I am not a fan of riveted element construction however I do use pop rivets
on occasion. I have no issues installing 1/8 and 3/16 aluminum pop rivets
using a handheld gun similar to the one that Roger describes.
John KK9A
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Rivet Tool Info
From: "Roger (K8RI) on TT" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 18:32:16 -0400
What size rivets are you using? I have a simple "one hand" mechanical tool.
"I think" I purchased it at Lowe's, but that was years ago.---Nope! It's a
Sears Craftsman and has collets to take up to a 1/8th inch shank, or stem.
You insert the stem into the tool and add just enough pressure to hold the
rivet with the head against the tool. Insert the rivet into the hole and
squeeze. When closed, it snaps the stem off, flush with the head. Simple and
easy to use. I've used it on many hundreds if not thousands of rivets from
1/8th inch to 3/16ths regular pop rivets both Aluminum and SS, Chery
(Aircraft blind rivets), and regular blind rivets. I put an entire Force 12
C19 XR together without my hand getting tired at age 67. At 74, I can still
use it with little effort and I'm certainly no advertisement for muscles.
<:-))
Its been loaned out many times so it's apparently rugged.
I've seen a number of Sonex aircraft built using a similar tool. Prior to
that, I'd never seen pop rivets used in skin and structural members of
aircraft. That takes a lot of rivets! IIRC the Van's series uses all
conventional rivets. Holding a bucking bar properly in place while some one
else uses "the tool" is real exercise. One slip and you are replacing an
expensive sheet of Aluminum and IIRC the wings are assembled with all flush
rivets.
For conventional rivets I can understand the need for a pneumatic tool, but
for pop rivets the correct hand tool takes little effort. No, you can't do
it with two fingers, but you should be able to do it with little effort.
73
Roger (K8RI)
popping the rivets. Bear in mind that I am no large, athletic guy,
but I'm no little old lady either. The hand riviter is tough to use.
I prefer a simple pneumatic riviter that can be bought for around
$50. The advantage of the pneumatic tool is that you can use
one of your hands to steady the element, and the opposite hand
to "pop" the rivet. The dual-hand riviter that Chip recommends
requires use of both of your hands, making it quite cumbersome.
Of course the pneumatic tool uses an air compressor, which a lot
of folks may already have. If not, a simple "pancake" compressor
which can deliver 90-100 PSI is sufficent and inexpensive.
The pneumatic rivet tool is the only way to fly!
As an aside, the new 6BA looks like an fine piece of workmanship.
The new open-air 40 meter loading coils are LARGE, and seem, at
first glance, to appear vastly superior to the previous versions.
Congratulations to AA7XT, G0KSC, K7JA, XE2K and the team,
and of course N6BT.
Once it gets up and installed, I'll give you an overall assessment and
post some pictures online.
73,
Larry K4AB
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