working around the edge of the rivet with light taps to create a domed head. The process of setting the rivet will expand the diameter and shorten its length in the hole, creating a tight joint.

I have a set of chisels for my air hammer that peens and rounds them at the same time.

 

[dabear3428]

We use to use the steel rivets to secure the blades on a sickle mower for cutting hay. Put 2 rivets through the holes then put the head against the anvil slide the blade over the rivets and hit the end square a couple times...

now you are bringing up old memories, spent a lot of summers with a grinder sharpening them things, we did not have any of those fancy anvil things I normally had to use the trailer ball on the truck.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

now you are bringing up old memories, spent a lot of summers with a grinder sharpening them things, we did not have any of those fancy anvil things I normally had to use the trailer ball on the truck.

Cutting the back of the rivet with a chisel then using a punch to remove the rest out of the hole to get the old blade off...