# Riveting



## Rog02 (Feb 21, 2008)

I started to reply to McGyvers post on the More Rivets thread started by OldMechThings. My reply seemed to be turning into a thread highjack so I decided to start a new thread on riveting, using McGyvers questions to get things started



			
				Mcgyver  said:
			
		

> very nice Birk and thanks for the larger format photo's - really helps us appreciate the workmanship. great models have authenticity and in full scale rivets abound - one reason why your work looks so good imo.  I've done a limited amount of rivet setting, never with a press and am interested in learning more. are the rivets on the bucket steel? I assume they have to be like material to prevent galvanic action? when I've bought rivets from model engineering suppliers they seemed (iirc) to come in say 1/8 or 1/4 inch denominations - is there a step of cutting the rivet to the correct length based on head size and material thickness? is there a rule of thumb or formula to get the right length?



Hi McGyver:

Rivetting correctly is a pretty straight forward skill set. As I shoot and buck aircraft rivets almost on a daily basis, I have to trim them frequently. Yes there is a standard for shank length required to produce the correct worked head. 1 1/2 times the rivet shank diameter plus the thickness of the material being riveted.

Advisory Circular
AC 43.13-1B CHG 1 
http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/99C827DB9BAAC81B86256B4500596C4E?OpenDocument
Section 4 pertains to repair of metal structure and contains much informartion on the riveting process.
Section 6 should answer the questions about disimilar metal corrosion.



> i think a neat press could be made using one of the cheapo air guns, seesaw foot switch controlling solenoid air valves for CC/CCW so both hands could hold the work.... maybe its gilding the lily....not sure how much of an armstrong operation pressing them is. if i had 10 to do not worth it, 100's?...well food for thought



Sounds like a high degree of overkill for squeezing the little rivets we might use in model construction. I have numerous sets, squeezes (both pneumatic and hand squeezes) and the usual assortment of rivet guns ranging from 2X up to and including 9X. Bucking bars (hand held anvils used to back the rivet and form the shop head come in all shapes and descriptions. The rule of thumb for sizing a bucking bar is that it should weigh 330 times the weight of the rivet and fit into the structure as to allow for the proper forming of the shop formed head.

The Yard in Wichita sells sets, guns, buck bars, and squeezes. http://www.yardstore.com/ Spend some time looking through the catalog and get some ideas for a shop built bench rivet sqeeze. Good customer service, fast shipping, and warrantee.

Air Parts sells rivets, material, hardware and some tools. http://www.airpartsinc.com/index.php Really nice people to deal with and are fluent in hot rod, race car, and small projects. 

Shop fabricated riveters are fairly common and relatively easy to build. Squeezing a rivet is not as hard as it looks and for small rivets an air brake chamber (steering axle, 6 inch diaphragm) will provide enough power to set .125" solid aluminum, copper, and brass rivets. I have set 1/16" steel rivets on my bench squeeze and can't tell you how much over that it will handle because I haven't experimented.

For larger steel rivets I have hammered them in my planishing hammer frame using old, worn rivet sets that I had on hand. It worked OK.

I have a little screw type squeeze set made for riveting brake linings to the backing plates (if you think the brake linings for your car are expensive try buying FAA/PMA approved parts :'( ). It would be easy enough to duplicate in whatever scale needed and the rivet sets wouldnt be too hard to make for the desired head style.

As I was getting ready to post this I looked at Birk's latest thread in which he shows a small screw squeeze. It is almost a twin to my brake lining squeeze.


----------



## Mcgyver (Feb 21, 2008)

Roger, thanks for all the info



> Sounds like a high degree of overkill for squeezing the little rivets we might use in model construction



you're probably right, just shooting out ideas. I saw some of Birk's presses looked pretty beefy and was thinking there may be a lot of torque involved (having only used snaps before). then the image of a tender popped into mind with all those double rows of rivets. lol


----------



## Powder keg (Feb 21, 2008)

Great info Rog, Thanks for sharing.

Wes


----------

