KanuckZ06

Is there a way to set tubular rivets without a bucking tool?
If not, how do you use the bucking tool?
I'll be needing to set some rivets on the vent doors,heater box and rear astro vent assembly.
Thanks as always for your help!

Scott Marzahl

There is a special rivet set for tubular rivets which will give you the best crush on those rivets. Some guys try to get by with a c clamp and small bearing placed on the open end but you dont get the same clamping force.

JE Caudle

Setting rivets is an art that takes practice and some special tools
to do the job correctly. Take a look at http://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/main.aspx
They can provide the correct tools. Make sure your air hammer
is set to a VERY LOW setting. The hammer is placed on the head of the
rivet and the 'bucking bar' is held on the shaft end. Pull the trigger on
the hammer and when the shaft end becomes twice the size of the
original rivet shaft your done.

I would practice on some sheet metal first. It is easy to mess up...

BoL...

LS7Vette

markids77

The hardest part of staking rivets is keeping the rivet fully seated in the hole while you flare the open end. I find a second set of hands to be invaluable to simply hold pressure on the workpiece, applying pressure to keep the rivet in the hole while I set it. I set readily accessed rivets in my bench vise using one smooth steel jaw as an anvil, and either a ball bearing or some other round end implement as a set. It is easy to modulate the pressure generated this way but it only works for parts small and properly shaped to fit in the vise jaws.

To set parts larger than vise size I have a section of train rail I use as a buck, and peen using a hammer and round headed tool. If a part must be riveted "in situ", I have my helper hold the heaviest improvised buck which will fit the area, and I set the rivet by hand with a hammer.

I agree it is important to practice first, this does require a bit of finesse. Better to dent a scrap part than shatter the rear deck of your car!

MyRed69

Wish i had this link a couple of months ago... Been all over the place looking for this stuff. I worked as a sheet metal guy on F-4s way back when (shudda kept my tools) and am so surprised at the looks i get when asking about solid rivets, even at "specialty fastener" places, they have no clue what I'm talking about. I ended up chopping off the end of an air chisel, welding a piece of 1/4 steel to the end, hollowing out a bit for the rivet head, and having the wife hold a mini sledge hammer as the bucking bar. She gave it her best shot but the results were less than spectacular (on both sides of the rivet).
Thanks again for the link.

And thanks KanuckZ06 for the thread.

70BBvert

The tool for setting tubular rivets is different from the one for solid rivets. Found this source for tubular rivet tools http://www.rivetsinstock.com/

I bought the solid rivet set & some bucking bars from aircraft tool supply also. Anything solid can be used as well, hammer, steel stock, even a piece of hardwood. What ever you have handy that will fit behind the rivet head. The soft aluminum rivets don't require a lot of pressure. I set the pressure to the lowest I can that will still operate my air chisel.

Jim

JE Caudle

Hi Jim! My mistake! Thanks for correcting me and for providing a
link that displays the product in question.

70BBvert

Wasn't pointing out a mistake, :bb Just offering up another source. I bought a couple tubular rivet sets from them when I was doing the vent doors & the heater box assembly. IIRC Corvette Central sells a manual set as well

Jim