any tips for drilling out mks319 rivets

[sblack]

I am having trouble with the mks319 rivets. They spin in the hole when being drilled out. Anyone have any clever tricks for getting these out? I mean besides not botching them in the first place...

thank you

[Kyle Boatright]

If you have access to the back of the assembly, grab the tail with a pair of pliers or vice grips.

[gereed75]

Sometimes I am able to use a small screw driver to tap the perimeter of the head to produce a bit of a "crimp" in the rivet head against the panel behind it. Often this is just enough to hold it from spinning.

I also have found keeping the pressure lower as you drill helps. Avoid taking a big bite of the head.

[sblack]

unfortunately I have no access to the back, that's why I am using the blind rivet. I will try the crimp and reduced pressure. Thanks

[cajunwings]

Have good results with using a sharp drill bit 1/4" or bigger and a cordless drill. Turn it very slowly and use light pressure. When you are almost down the the underlying skin the head will twist off with no damage. If the tail is accessible you have the option to hold while drilling.

Don Broussard

RV 9 Rebuild in Progress

[BillL]

The drill bit wants to snag in the hole with sharp edges, so I have held the drill bit at an angle to cut the edges without applying torque to the rivet. It is rough but seems to work at times.

[lr172]

I had a similar problem once. Careful use of the dremel (mini cut-off wheel) worked. Remove just enough material to weaken the head and work it off with a pocket knife blade. If you're careful, it can be done without damaging the surrounding material. Use a mini-file to shrink up the shank so it goes through the hole.

Not fun, but necessary in my case.

Larry

[Vlad]

Dremel with a smaller drill bit might do the trick. Angle that high speed bit just enough to stop rotation and weaken the stem. Be precise

[rv7charlie]

With a pair of high quality flush-cut 'dykes' (diagonal cutting piers), you can almost always grab the head of an aluminum pop rivet with enough force to keep it from spinning while you drill the head with light force.

[sblack]

I am able to drill out the head and it pops off and stays stuck on the drill bit, works like a charm. But ever with a 7/32" bit, the shank of the rivet down in the bottom of the hole i.e. on the lower sheet stays in the hole. I guess the rivet shank gets expanded and is too big a dia for the drill. I end up trying to get a sharp punch in there to grab an edge and fold it inwards, then I can punch it out. A pain in the butt. But doable. The fact that these rivets are strong makes them hard to remove, which I suppose is a good thing in a way. Thanks for all the replies.