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  #1  
Old 01-04-2013, 06:44 PM
xblueh2o xblueh2o is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SF East Bay
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Default Pop Rivet Dimple technique?

Maybe I am just not doing it right....

I am dimpling the skin for my HS and have a few holes that just can't be reached with either the hand squeezer or the DRDT-2 without really un-bending the skin which I don't want to do so that leaves me with the pop rivet dimple method. Practicing on some scrap sheet I have around I find I cannot get as nice a dimple with the pop rivet set up as I achieve with the other methods. When I put a rivet in the hole to test, the manufactured head sits slightly proud of the surface. Pop rivet dimple a second time, no change. Try a third time and the nail breaks.
Is there a preferred direction to pull? What I mean is, should the male or female die be against the puller or does it even matter?
How are all of you doing it and what are your results?
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  #2  
Old 01-04-2013, 06:53 PM
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kevinh kevinh is offline
 
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I think you have accurately described pop-rivet dimple technique. The short answer is that it just doesn't dimple as nicely as the other tools.

The longer answer: Try different brands of nails, some will break too early.
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  #3  
Old 01-04-2013, 06:59 PM
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Greg Arehart Greg Arehart is offline
 
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Location: Delta, CO/Atlin, BC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kevinh View Post
I think you have accurately described pop-rivet dimple technique. The short answer is that it just doesn't dimple as nicely as the other tools.

The longer answer: Try different brands of nails, some will break too early.
What Kevin said. And some nails tend to pull through the dies because of small heads. Another technique that I've used is to put a big piece of steel (like 3/8 to half inch thick) hanging over the edge of the workbench a few inches (secure the other end to the workbench!), drill a hole to accept a regular dimple die, lay the sheet to be dimpled over the die in the big piece of steel (which may require some contortion or re-orienting the piece of steel). Carefully place the other die over the top of your Al sheet, and whack it with a hammer (I usually put this die in a small piece of steel, like a very thick washer, so I don't ruin the end with a hammer). Kind of a makeshift C-frame arrangement. You do have to be quite careful (easier with two people) and it is not a fast way to make dimples, but it can give you a better dimple than the poprivet technique.

Cheers,
Greg
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  #4  
Old 01-04-2013, 07:14 PM
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Default pop rivet dimples

Definitely not an expert as all I've built is the tool box. I found if using a hand puller the dimples were not as good as when I used a pneumatic puller. The dimples made with the pneumatic puller had sharper edges I guess due to stronger and sharper pull. I also put a tight fitting washer on the nail first to help stop the nail from pulling thru the die.
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Last edited by JoeM : 01-04-2013 at 07:31 PM.
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  #5  
Old 01-04-2013, 07:38 PM
Rick S. Rick S. is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Las Vegas
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Don't forget the vise-grip dimple tools either, I've used them more than the pop rivet dies but when you need the pop dies nothing else will do. Can anyone tell me the nail size for the 40 and 30 pop dimple dies? Being frugal I hate to buy a box and find out they are the wrong size. I miss the days when you could go to a hardware store and ask for a few of these and a few of those, they weigh them and you pay by the pound. But yes, the dies don't do quite as well but if you progressively squeeze the dies a little at a time they do pretty darn good. Yes the nails will break a lot too, hence why I am asking about the size.
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  #6  
Old 01-04-2013, 09:13 PM
jay.pearlman jay.pearlman is offline
 
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Location: Port Angeles WA
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I tried an experiment today with the dimple dies. I used the shaft of a pull rivet for the #40 dies. Removed it from the pull rivet body with a few taps. It pulled the dies quite nicely. More expensive that a nail, but the head is solid.
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  #7  
Old 01-04-2013, 10:55 PM
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N546RV N546RV is offline
 
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Location: Brookshire, TX
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Honestly, I bought the pop rivet dimplers for 3/32 and 1/8 sizes, and I've found them to have very limited usefulness. I had no problem using the C-frame for all my skin dimples on the empennage, but the trailing edges of the ribs definitely need something special...ut there's not even enough $^% room to get the pop rivet dies in there. So far I've been resorting to some ghetto methods using the pop rivet dies and a thin nose yoker; a vise grip dimpler is definitely in my future.

If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't get the pop rivet dies, and instead would go straight to the vise grips.
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  #8  
Old 01-04-2013, 11:46 PM
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randyintejas randyintejas is offline
 
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Location: Tyler, Texas
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This will fix your problem

http://www.cleavelandtool.com/prodin...mber=DIE4263DF
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  #9  
Old 01-05-2013, 05:29 AM
crabandy crabandy is offline
 
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Location: Ottawa, Ks
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I use both vise grip and pop-rivet dimplers, I think they both have their uses. The pop-rivet dimples aren't fully dimpled, just use a couple of turns of your countersink to make the rivet sit flush.
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  #10  
Old 01-05-2013, 05:57 AM
SvingenB SvingenB is offline
 
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Location: Norway, Stj?rdal
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Just make sure you actually have enough space for a rivet at the places where such a tool (the cleveland tool) is needed!
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