Greetings: I am a newby to the site, my partner, Jim Rose and I are building an RV12. Empennage kit is almost done, wings are on order. We have two pneumatic rivet pullers, the blue Harbor Freight units. The two year old unit has to sit in the sun for awhile before it works (usually) and the brand new one won't pull a rivet. I've disassembled, cleaned, oiled, changed O-rings with mixed results. Also, on thin connections like lap joints of the skin, the tool doesn't seem to have a long enough stroke, it takes two pulls of the trigger. Is there a trick to getting them to behave? Thanks, Gary Steube
Van's Air Force
Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.
Pneumatic Rivet Puller Maintenance
- Thread starter GDS
- Start date
you should have got a little tool with the harbor freight...it gives the ideal distance between the end of the nose and the threads for the cover. If this distance is not correct it will not pull on the first try. If you don't have the tool...I can go measure the distance for you. Let me know.
IowaRV9Dreamer
Well Known Member
My HF pop puller has gotten grabby
My blue harbor freight puller pulls just fine, but won't release the broken off stem. It eventually does let it go, about 10 seconds later. Anyone have any ideas?
My blue harbor freight puller pulls just fine, but won't release the broken off stem. It eventually does let it go, about 10 seconds later. Anyone have any ideas?
Rivet puller advice from session with Bob Avery
Last week I took my rivet puller from Avery Tools to their store at Hicks Field. The rivet puller would not release the rivet stem consistantly without resorting to tapping it out. Bob Avery looked at the rivet puller and said that I was using the wrong nose piece. I was using the smallest nose piece that would slide over the rivet stem. Bob says to use the next larger nose piece. The next larger nose piece pushes the jaws back further and the rivet puller releases the stem without any problems. One of the two wrenches that come with the Avery puller has a notch near the open end wrench. From the notch to the end of the wrench is adjustment length from the rivet puller aft flange to the end of the adjustable internal nose piece. Someone posted this adjustment tip earlier on our RV-12 Forum but I cannot find his posting now. I mentioned this tip to Bob Avery and he said he was not aware that this was the way to set the internal nose piece distance. Sooo,,,,,,,,,,,, it takes a community of RV-12builders sharing their expertise with us first timers to build a RV-12!!!!! Keep up the great posts for the new guys because we really appreciate the help. What a great way to build a RV-12.
Finish kit shipping 4/20/09.
Bob Kibby "N712BK" reserved
Last week I took my rivet puller from Avery Tools to their store at Hicks Field. The rivet puller would not release the rivet stem consistantly without resorting to tapping it out. Bob Avery looked at the rivet puller and said that I was using the wrong nose piece. I was using the smallest nose piece that would slide over the rivet stem. Bob says to use the next larger nose piece. The next larger nose piece pushes the jaws back further and the rivet puller releases the stem without any problems. One of the two wrenches that come with the Avery puller has a notch near the open end wrench. From the notch to the end of the wrench is adjustment length from the rivet puller aft flange to the end of the adjustable internal nose piece. Someone posted this adjustment tip earlier on our RV-12 Forum but I cannot find his posting now. I mentioned this tip to Bob Avery and he said he was not aware that this was the way to set the internal nose piece distance. Sooo,,,,,,,,,,,, it takes a community of RV-12builders sharing their expertise with us first timers to build a RV-12!!!!! Keep up the great posts for the new guys because we really appreciate the help. What a great way to build a RV-12.
Finish kit shipping 4/20/09.
Bob Kibby "N712BK" reserved
Per Bob Kibby post, had the wrong size nosepiece, the smallest fit perfectly on the pop rivets but doesn't release the wire. Also, I made small changes to the level of oil until it was just right, now it pulls with one trigger activation. The new gun has a wrench gauge mentioned above; it was set at the proper depth already. The old puller is larger and has no gauge. I started with it set too tight to accept a new rivet and adjusted the jaws out about 1/8". Put it back together and now we have two perfectly functioning pullers. Thanks guys, GDS
One more thing about grabby pullers
Last week the old one got "grabby" and wouldn't release the wire, There were 5-6 wires stuck together with oil/dirt mungus behind the jaws that blocked the action. Cleaned it up and it helped. All this tool maintenance has really been rough on my wife's toothbrush.
Last week the old one got "grabby" and wouldn't release the wire, There were 5-6 wires stuck together with oil/dirt mungus behind the jaws that blocked the action. Cleaned it up and it helped. All this tool maintenance has really been rough on my wife's toothbrush.
I had the same issue with my Avery puller when I first got it. Sure seemed logical to use the smallest nose piece that would accept the rivet stem - but after lots of jamming Marty Santic straightened me out. Ever since I upped the nose piece to the next size the tool has worked perfectly. Except forget about the stem catching cup. Just let the stems fall on the floor and pick 'em up later with a magnet.
