Close quarters pop riveting

[Michael Burbidge]

I have to pop rivet the attach angles to the tank baffle. I find that my pull riveter will not clear the body of the attach angle so that I can put in the temporary pop rivets. I have read that some have ground the nose of their pull riveter some to get into close quarters. I'm wondering if I can do this with mine without ruining it. It is hard to tell from looking how much I can grind down the nose.

My pull riveter is from Cleveland and is PowerLink 30. Has anyone ground the nose down on this model?

[alpinelakespilot2000]

Michael-
I wouldn't do this with an expensive pop-riveter. Just go down to Harbor Freight and get a cheap one for $3.00 to grind down if you find it to be necessary. My Harbor Freight puller (the only one I have) is going strong and the riveting is virtually complete.

[Mel]

Go down to the hardware store and buy the cheapest "folded metal" pop rivet puller you can find. These will get you into very tight corners.
On my bi-plane, I had to pull lots of rivets that were at the bottom of a 5/8" channel. This was the only thing I found that would work.

[skyyking56]

Michael,
I agree with Mel...I was pondering this also and went thru my old toolbox and found a Master Mechaic brand from Ace harware or True Value.... folded metal pop riveter that I have had for probably 30 years and I didnt have to grind it at all...It just barely fit against the angle but did work just fine..It is now on my peg board of tools. I bet anything that you can still purchase the same one at a local hardware store and it will probably be about $10.
Good luck.
Jim
7A Wings (Still)...I think I'm the slowest wing builder in history

[jsharkey]

Originally Posted by mburbidg@adobe.com

I have to pop rivet the attach angles to the tank baffle. I find that my pull riveter will not clear the body of the attach angle so that I can put in the temporary pop rivets. I have read that some have ground the nose of their pull riveter some to get into close quarters. I'm wondering if I can do this with mine without ruining it. It is hard to tell from looking how much I can grind down the nose.

My pull riveter is from Cleveland and is PowerLink 30. Has anyone ground the nose down on this model?

Check this thread - lots of ways to skin the cat - and the beauty of the VAF

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ad.php?t=35534

[Alschief]

Try this link at EAA, it shows several Videos.
One is for riveting in tight places.
It has a video on Pop Riveting Tools and Modifications.

http://www.eaa.org/video/homebuilders.html[/url]

[Lycosaurus]

Originally Posted by Mel

Go down to the hardware store and buy the cheapest "folded metal" pop rivet puller you can find....

Agreed. Mine was an Arrow brand that I bought at Home Depot a while back (have not seen it there lately though).

Here's a photo of it.