Why have none of you told me how good rivet guns are?

"4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30" (4muddyfeet) 11/13/2015 at 05:55 • Filed to: None

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I’ve never used one before, and it’s a goddamn revelation! Normally I’m a screw and bolt man, but the runners on bed of the Defender were starting to curl up towards to rear door, and the mat was no longer doing a good job of keeping them down so it was time to buy that little (surpringly big) fella up there ^ to replace the rivets.

It’s so EASY. Crazy easy. A couple of squeezes and you’ve got a really tight fix between two surfaces, and the beautiful benefit of no fixing or need for access on the opposite side of the material. I’m probably going to go overboard now and rivet everything. Do yourself a favour and rivet all the things!

this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 06:01

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I have an entire drawer in my small items stack (zip ties, shrink wrap, delicate tools, fasteners, various other assorted things) dedicated to various sizes of aluminum and steel pop rivets. They’re certainly an under appreciated piece of hardware.

m2m, apex detective > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 06:04

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Well, ye’ didn’t ask!

Svend > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 06:06

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I would of thought with you being a Landie owner you’d of found your appreciation of the rivet gun long before now. ;)

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Svend 11/13/2015 at 06:16

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I know, right? I knew I needed one before winter to do some stuff on the old Series, but I just kept putting it off (I never buy tools without knowing exactly how they work, in case I buy the wrong thing). But now, Oh now, I can do ANYTHING!

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata 11/13/2015 at 06:17

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Pretty sure I’m about to over-appreciate them.

this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 06:20

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Pffff

You'll just be making up for all the people who don't know they exsist.

Svend > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 06:35

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A rivet gun is part of the Landie tool box though, after the Philips screw driver, Duct tape and mallet (or hammer and piece of wood).

You a now a Landie owner. Yay.

shop-teacher > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 07:17

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They are pretty great! You bought a good one, too. The cheapos can be very frustrating to use.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > shop-teacher 11/13/2015 at 07:23

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I like Bahco gear, apart from their axes, and maintain that their socket sets are amongst the best. I was quite happy to plonk down some funny dollars for this one. How’s your Chevy holding up btw?

DarrenMR > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 07:48

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Just wait until you learn about rivet nuts.

Leon711 > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 08:11

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Wait till you hear about Rivnuts.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > shop-teacher 11/13/2015 at 09:18

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*Buick!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 09:23

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Because they’re a pain in the ass to take out? lol

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 09:25

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I learned to use a rivet gun last week while helping with an emergency race car fix. It was awesome. I need to get one.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 09:28

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As good as you think those are, aircraft rivets are even better, except for access to the back side. You need an air chisel, an appropriate bit for the rivets you’re using, and a lump of steel to back the rivet. Then you just stick the rivet in the hole, put your lump on the back, and BBBRBRBTBRBRBT on the head of the rivet. Done. More fun, too. It’s what’s correct for your galvie trim on the Series, anyway.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 11/13/2015 at 09:29

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Not really. That’s what cold chisels and punches are for. Unless you’re psychotic and use all steel rivets on everything.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 11/13/2015 at 09:35

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bleh

BigBlock440 > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 09:37

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I think that happens to everybody. An uncle discovered rivets a while back. For about a month, everything he needed to fix was rivited, and I’m pretty sure he just riveted some things for the hell of it. Eventually it tapered off and now he only uses them when they’re appropriate. So have at it, it’s normal to feel that way.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 09:39

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If you have an air compressor a pneumatic gun is the way to go, makes steel rivets super easy.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 11/13/2015 at 09:40

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Aluminum rivets + cold chisel + WHACK = no more rivet. It’s all technique.

Nisman > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 09:50

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Seems like a handy tool. I’ve never had a need for one yet.

uofime-2 > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 09:57

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For every good experience I’ve had with rivets I’ve have 2 bad ones (YMMV)

There are few things more annoying than attempting to drill out rivets

Urambo Tauro > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 10:04

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Several years ago, before I discovered “drift stitches”, I used rivets to repair the fender of my LeSabre. I used an old license plate as a backer.

After a second deer hit, I started to rivet it back together again, but this time I decided it wasn’t worth it, and got a replacement.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > uofime-2 11/13/2015 at 10:43

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I’m very much in the honeymoon phase, but I’m sure I’ll get there. Although so far any attempt to drill out a rivet has been met with success. What can I say, I guess I’m a natural.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Urambo Tauro 11/13/2015 at 10:44

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It’s a brilliant battle scar though.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 11/13/2015 at 10:46

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I do, it’s 150psi Max. Would that be suitable?

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 11/13/2015 at 10:49

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I think you’re forgetting that I have no friends, and would have to build multiple jigs to hold a steel block in place while I BBBRBRBTBRBRBT.

Also, don’t spoil my fun. The head on the gun even twists 360°. It is excellent.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Leon711 11/13/2015 at 10:50

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I’ve just GIS’d them, they look super heavy duty. Do they do them in alu?

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 10:57

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Large rivnuts are the factory specified install device for a power capstan on a Series I. (Series I accessories section in workshop manual.) Through the front bulkhead - drill hole, install rivnut, draw it up, then tack weld the edge.

Yes, I have access to an SI workshop manual. Original.

Urambo Tauro > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 10:57

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It looked kinda cool before it got that long crack in it. I’m glad I didn’t replace the whole fender until it had gotten hit a second time.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 10:59

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As long as you can reach the back side with one hand it’s alright. Applying BBBRBRBTBRBRBT does not require any force at all. It’s the shock of the hammering that makes the back end of the plug mushroom, not any sort of pressure. In fact, you can shape the plug as you BBBRBRBTBRBRBT with the anvil, so you can draw it up more on one side or the other. It’s like shaping butter with a knife.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 11/13/2015 at 11:01

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This doesn’t surprise me! Is the SI capstan winch still a Fairey, or is that SII and later? I’ve never seen one on an SI apart from pictures.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 11:03

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As far as I’m aware the capstan was the same unit throughout, but I can’t say. I had the mount plate and the capstan and used the SI manual to install on an SIIA, because it was all the same.

uofime-2 > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 11:07

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the real fun happens when you try to drill it out and it spins in the hole.

Leon711 > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 11:08

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They come in small sizes for cars. The only time I’ve seen them in action (did not know of their existence until recently) was to bolt mirrors to an MX5 racecar.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > uofime-2 11/13/2015 at 12:50

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I’ve drilled a few out today and all went well. I’ll assume because of corrosion :)

shop-teacher > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/13/2015 at 15:08

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I’m loving the Buick, but right now it’s up on jack stands with a blown brake line. Unfortunately it’s the hard line that runs from the top of the pumpkin out to the right rear drum. It’s a real PITA to get to. I’m going to pick up some line to fix it this afternoon.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 11/14/2015 at 00:19

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Should be plenty. Guns should list acceptable operating pressures too.