I bought a rivet gun off ebay (thank you, Gunner!)

It is supposed to be able to handle up to 1/4" rivets. It came with 5
rivet sets, "reconditioned":

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380456874683... 4.m1423.l2649

The gun seems to be functioning fine with the regular sets, however, I
had great difficulty fitting the retainer spring into the grove of the
brass set and I cannot fit the spring in the groove of the flush rivet
set at all:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2768312...7631515449482/

I assume that one cannot use the gun with the flush rivet set safely
in this condition. I do not want to force the spring as it will not
hold the regular sets. Does anyone know a trick apart from getting
another spring and opening it just for the flush rivet set?

All the flush rivet sets I looked at other sites have shank
arrangement much more like the regular rivet sets.

BTW would anyone recommend getting a beehive type of the retainer
spring over the quick change one that came with this gun? I guess I
could then open this one up to accept the flush rivet set.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

wrote:
I bought a rivet gun off ebay (thank you, Gunner!)

It is supposed to be able to handle up to 1/4" rivets. It came with 5
rivet sets, "reconditioned":

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380456874683... 4.m1423.l2649

The gun seems to be functioning fine with the regular sets, however, I
had great difficulty fitting the retainer spring into the grove of the
brass set and I cannot fit the spring in the groove of the flush rivet
set at all:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2768312...7631515449482/

I assume that one cannot use the gun with the flush rivet set safely
in this condition. I do not want to force the spring as it will not
hold the regular sets. Does anyone know a trick apart from getting
another spring and opening it just for the flush rivet set?

All the flush rivet sets I looked at other sites have shank
arrangement much more like the regular rivet sets.

BTW would anyone recommend getting a beehive type of the retainer
spring over the quick change one that came with this gun? I guess I
could then open this one up to accept the flush rivet set.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

All the spring really does is keep the shank from falling out of the
gun, and it catches the tool if you hit the trigger without the tool
against something. I threw mine out and use a quick change retainer.

http://www.autotoolworld.com/AES-Ind..._p_122136.html


In your case just modify a spring for the odd sets. Not much to that.

--
Steve W.

On Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:16:02 -0700, wrote:

Michael-

The brass set is merely a brass hammer under power - don't use it for
riveting. As far as the flush set, use your thumb and first finger
in the groove, It makes it easier to keep the gun on flush rivets. If
you need a retainer, if you are working high enough for dropped tools
to be a hazard or riveting for more than 15 minutes, a piece of thin
bungee cord (3/16 to 1/4") around the QD and the set works well. After
3 months or so building and fixing aircraft, I threw my spring
retainers away, and had bungee on 3 of my 7 guns. If you have to
rivet with one hand, and buck with the other, try the bungee!

Regards,
Bob

On Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:16:02 -0700, wrote:

I bought a rivet gun off ebay (thank you, Gunner!)

It is supposed to be able to handle up to 1/4" rivets. It came with 5
rivet sets, "reconditioned":

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380456874683... 4.m1423.l2649

The gun seems to be functioning fine with the regular sets, however, I
had great difficulty fitting the retainer spring into the grove of the
brass set and I cannot fit the spring in the groove of the flush rivet
set at all:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2768312...7631515449482/

I assume that one cannot use the gun with the flush rivet set safely
in this condition. I do not want to force the spring as it will not
hold the regular sets. Does anyone know a trick apart from getting
another spring and opening it just for the flush rivet set?

All the flush rivet sets I looked at other sites have shank
arrangement much more like the regular rivet sets.

BTW would anyone recommend getting a beehive type of the retainer
spring over the quick change one that came with this gun? I guess I
could then open this one up to accept the flush rivet set.

Couldn't you grind down the retainer area of the brass punch so it fit
the spring, Mike? It's more than strong enough to work with a
reduced-diameter center.


One tip for those retainer springs is to leave them unscrewed 1.5 to 2
turns so they're actually quick-release.

--
Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before
which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.
-- John Quincy Adams

....
bungee cord (3/16 to 1/4") around the QD and the set works well. After
3 months or so building and fixing aircraft, I threw my spring
retainers away, and had bungee on 3 of my 7 guns. If you have to
rivet with one hand, and buck with the other, try the bungee!

