Aluminum rivets

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PatinIdaho

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Im no expert but I do deal with rivets almost every day building airplanes. We always replace lose rivets
So you have a leaky rivet or 6, Here is how to fix em.
The best way short of replacing the rivet is this.
1. You need a rivet gun (works like a air chisel)with the proper set(fits the rivet head) and a bucking bar(heavy chunk of steel) and most likely two people.
The manufactured head is on the outside and needs the rivet gun with the set placed firmly against the head.
Your helper places the bucking bar against the shop head(inside) and holds it there as it will bounce when you pull the trigger. You will NOT need to pull the trigger all the way as your not driving it all the way just tightening it up and should be tight after about a second.

2. If you don't have the tools you can still do it with hammers but not as good as above!
Takes 2 people again.
The person on the outside holds his hammer against the rivet head and pushes to hold it in place. The person on the inside hits the shop end as flat as possible once or twice and that should be enough to tighten it up. This is called back shooting.

You need to be careful not to work the rivet to much though or it will become work hardened [-X .
What this means.
Every time you hit a rivet it gets hot and cools very fast. Basically your heat treating the rivet and the more you try to work it the harder it gets until it cracks. Not good because then your replacing it!

To replace a rivet you need to now the shank size and get a drill and drill bit 1 size smaller.
Center punch the rivet in the exact center. Carefully drill about 1/32 deep and check to make sure your still centered. probably will need to do this a couple times. Once the drill bit tip is just past the level of the hull stop and grab a punch that fits the hole. Put the punch in the hole and pop the head off with a sideways twist of the punch. Once the head is off use a hammer and punch to pop the rest out. If its being stubern drill the shank just a little deeper.

To replace it use step 1 above. Step 2 will work but the outside will have a big flat spot on it and not look good but will work in a pinch
It sounds hard and scary but its actually pretty easy. There are lots of videos on youtube about it and visuals always help!
Anyway hope this helps some one :D
 

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