TruckDrivingFool
Lieutenant Commander
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2007
- Messages
- 1,818
This is a skill I'd like to pick up, my reply got long, JB closed the old thread, and my thoughts will be heard! :lol:
Because it's long - The short answer yes a $13 HF air hammer will work for most of us since we're looking at doing what maybe 50 rivets in our life time?
I've only ever done swedged/peened solid rivets so I'm certainly no expert just been reading up on it lately and if I'm all wet set me straight, otherwise hopefully this can save someone some time and demystify the air riveter itself and the its difference from an air hammer.
The riveter classification - 1x, 2x, 3x, ect. (I've seen up to 9x listed online but guessing they go bigger) deals with the cylinder and piston size. While the bore I'm sure figures into too for explanation I'm simplifying the numbers and looking at the stroke length.
1x has a 1" stroke thus it will not have the striking force of a 3x with a 3" stroke, however the shorter stroke allows it to cycle faster. Thus you get softer blows more quickly. (this was the hard part for me to wrap my head around)
Solid rivets if hit too hard will work harden thus will not properly set and clinch the material. This means the gun should be matched to the rivet being used. The max rivet a 3x will reliably correctly set is 3/16".
Air hammers seem to fall into the 4x - 5x range which may mean hitting too hard and fast if you you are using 3/16' rivets which could lead to improperly set rivet's that will need drilled out and redone. If you're using 1/4" rivets you're in the right range and is why for most of us "It'll work".
The downside is that while every air hammer I've had has had a variable trigger a riveter adds a regulator to the air supply. This is where control and consistency come in, by being "dialed in" you take out some of the human err that creeps in from how much you squeeze that variable trigger. If we we're talking building airplanes or trailers (the most common DIY solid rivet use I've found on the net) and putting in 1000's of rivets then yes it's worth the money for a task matched gun just in the time saved to get them set correctly the first time. If you're replacing 10 rivets in that old leaky StarCraft well not so much.
All that said I'm going to order the rivet sets and do some practicing with the air hammer I already have out in the garage.
Because it's long - The short answer yes a $13 HF air hammer will work for most of us since we're looking at doing what maybe 50 rivets in our life time?
I've only ever done swedged/peened solid rivets so I'm certainly no expert just been reading up on it lately and if I'm all wet set me straight, otherwise hopefully this can save someone some time and demystify the air riveter itself and the its difference from an air hammer.
The riveter classification - 1x, 2x, 3x, ect. (I've seen up to 9x listed online but guessing they go bigger) deals with the cylinder and piston size. While the bore I'm sure figures into too for explanation I'm simplifying the numbers and looking at the stroke length.
1x has a 1" stroke thus it will not have the striking force of a 3x with a 3" stroke, however the shorter stroke allows it to cycle faster. Thus you get softer blows more quickly. (this was the hard part for me to wrap my head around)
Solid rivets if hit too hard will work harden thus will not properly set and clinch the material. This means the gun should be matched to the rivet being used. The max rivet a 3x will reliably correctly set is 3/16".
Air hammers seem to fall into the 4x - 5x range which may mean hitting too hard and fast if you you are using 3/16' rivets which could lead to improperly set rivet's that will need drilled out and redone. If you're using 1/4" rivets you're in the right range and is why for most of us "It'll work".
The downside is that while every air hammer I've had has had a variable trigger a riveter adds a regulator to the air supply. This is where control and consistency come in, by being "dialed in" you take out some of the human err that creeps in from how much you squeeze that variable trigger. If we we're talking building airplanes or trailers (the most common DIY solid rivet use I've found on the net) and putting in 1000's of rivets then yes it's worth the money for a task matched gun just in the time saved to get them set correctly the first time. If you're replacing 10 rivets in that old leaky StarCraft well not so much.
All that said I'm going to order the rivet sets and do some practicing with the air hammer I already have out in the garage.