Regards,
Bob
same here, but my bungee is just electrical tape. Duck tape would be
even better. There's nothing a little duck tape won't fix VBG

Karl

On Wed, 12 Sep 2012 05:05:45 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:16:02 -0700, wrote:

I bought a rivet gun off ebay (thank you, Gunner!)
[...]

One tip for those retainer springs is to leave them unscrewed 1.5 to 2
turns so they're actually quick-release.

OK, thanks. I am hearing: Springs not essential for safety (I have
since seen some Youtube videos with people not using springs either).

Boy, does that thing have a flat learning curve or what? So far I have
managed to chew up a bunch of rivets, steel and copper, as well as the
skin around them, as well as the improvised bucking bar.

Clearly more practice is needed before I can even think of using it in
anger!

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

On Wed, 12 Sep 2012 20:30:42 -0700, wrote:

On Wed, 12 Sep 2012 05:05:45 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:16:02 -0700, wrote:

I bought a rivet gun off ebay (thank you, Gunner!)
[...]

One tip for those retainer springs is to leave them unscrewed 1.5 to 2
turns so they're actually quick-release.

OK, thanks. I am hearing: Springs not essential for safety (I have
since seen some Youtube videos with people not using springs either).

Never trust a spring for safety. It's merely a convenience...Or not.


Boy, does that thing have a flat learning curve or what? So far I have
managed to chew up a bunch of rivets, steel and copper, as well as the
skin around them, as well as the improvised bucking bar.

Two things: Get a flow-reducer so you can keep the pressure up but
not let the gun get away from you. And learn to feather the throttle.
You should have a shallow learning curve afterwards.


Clearly more practice is needed before I can even think of using it in
anger!

Har!

--
Creativity can solve almost any problem. The creative act,
the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything.
-- George Lois

wrote:
On Wed, 12 Sep 2012 05:05:45 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:16:02 -0700, wrote:

I bought a rivet gun off ebay (thank you, Gunner!)
[...]

One tip for those retainer springs is to leave them unscrewed 1.5 to 2
turns so they're actually quick-release.

OK, thanks. I am hearing: Springs not essential for safety (I have
since seen some Youtube videos with people not using springs either).

Boy, does that thing have a flat learning curve or what? So far I have
managed to chew up a bunch of rivets, steel and copper, as well as the
skin around them, as well as the improvised bucking bar.

Clearly more practice is needed before I can even think of using it in
anger!

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

Make sure the rivets are proper length and that your heading tools are
for that size rivet. Using a set made for a 1/4" rivet to set a 1/8"
rivet will cause you grief. The cup in the heading tool is supposed to
fill with the rivet material which upsets and forms the head before the
tool bottoms out.

--
Steve W.

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:05:20 -0400, "Steve W."
wrote:

wrote:
On Wed, 12 Sep 2012 05:05:45 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:16:02 -0700, wrote:

I bought a rivet gun off ebay (thank you, Gunner!)
[...]

One tip for those retainer springs is to leave them unscrewed 1.5 to 2
turns so they're actually quick-release.

OK, thanks. I am hearing: Springs not essential for safety (I have
since seen some Youtube videos with people not using springs either).

Boy, does that thing have a flat learning curve or what? So far I have
managed to chew up a bunch of rivets, steel and copper, as well as the
skin around them, as well as the improvised bucking bar.

Clearly more practice is needed before I can even think of using it in
anger!

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

Make sure the rivets are proper length and that your heading tools are
for that size rivet. Using a set made for a 1/4" rivet to set a 1/8"
rivet will cause you grief. The cup in the heading tool is supposed to
fill with the rivet material which upsets and forms the head before the
tool bottoms out.


The general practice, at least in the aircraft business is to "drive"
the rivet from the head. The bucking bar goes against the shank which
upsets to form a flattened cylinder shape.

As for the safety springs, I never saw a working sheetmetal man use
one.

