Setting non-blind rivets

[mhorowit]

Re: Setting non-blind rivets

Use thick wall tube for a better footprint and press down with the tube so the head of the rivet is firmly in the countersink and the backing plate is keeping it all flush.

Bill - could you please define a few terms.
"head in the countersink" - no problem - I drilled a dent into my anvil the size of the round rivet head.
"Backing plate is keeping it all flush". Where does this backing plate come in? - Mike

[mhorowit]

Re: Setting non-blind rivets

If they are flush rivets, you can turn the assembly upside down onto a heavy flat steel plate, so the "shop" end of the rivet is sticking up, and use an arbor press, shop press, etc. to squeeze it down.

Or, you can make a setting tool to use with a hammer.... a piece of steel tubing cut perfectly at 90 degrees and smoothed, and a steel rod that slides inside that tube. Use thick wall tube for a better footprint and press down with the tube so the head of the rivet is firmly in the countersink and the backing plate is keeping it all flush. Whack the rod with the hammer several times and you're set. Make several test pieces to see how many hammer blows it takes. If you want to get REAL fancy use clear plastic tube so you can see the rivet being squashed. See attached sketch.

THAT's what I wanted to hear!
I've been trying your trick with a drift for about an hour and all I get is an imitation of the North Korean president's haircut.- Mike

[VictorBravo]

Re: Setting non-blind rivets

If they are flush rivets, you can turn the assembly upside down onto a heavy flat steel plate, so the "shop" end of the rivet is sticking up, and use an arbor press, shop press, etc. to squeeze it down.

Or, you can make a setting tool to use with a hammer.... a piece of steel tubing cut perfectly at 90 degrees and smoothed, and a steel rod that slides inside that tube. Use thick wall tube for a better footprint and press down with the tube so the head of the rivet is firmly in the countersink and the backing plate is keeping it all flush. Whack the rod with the hammer several times and you're set. Make several test pieces to see how many hammer blows it takes. If you want to get REAL fancy use clear plastic tube so you can see the rivet being squashed. See attached sketch.

[NY86]

Re: Setting non-blind rivets

Mike:

If you're setting universal rivets the tool for the factory head has a special concave shape and the tool for the shop head has a slight convex shape. Flush rivets, both sides are convex.

I'd say borrow the right tools or have someone set them for you. It'd have to be a pretty solid C-clamp. Even a slight misalignment will mess it up.

Don't waste a nickle on a tool from Harbor Freight for this purpose. They don't have one.

[mhorowit]

I only need to set about 6 rivets. Harbor freight only has the tool for setting blind rivets. A look at the Aircraft Spuce catalog shows the setting tool for 'standard' (non-blind) rivets; looks simply like two shafts pressing along the same axis.

Anyone know how the faces of that rivet setting tool look?
Anyone try to set a rivet using a "c" clamp? I made one unsuccessful attempt and wonder if it's the rotation of the "c" clamp bolt that's giving me trouble.

Open to suggestions how to do this simply. - Mike