pop riveting tools breaking

[prkaye]

Has anybody else had a problem with breaking pop-riveting tools. I've gone through three of them (the basic hand-powered one, two of mine were made by "Stanley"). In all three, after a while the mechanism inside that grabs and pulls the rivet stem becomes broken somehow and it fails to grab anymore. I just had my third one stop working last night.
Is this user-error, or are these things just not made to last?

[rvtach]

I've been using the same $10 tool I bought 15 years ago at Home Depot and it hasn't skipped a beat. A friend of mine had one that quit before he finished his horizontal stab. Two conflicting data points. Real help I am.

[DaX]

Mine's been working great, but I think I may have set a total of 10 pop rivets on the tail, so the tool doesn't get much use.

[Fearless]

The non-pneumatic one I got with the Cleveland kit is still working fine for me. I'm at the forward fuselage stage myself. I hope I haven't jinxed myself.

[RickWoodall]

Hey Phil
Just a question...are you positive the stanley is "breaking". I dont mean that as a stupid question, but about 30 rivets in, a few parts "broke" and little pieces fell on the floor. I was pretty po'd and grabbed another one. A buddy of mine was looking it over and found all the little parts, 4 or 5 i think, and they all go back together and it works like a champ. The piece that grabs the shaft is supposed to be in two pieces...
Just wanted to make sure it really broke and is garbage and didnt just come apart into little pieces like mine did.

[airguy]

In my mind, either way is "broke". A quality tool should not spontaneously come apart into pieces that need to be reassembled.

[prkaye]

yeah, the first one spontaneously fell apart like that. I couldn't see how to get it back together, and Sean at Planetools sent me a replacement. I forget how the second one failed. The third one didn't come apart (until i took it apart) - it just stopped grabbing the rivet stems. Instead of making a serious effort to repair it I just spent 20 bucks on a replacement.

[Mike S]

I have been using one of these for a lot of years---------no problem.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...vydutyriv1.php

[mike109g6]

Originally Posted by prkaye

yeah, the first one spontaneously fell apart like that. I couldn't see how to get it back together, and Sean at Planetools sent me a replacement. I forget how the second one failed. The third one didn't come apart (until i took it apart) - it just stopped grabbing the rivet stems. Instead of making a serious effort to repair it I just spent 20 bucks on a replacement.

Phil,
Over the years I've collected quite a few, different brands, both hand and pneumatic. I've even ground the top side off of a hand and pneumatic riveter that exposed the interal guts, so that I could get access to close areas, rib flanges, etc. I've not had one grab and pull the pop rivet. If the head is not clean inside, no mandrel pieces, they will not work, period. I've had to bang on them some times to clear debris out, and then they work fine.
Very strange that three have broken on you. No answer as to why. Try the 'el cheapos', Harbor Freight, etc. $20 a pop, for pop riveter is pretty stout. You can get a Harbor Freight pneumatic for $38 or cheaper when on sale. Works great-just don't let it bounce after the pull.
Mike H 9A/8A

[carguy614]

I use a Cherry G28 hand riveter, and although they cost a bit, it is a good investment IMHO. Made in USA, if you can fathom that, and has a very slim frame and tiny head. (Like me) I think the G27 is the one that sets nut plate rivets, but I have pulled those little devils with mine a few times as well, and it works pretty well. I know most folks wont buy a 90 dollar rivet puller, but I must say, it is one of my favorite tools

Regards from the tool geek,
Chris