Rivets again: rivet bucking tools.

[jawjatek]

Working on a leaky 1984 Ryhan-Craft riveted aluminum jon boat. In a day's fishing, it leaks enough to get your sneakers wet, a gallon or two. I filled it with water and located three leaky rivets. One rivet is completely loose and rattling, the other two seep just a drop every now and then. All 3 of them are accessible from both sides. I want to try re-bucking them first.

I have an air hammer and want to order the rivet setting tool "bit" from McMaster-Carr. The rivets look like "modified brazier" style, the head is around 0.5" in diameter, wide and pretty flat - not very "domed" or "mushroom" profile. Not sure about stem diameter, I suspect it is either 3/16" or 1/4".
I think this tool bit will work for re-bucking : https://www.mcmaster.com/6104A82 (with a heavy piece of steel or "bucking bar" held on the other side, of course).
I also ordered a bag of sealing blind aluminum rivets in case re-bucking doesn't fix the leak.
As a last resort I have a new tube of 5200 marine adhesive to smear on there.

I searched and read every topic in this forum with "rivet" in the title, so don't tell me to search - there is very little detailed info other than "use 5200 or some other adhesive like Gluvit or whatever" or "re-buck the rivet" with no mention of tools other than hammers. McMaster sells several rivet setting hammer bits, and they aren't too expensive, so I might as well use the air hammer I already have.

Thanks for reading - and helping.

 

[jawjatek]

Well, today I used a heavy axe head with a flat back I had around as a bucking block, and used a brass punch and hammer on the loose rivet. Tightened it right up. Then I put the 5200 on the outside, and also on the other 2 weepy rivets I found. I'll see how they do Monday when I go fishing.

I still want to order the hammer bit, so I'll just get it and try it out. I'll also order their bucking tool. It's only about $40 for the tools and some rivets to practice with. I'd love to be able to install/re-buck solid rivets properly on tin boats.

 

[jawjatek]

Leaks are fixed, not a drop in over 6 hours of fishing. Tools are nice and I am ready for the next repair.

In case anyone gives a rip... not sure. :|

 

[DaleH]

Leaks are fixed, not a drop in over 6 hours of fishing. Tools are nice and I am ready for the next repair.

In case anyone gives a rip... not sure. :|

Of course we give a rip .... :wink:

Here's a link to rivet tools (special 'brazier' head air tool & bucking bar) that might just be better and a cheaper option (prices from a few years ago ...) for you, vs. McMaster-Carr:

https://tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=41248&p=419799&hilit=%2410+rivet+tool#p419799

 

[508]

I've also got a leaky boat with a bunch of loose (and some broken) rivets. Trying to figure out my ROI on buying a compressor, air hammer, and everything else I need vs. starting over with a boat that needs less/no work. How much should I budget for a compressor that's up to the job?

 

[jawjatek]

@DaleH, the bucking tool looks the same as the one I bought, and so does the rivet hammer bit. They were about the same price. Thanks.

@508, I already had the compressor and air hammer, so I only had to spend around $40. Note that I fixed the leak with an axe head and a hammer&punch, the tools are for next time. I have an Ingersoll-Rand Garage Mate 20 gal compressor, and there are many uses for it besides bucking rivets, so IMO an air compressor is a useful thing to have around the shop.

 

[DaleH]

How much should I budget for a compressor that's up to the job?

I've done many a tin boat rivet repair using a $40 on sale pancake compressor from Haba Freight ...

 

[508]

How much should I budget for a compressor that's up to the job?

I've done many a tin boat rivet repair using a $40 on sale pancake compressor from Haba Freight ...

That definitely pushes things into "keep it and fix it" territory.

 

[eeshaw]

I'm one of those guys that's never bucked rivets. How do you keep from toe-nailing them? Is it just a matter of hitting them square?

 

[BigTerp]

How much should I budget for a compressor that's up to the job?

I've done many a tin boat rivet repair using a $40 on sale pancake compressor from Haba Freight ...

I've done the same. Not just repair, but setting dozens of rivets on my transom and other spots on my boat when I overhauled it. Harbor Freight 3 gallon compressor, Harbor Freight air impact hammer and appropriate rivet tool. I use the head of a 5# hammer as the bucking tool. Zero issues with this setup. The key is setting the air compressor low enough so it's not tearing up the rivet or aluminum of the boat. I use a scrap piece of 2x4 to test and set the compressor so the air hammer w/rivet tool just barely dents the wood.

 

[jawjatek]

That's good info, y'all. I wasn't sure how high to set the compressor pressure. I know the air hammer I have (Horrible Fright - I mean Harbor Freight) won't work if you turn the pressure too low. I usually have mine set around 100 psi, but then, I was chiseling steel rivets to remove a 1987 Land Cruiser bumper, not set rivets in a thin aluminum boat. What pressure do you set yours to, BigTerp?

 

[BigTerp]

What pressure do you set yours to, BigTerp?

Honestly, I don't know the exact PSI. What I do is get everything setup and take the air hammer with the rivet tool installed to a scrap piece of 2x4. I set the compressor so the rivet tool just slightly dents the wood. This allows enough pressure to properly set the rivet without tearing up the head of the rivet or the aluminum of the boat. If you set your compressor too much higher than this, the rivet tool will mar up the rivet and/or the aluminum of the boat. It's best to error on the side of too little pressure versus too much. You can always bump it up as you go to find the sweet spot.

 

[DaleH]

What pressure do you set yours to, BigTerp?

Honestly, I don't know the exact PSI. What I do is get everything setup and take the air hammer with the rivet tool installed to a scrap piece of 2x4. I set the compressor so the rivet tool just slightly dents the wood. This allows enough pressure to properly set the rivet without tearing up the head of the rivet or the aluminum of the boat. If you set your compressor too much higher than this, the rivet tool will mar up the rivet and/or the aluminum of the boat. It's best to error on the side of too little pressure versus too much. You can always bump it up as you go to find the sweet spot.

Agreed, start low and work up, even on scrap aluminum pieces so you can "see" what it's doing the rivet tail. I'd also be hesitant to say any value, as with those cheap compressors - even though they do work - my value of '75' may be your '60' :shock: !

I'd work the value to aim for where one good sort of long 'rata-tata-tata-tat' pull on the air hammer sets the rivet. Some, due to angle, take more hits ... better to have to hit it again, than destroy it. Go SLOW from the start, as tilted tail rivets will cost you time removing them, a sure pain in the arse!

 

[Alvarez1112]

I'm a little late to the party, but if you have extensive riveting to do a true 3x or 4x rivet gun is worth its weight in gold. Of course I understand most not wanting to spend the $$ but having the ability to creep up on the trigger makes a huge difference vs. the go/no go of an air hammer/chisel. If you need anything rivet related, rivet sets, rivet guns, etc. check out Aircraft Tool Supply. Surprisingly reasonably priced for "aircraft" stuff.