Blind rivet 'wedge' vs file tip

[FlyGuy65]

Chapter 5 discusses making a wedge to help pulling blind rivets in tight spaces. Anyone just filed the tip of a 'pop rivet gun' (the silver screw in piece) instead of using a wedge? It would seem to accomplish the same goal.

Background: I used the Ch 5 technique on the fuel tank brackets, and it worked great. Now starting to use it on the wing leading edge rib to spar area, and after a few successful tries, the mandrel isn't breaking off at the rivet, but about halfway up. Looking at my wedge, I can see it is wearing out and the hole has become elongated. Guessing it's time to make a new one, but since it's aluminum it will probably wear out soon as well. There is nothing stuck in the 'pop-rivet gun', and with 2 of them in the garage I don't mind having one tip dedicated to wedge status.

Thanks!

[mturnerb]

This tool gets the job done, is very easy to use (Van's wedge is hard to position in tight spaces), and is harder to lose than the little wedges:

https://www.cleavelandtool.com/produ...18378218963006

[Desert Rat]

I don't see why that wouldn't work, but when you're done it's just one more specialty tool that you don't use very often.

I've got a couple of pop rivet pullers as well. One of them is unmodified but the other ended up getting one side of it's snout ground flat for access into tight areas. I think if you're going to start grinding, that's probably a mod that would be useful in more places than grinding an angle on the tip.

[Jetmart]

In tight places I tape the wedge to the tip of the rivet gun.
I did this for all of the rivets in the cockpit fuel line brackets on the -14.
The tool looks like you may need 3 hands at times.

[mike newall]

The omgomulator that Turner links to has been one of the most useful tools that we used on our RV12 builds. Absolutely brilliant, easy to use and a life saver.

Support Cleaveland and while you are there - get the hinge pins that save you time and knuckle scars when hanging surfaces !