Tool Solid Rivets

[Stuart Samuel]

I have wished before to find a source of soft iron rivets, no luck. They are about like binding wire. I do have some steel rivets , but they so much stiffer than soft iron I didn't bother trying them. All cold worked? Even thought making my own (temporary insanity defence)

We bought these from Spaenaur a few years ago, for some repair work. Extremely malleable.

 

[Bandit]

Yes, changed a fair few on cutter bars over the years! Loved it when I found the bolt sets for it, made it very nice for changing and often reusable. Cutting in rock country you became somewhat good at it and often had the scars to prove it. The hand cranked tool was a slight step forward until the push out pin broke!

 

[Upnorth]

Does any one have any experience with solid rivets. I'm looking in to using them for a project with my dad. We really like the look of the rivets. Like the old air plane, ship look. I'm looking at the soft aluminum rivets.

When buying aircraft you don't want the soft (type A) rivets you want the harder type AD for most things. They are much stronger. The AD ones will work harden when you drive them. I wouldn't use either of these on a heat shield. Something like monel would be better. You should be using stainless and not aluminum for a heat shield. Unfortunately they are harder to obtain. They are more heat resistant than the Type A or AD rivets. Soft is a relative term they cam all be driven with a pneumatic gun and a bucking bar.

 

[Jswain]

I did quite a few 3/16" solid aluminum rivets on an old aluminum boat.

Took an air hammer bit and cut the end square then used a drill bit to indent the end and a Dremel to smooth it out. For the small side I ended up using a railway spike to hold against it. Couple seconds and looked real good. Wasn't using anything fancy for an air hammer either.

 

[DPittman]

I did quite a few 3/16" solid aluminum rivets on an old aluminum boat.

Took an air hammer bit and cut the end square then used a drill bit to indent the end and a Dremel to smooth it out. For the small side I ended up using a railway spike to hold against it. Couple seconds and looked real good. Wasn't using anything fancy for an air hammer either.

I have an aluminum jon boat with a rotted out wood transom. The top corners are welded in and seats and the rest of it is held in with solid rivets. I've been wondering how to go about this repair. I've read about guys using SS bolts and I was/am leaning towards that. This thread has been helpful.

 

[phaxtris]

@DPittman just roll solid rivets, you wont have any corrosion issues, they don't have the chance of coming loose, they are inexpensive and they really are a cinch to install

the advantage of a proper rivet gun is they have much finer control, Obviously you can use an air hammer, and with a 3/16 rivet and a thick aluminum boat hull its probably no issue, by the look of the rivet sets i have for my air rivet gun im sure they would fit an air hammer if a guy didnt want to make a set as @Jswain did, just add it to the order when buying the rivets

 

[Jswain]

I have an aluminum jon boat with a rotted out wood transom. The top corners are welded in and seats and the rest of it is held in with solid rivets. I've been wondering how to go about this repair. I've read about guys using SS bolts and I was/am leaning towards that. This thread has been helpful.

That was exactly the repair I was doing, as well as replacing any missing rivets. My top corners were all rivets tho.

For all the bolts thru the hull/plywood I used SS fasteners & 3m 5200, you can get a small tube at ctire for fairly cheap. never leaked.

I used 3x 3/4" exterior ply, 2 on the inside & 1 smaller piece on the outside of the hull. Covered with a few coats of clear epoxy, and then a few coats of marine spar varnish