On Wed, 12 Sep 2012 20:50:48 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Wed, 12 Sep 2012 20:30:42 -0700, wrote:

On Wed, 12 Sep 2012 05:05:45 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:16:02 -0700, wrote:

I bought a rivet gun off ebay (thank you, Gunner!)
[...]

One tip for those retainer springs is to leave them unscrewed 1.5 to 2
turns so they're actually quick-release.

OK, thanks. I am hearing: Springs not essential for safety (I have
since seen some Youtube videos with people not using springs either).

Never trust a spring for safety. It's merely a convenience...Or not.


Boy, does that thing have a flat learning curve or what? So far I have
managed to chew up a bunch of rivets, steel and copper, as well as the
skin around them, as well as the improvised bucking bar.

Two things: Get a flow-reducer so you can keep the pressure up but
not let the gun get away from you. And learn to feather the throttle.
You should have a shallow learning curve afterwards.

1) There is one on the gun (at least I believe it is a flow reducer).
The fun was trying to work out which way to turn the thing to get the
desired result.

2) That I expected to be easier than it turned out to be in practice.
I wonder if there is a difference between $80 guns and $200 guns.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:05:20 -0400, "Steve W."
wrote:

[...]

Make sure the rivets are proper length and that your heading tools are
for that size rivet. Using a set made for a 1/4" rivet to set a 1/8"
rivet will cause you grief. The cup in the heading tool is supposed to
fill with the rivet material which upsets and forms the head before the
tool bottoms out.

Funny you should say that. I am using a set which is ostensibly meant
for a 1/8" round head rivet but I am wondering if the cup is too big.
The writing on the set is a set of mysterious numbers, nothing that
says "#4", or "0.125" or "1/8".

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 19:45:31 -0700, wrote:

On Wed, 12 Sep 2012 20:50:48 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Wed, 12 Sep 2012 20:30:42 -0700, wrote:

On Wed, 12 Sep 2012 05:05:45 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:16:02 -0700, wrote:

I bought a rivet gun off ebay (thank you, Gunner!)
[...]

One tip for those retainer springs is to leave them unscrewed 1.5 to 2
turns so they're actually quick-release.

OK, thanks. I am hearing: Springs not essential for safety (I have
since seen some Youtube videos with people not using springs either).

Never trust a spring for safety. It's merely a convenience...Or not.


Boy, does that thing have a flat learning curve or what? So far I have
managed to chew up a bunch of rivets, steel and copper, as well as the
skin around them, as well as the improvised bucking bar.

Two things: Get a flow-reducer so you can keep the pressure up but
not let the gun get away from you. And learn to feather the throttle.
You should have a shallow learning curve afterwards.

1) There is one on the gun (at least I believe it is a flow reducer).
The fun was trying to work out which way to turn the thing to get the
desired result.

2) That I expected to be easier than it turned out to be in practice.
I wonder if there is a difference between $80 guns and $200 guns.

Probably lots of impact difference and a whole lot of trigger
feathering difference. But rivets don't deserve it, IMHO. I bought a
$260 Chicago Pneumatic (real pro tool, not Chiwanese) because I needed
the longer stroke and full impact it gave when I was breaking apart
auto and truck suspensions and front ends. The $9 HF jobber is a
really short stroke model which is just fine for hogging off wood with
gouges made from cheap chisels. g

If you can finely adjust the flow, you can use the cheap model's
throttle as an ON/OFF switch.

--
Creativity can solve almost any problem. The creative act,
the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything.
-- George Lois

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 19:48:49 -0700, wrote:

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:05:20 -0400, "Steve W."
wrote:

[...]

Make sure the rivets are proper length and that your heading tools are
for that size rivet. Using a set made for a 1/4" rivet to set a 1/8"
rivet will cause you grief. The cup in the heading tool is supposed to
fill with the rivet material which upsets and forms the head before the
tool bottoms out.

Funny you should say that. I am using a set which is ostensibly meant
for a 1/8" round head rivet but I am wondering if the cup is too big.
The writing on the set is a set of mysterious numbers, nothing that
says "#4", or "0.125" or "1/8".

Take castings of them in bondo after dipping the heading tool in
Vaseline. The hump might be easier to measure than the cup.

