Rivets and Rivet Guns

Introduction:

As an aviation machinist for many years I am thoroughly familiar with rivets and riveting, rivet guns and other types of metal fasteners. Rivets are a class of metal fasteners that are used to fasten pieces of metal together. They are also used in leather and plastic materials. Screws are sometimes used as a substitute for rivets however; the advantage of a rivet is that it actually pulls together the two parts which provides a much tighter and more stable joint than other fasteners. A rivet fastener looks neat and has a professional appearance.

The most common rivet used around the house is the blind rivet. A blind rivet also referred to as pulled rivet, is easier to install than a regular rivet because you don’t have to get in behind it with a bucking bar to set the rivet and you don’t need a pneumatic rivet gun to install it. The rivet gun pulls the stem of the rivet until it snaps off leaving the rivet swelled in the rivet hole and behind the two pieces of metal to form a tight joint. Rivets come in different lengths and diameters to secure many different thickness of material together.

The most common use of rivets around the home is for sheet metal work such as in metal ducting or in the assembly of gutters.  The only drawback is that the rivet slightly protrudes on the inside of the two metal pieces which can catch debris.  However, most other through fasteners such as screws do the same thing. Washers are also used under the rivet head or on the blind side to increase the strength of the joint when used on soft material.

The only way to remove a rivet is to drill off the head so the rest of the rivet will pop through the hole. If you over size the hole all you have to do is use a larger diameter rivet in place of the original rivet.

To install a blind rivet simply drill a hole through the two pieces of material, install the rivet and pull the rivet stem with the rivet gun until the stem snaps free. A portion of the stem may protrude above the rivet head which you can trim off with a small file. When pulling the rivet don’t over stress the rivet by squeezing the rivet gun handle too hard. If you do, the rivet stem may snap off before the two pieces of material are firmly pulled together.

If the rivet hole or rivet is damaged you can save the job by using a self-taping metal screw in place of the rivet. A self-taping screw has special hardened tapered threads that will cut through the metal forming a tight screw fit.

Having a rivet gun in your tool box is essential for many different DIY home repairs. If you don’t have a rivet gun they can be purchased for a moderate price at most home improvement supply centers or any hardware store. They usually come with an assortment of rivets.

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