Riveting Question
Randy Tolvstad
idea how or what is used to perform this task. Can anyone out there
enlighten me on what types of tools are used and how and where to purchase
them? How are old rivets removed from the plane without enlarging the
holes? What type of rivet should one purchase?
Thanks
Randy Tolvstad
highflyer
Answer the last question first. I prefer the rivets that are
commonly referred to as the "Boeing" rivet. This is a high strength
rivet comparable to the old "icebox" rivets that had to be annealed
and then kept frozen until you drove them so they wouldn't age
harden and split.
You can buy your rivets by the pound from Wicks.
For tools, you need a aviation tool catalog. The tool assortment
is not trivial. You do need a rivet removal tool with an assortment
of bits. This helps you to hit the rivet with the drill when you
are drilling it out.
An air drill works best for drilling rivet size holes in aluminum.
To set rivets the best way, expecially for an amateur, is a squeezer.
Of course they only work near the edge where you can approach the
rivet from outside.
For setting other rivets you need a rivet gun with a teasing trigger.
A cheapie airhammer does NOT work well at all and you will ruin the
airplane if you try to do your rivets with one. Get a good quality
rivet gun if you want to do acceptable work. I recommend a 3X gun
for most aircraft riveting. It will handle the most common rivets
from 3/32 to 5/32. Big rivets need a bigger gun.
To go with the gun you will need an assortment of bucking bars. These
are needed to head the back side of the rivet.
You will also need an assortment of rivet sets to put in the gun. You
must use the appropriate set for the type of rivet you are driving.
An assortment of cleco fasteners will help you keep things lined up
until you can get the rivets driven into the holes. You will also
need a special tool to insert and remove the clecos.
Then, once you have these tools, which you can get in a kit in a box
from U.S. Industrial for around $500, less the rivet removal tool
and the right angle drill extension, which you will also need and will
run you another $100 or so, you need to practice.
Oh, yes. I almost forgot. You need a good air compressor to provide
the appropriate air pressure for the drill and the rivet gun.
Get some scrap aluminum in appropriate thicknesses and practice
riveting then togetner. You might want to get a copy of AC43-13 1B
so that you can look up how they are supposed to look so you know
when you are starting to do it right. It is not a trivial skill to
learn, but you should be getting it down pretty well after driving
several hundred rivets and checking them against the pictures in
the FAA's book.
If you decide that the above is a little more than you want to do at
this time, I will understand. In that case, just take the airplane
to a good A&P and ask him if he can do a little rivet repair for you.
I suspect it will cost a LOT less than buying the minimum tool set.
HF
JFBECKETT
>From: "Randy Tolvstad" <tolv...@nvc.net>
>Date: 3/19/1999 7:16 AM EST
>Message-id: <bfrI2.1067$0L....@news.corpcomm.net>
>
>I was recently asked to help put some rivets on an older plane and have no
>idea how or what is used to perform this task. Can anyone out there
>enlighten me on what types of tools are used and how and where to purchase
>them? How are old rivets removed from the plane without enlarging the
>holes? What type of rivet should one purchase?
>
Good questions all;
My preference is to drill rivets out with a drill one size smaller than the
rivet itself. So in other words I tend to drill a -5 rivet with a #30 bit, and
a -4 rivet with a #40. By watching your depth and not going beyond the head of
the rivet (and not marking the aluminum structure) you can then snap the head
off with a punch, and bang the rivet out at the same time.
As for what type of rivets to use, try to see if the manufacturer specifies
anything in particular. Or replace with the same type you are removiing. The
marking on the head (very likely a dimple) tells you what type of rivet it is.
The Dimple is a D rivet as I recall, and very commonly used in aircraft.
normally you will use either a 470 Universal head, or a 426 100 degree
countersunk head style.
The B-17 we are rebuilding sometimes uses other rivet head styles that are no
longer available, but the 470 or 426 is almost always an acceptable substitute.
Jamie Beckett
Frank van der Hulst
> I was recently asked to help put some rivets on an older plane and have no
> idea how or what is used to perform this task. Can anyone out there
> enlighten me on what types of tools are used and how and where to purchase
> them? How are old rivets removed from the plane without enlarging the
> holes? What type of rivet should one purchase?
Go to my page <http://members.xoom.com/frankv/bunny0b.htm>. It includes
amongst other things, instructions on how to drill out rivets.
Also my page <http://members.xoom.com/frankv/homebilt.htm> has links to
various tool suppliers. I like Avery Tools... their catalog also has
lots of helpful hints on rivetting.
Frank.
--
fra...@kai.ee.cit.ac.nz Frank van der Hulst
This is my work account. Weekend email should be
sent to me at fran...@ihug.co.nz.
My home page is http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~frankvdh