--
Creativity can solve almost any problem. The creative act,
the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything.
-- George Lois

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 19:48:49 -0700, wrote:

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:05:20 -0400, "Steve W."
wrote:

[...]

Make sure the rivets are proper length and that your heading tools are
for that size rivet. Using a set made for a 1/4" rivet to set a 1/8"
rivet will cause you grief. The cup in the heading tool is supposed to
fill with the rivet material which upsets and forms the head before the
tool bottoms out.

Funny you should say that. I am using a set which is ostensibly meant
for a 1/8" round head rivet but I am wondering if the cup is too big.
The writing on the set is a set of mysterious numbers, nothing that
says "#4", or "0.125" or "1/8".

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

#4 is the right size for 1/8" rivets. Is the radius in the cup larger
than your rivets? If so, it may be for a #4 Universal head rivet. In
aircraft work, universal head rivets replaced round heads shortly
after WWII. Round head sets are available, but you may have to buy
new.
Regards,
Bob

On Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:16:02 -0700, wrote:

I bought a rivet gun off ebay (thank you, Gunner!)

It is supposed to be able to handle up to 1/4" rivets. It came with 5
rivet sets, "reconditioned":

Need more rivits? Ive got a ****load of Aluminum ones


--
"Confronting Liberals with the facts of reality is very much akin to
clubbing baby seals. It gets boring after a while, but because Liberals are
so stupid it is easy work." Steven M. Barry

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 21:32:53 -0700, Bob wrote:

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 19:48:49 -0700, wrote:

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:05:20 -0400, "Steve W."
wrote:

[...]

Make sure the rivets are proper length and that your heading tools are
for that size rivet. Using a set made for a 1/4" rivet to set a 1/8"
rivet will cause you grief. The cup in the heading tool is supposed to
fill with the rivet material which upsets and forms the head before the
tool bottoms out.

Funny you should say that. I am using a set which is ostensibly meant
for a 1/8" round head rivet but I am wondering if the cup is too big.
The writing on the set is a set of mysterious numbers, nothing that
says "#4", or "0.125" or "1/8".

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

#4 is the right size for 1/8" rivets. Is the radius in the cup larger
than your rivets? If so, it may be for a #4 Universal head rivet. In
aircraft work, universal head rivets replaced round heads shortly
after WWII. Round head sets are available, but you may have to buy
new.

Yes, it is in fact a universal head set. The diameter of the head is
about the same but it is much shallower than the round head (0.040"
vs. 0.100" approximately). I assume that this is not a good thing as
you cannot keep the set on the head (the set has been dancing around
and making holes in the skin). Not to mention the fact that it
flattens the head. I will order a proper one.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

On Sat, 15 Sep 2012 16:49:26 -0700, wrote:

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 21:32:53 -0700, Bob wrote:

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 19:48:49 -0700, wrote:

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:05:20 -0400, "Steve W."
wrote:

[...]

Make sure the rivets are proper length and that your heading tools are
for that size rivet. Using a set made for a 1/4" rivet to set a 1/8"
rivet will cause you grief. The cup in the heading tool is supposed to
fill with the rivet material which upsets and forms the head before the
tool bottoms out.

Funny you should say that. I am using a set which is ostensibly meant
for a 1/8" round head rivet but I am wondering if the cup is too big.
The writing on the set is a set of mysterious numbers, nothing that
says "#4", or "0.125" or "1/8".

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

#4 is the right size for 1/8" rivets. Is the radius in the cup larger
than your rivets? If so, it may be for a #4 Universal head rivet. In
aircraft work, universal head rivets replaced round heads shortly
after WWII. Round head sets are available, but you may have to buy
new.

Yes, it is in fact a universal head set. The diameter of the head is
about the same but it is much shallower than the round head (0.040"
vs. 0.100" approximately). I assume that this is not a good thing as
you cannot keep the set on the head (the set has been dancing around
and making holes in the skin). Not to mention the fact that it
flattens the head. I will order a proper one.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

A "round headed" rivet with a shallower arc on the head is a "brazer"
head. fairly standard aircraft rivet as it has lower drag then a round
head.

Cheers,
John B.