I am in desperate need of info on pop rivet pullers. I am pop riveting on the z brackets on the gas tank. Got half done then the puller decided to cut the stem off instead of pulling it. Figured it was broke so went and bought a new one. That one cut the stem off the first pull. What in the world is going on. Do you need a certain "aviation" puller for the pop rivets? I absolutely cant figure out why it's cutting the stem now. We made sure the puller was perfectly straight up and down before pulling and it worked on one but the next cut it off again. I now have 3 z brakets with one pop rivet in with stems cut off. Can someone please tell me what's going on? I used this stupid thing on all the pop rivets in the empenage and ailerons. Now it doesn't work. Please help.......
Van's Air Force
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(desperate) pop rivet pullers
- Thread starter ditch
- Start date
Same here
I had the same problem with the first couple of rivets as well. After some testing found that very minor changes in the angle of the rivet puller prevented this from happening. Can?t exactly remember, it was about 3 years ago, as I recall when pulling the rivet I was inadvertently lifting on the rivet squeezer. This caused a very small amount of drag to be added to the stem which caused it to break. Again can't quite remember but I would experiment with a very slight up or down pressure on the handle of the rivet puller.
Hope this helps.
RV-7
FWF/Finishing
I had the same problem with the first couple of rivets as well. After some testing found that very minor changes in the angle of the rivet puller prevented this from happening. Can?t exactly remember, it was about 3 years ago, as I recall when pulling the rivet I was inadvertently lifting on the rivet squeezer. This caused a very small amount of drag to be added to the stem which caused it to break. Again can't quite remember but I would experiment with a very slight up or down pressure on the handle of the rivet puller.
Hope this helps.
RV-7
FWF/Finishing
So, if I pull the rivet and the stem gets cut off, do you think there is enough pulled that it will be OK? Obviously the stem was pulled far enough to a point that it broke. I guess I'm wondering how much farther it would have had to been pulled before it broke the way it should have.
frazitl
Well Known Member
never had this happen to me
Really! But I doubt it is something you are doing wrong. My GUESS is that you have a batch of bad rivets. The weak point in the stem should be at the proper "pop" height leaving no protruding rivet mandrel. If during the rivet manufacture process, this weak point wasn't created, you would get the result you are describing. Except for pulling straight, these things are supposed to be idiot (myself included) proof.
I'd cut off with a dremel and move on. Any RV12 experts listening???
Really! But I doubt it is something you are doing wrong. My GUESS is that you have a batch of bad rivets. The weak point in the stem should be at the proper "pop" height leaving no protruding rivet mandrel. If during the rivet manufacture process, this weak point wasn't created, you would get the result you are describing. Except for pulling straight, these things are supposed to be idiot (myself included) proof.
I'd cut off with a dremel and move on. Any RV12 experts listening???
I may have figured it out
I think I got it. The answer is beer. Yes, beer. Went in, had 3 to calm my nerves, opened up a fresh puller, ground it down and all went well. Go figure.... I would never dare work on this thing after a couple beers for fear of messing it up but I figured I had nothing to loose. I now have 4 brackets with 1 bad one in them. I think I should be fine. Just grind them down and pile on the proseal. What a day!!!!!!!!!!!
I think I got it. The answer is beer. Yes, beer. Went in, had 3 to calm my nerves, opened up a fresh puller, ground it down and all went well. Go figure.... I would never dare work on this thing after a couple beers for fear of messing it up but I figured I had nothing to loose. I now have 4 brackets with 1 bad one in them. I think I should be fine. Just grind them down and pile on the proseal. What a day!!!!!!!!!!!
