Question for those that use solid aluminum rivets

[ARAMP1]

I'm starting to do some fab work with aluminum and have decided to try my hand at using aluminum rivets. I bought a descent 3x rivet gun and have been riveting 1/8" and 3/16" rivets for practice. Anyway, I'm using round head rivets and they're getting flattened just a bit on top. Am I using the wrong shaped bit, or is there some flattening to be expected?

 

[ARAMP1]

Well, I think I've found my problem. I have round headed rivets and I suspect I have universal rivet sets.

 

[rdn2blazer]

Yep, that is your problem. You need the round button head sets. We use Al. rivets by the thousands at work and have spicific rivet sets for each type of rivet.

 

[bigjbear]

Yep, that is your problem. You need the round button head sets. We use Al. rivets by the thousands at work and have spicific rivet sets for each type of rivet.

^^^This^^^ Get the right set and you'll be fine. How are the tails looking?

 

[ARAMP1]

How are the tails looking?

Not too bad, but not as consistent as I want. I'm not too worried about it though, the stuff I'm working on is decorative, not structural. I figure its very much like laying down a weld, I need to do it a lot to get good at it.

 

[tRustyK5]

I've done a few hundred thousand of those working at a truck body place many years ago. There is definitely a knack to both sides of em. A good bucking iron for the backside is crucial, but most of the skill required is on the exterior part. Even with the right head in the gun it's easy to have the gun bounce a hair and put a shadow on the rivet head.

 

[bigjbear]

We call 'em smiley faces

Drill it out and do it again

 

[rdn2blazer]

You would not believe how tight a tolerance aerospace rivet instalation actually is. I have installed over 100 rivets on one assembly with a flush to minus .002 tolerance call out. The standard tolerance is only a few thousands more then that at .005 total, flush to -.005 or flush to .005 above depending on the drawing and part application. We have a saying for rivet instalation at my shop. Our tolerance is "flush to flush". Then it's correct every time.

 

[ARAMP1]

Just an update.

Everything is going really well with using rivets and sets that match. Who knew.

 

[Big Ray]

After you put in several thousand you can tell by the sound if they're good or not....

 

[ARAMP1]

After you put in several thousand you can tell by the sound if they're good or not....

Hell, just after a hundred or so, I can tell if it's close. My eventual plan is to build a hot rod body out of aluminum and rivet it together. My dream is to have an open wheel boat tail style car similar to the mormon meteor, but with an open engine compartment with a flathead 16 cylinder cadillac.

My project that I just finished was just decorative. When my crew chief and I put the nose art on our airplane, we made two snoopys but only used one. I had the extra one sitting around for a while and was just going to put it on a piece of aluminum and hang it in my office, but decided to throw some rivets at it to make it look more like an aircraft panel. Here's the finished result.

 

[rdn2blazer]

Wait till you have to install dozens of rivets in a part that has a 1/2 or less height pocket down in a 5" deep machined cavity and the heads are on the inside of said pocket. There it no tool for such a task. Thats where custom machined rivet bucking bars are created and the task still is a raging pain in the ass to get done and they still have to maintain flight tolerances and have to look correct.

I can tell you it SUCKS big time but HAS to be done one way or another. There is no telling the boss we can't launch this satelite cause it's impossible to install the rivets. God how I wish some of these dumbass engineers had to do hands on work on the assembly floor and know what we have to deal with. On a cad/cam system everything seems easy. Actually doing it in the real world is a whole different thing. Rivet job looks nice and the piece looks cool as well. Props buddy, nice work.

 

[ARAMP1]

Thanks!