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Pop rivet/blind rivet tool?

JeremyL

Well Known Member
Hey just wondering what the best pop rivet gun/tool is. Not assembling an rv 12, so I don’t need a crazy expensive one. Just curious what you guys have had good quality luck with??
 
I have a couple. They're nothing special, just from home depot or whatever.

One of them has the swivel head so that it can pull at a 90* angle to the handles or parallel. The other one has one side of the snout ground off flat for access into some tight space I needed to get into.
 
Pulled rivet tool

I have a couple. They're nothing special, just from home depot or whatever.

One of them has the swivel head so that it can pull at a 90* angle to the handles or parallel. The other one has one side of the snout ground off flat for access into some tight space I needed to get into.

What Terry said. Buy the swivel unit and grind the nose. I do have the expensive close quarters tool. Got it before the business sold and price quadrupled. Awesome tool when I need it but 99% of the time, I use the cheapo.
 
Thanks guys...

I’ll get the swivel unit, any particular brand that is better than another I should look for??
 
I'm by no means an expert on pop river pullers, but I just went out and looked at mine, the swivel one is a "PowerFast" brand and the skinny one doesn't have a brand unless "Made in China"is a brand. They've both been bombing around in my shop so long that I have no idea where they came from.

Both of them will pull a cherry fine, but I'm pretty sure they would both fail catastrophically if you tried to do a whole airplane worth.
 
Are you asking about manual pullers or pneumatic pullers?

I would think if you are going to build an RV-12, you will be well-advised to get a pneumatic puller. They vary significantly in price and quality. The cheap Harbor Freight ones get mixed reviews, and 'you get what you pay for' applies, but with a little nursing, one might last for a full airplane build. You can adjust the spring tension as needed to insure that the nail releases after pulling. Do not follow the instructions to fill the reservoir with oil.
 
Second that on the "don't fill reservoir with oil" on the HF puller. Worked better before I messed with it.

I have the generic yellow rotating puller that has 4 different heads for different diameter rivet nail and it works pretty well.

To get into some tight spots I bought one of the "Pop" branded tools:
https://aircraft-tool.com/shop/detail.aspx?id=PRP-26A&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

This last one brought me the great joy of a great tool doing a great job. It only has one head though....
 
Not building a 12.....

I’m building a 7 , so definitely manual. I’m not going to blow cash on any pneumatic puller for just a few pulls.
 
Cheapo

I’m building a 7 , so definitely manual. I’m not going to blow cash on any pneumatic puller for just a few pulls.

My puller is a cheapo. Built two RV7s and still going. Not sure the swivel matters. I never swivel unless Sweetie takes me dancin' :D
 
Pullers are kind of like bucking bars - you need different ones for different spots, and no matter which one(s) you have, there will always be the need to look for another one! I have several, and usually find that the swiveling one from ACE works well. But in some spots, its still too large.

When I was working on the little jet, which is all pulled rivets, I borrowed a Marson HP-2 puller from a neighbor, and it was the bees knees - strong pull, compact, fit anywhere! I bought one, and have used nothing else since. I figured such a great, old-fashioned tool would be expensive - but its not. Google it - I think mine came through Amazon.

Paul
 
I've got a $40 hardware store manual puller, and then a $140 pneumatic puller for the tough CherryMax rivets that are infrequently needed.
 
Pullers are kind of like bucking bars - you need different ones for different spots, and no matter which one(s) you have, there will always be the need to look for another one! I have several, and usually find that the swiveling one from ACE works well. But in some spots, its still too large.

When I was working on the little jet, which is all pulled rivets, I borrowed a Marson HP-2 puller from a neighbor, and it was the bees knees - strong pull, compact, fit anywhere! I bought one, and have used nothing else since. I figured such a great, old-fashioned tool would be expensive - but its not. Google it - I think mine came through Amazon.

Paul

I’ve actually heard about Marson before. Seems to be well liked. May end getting that one.
 
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