[hcpookie]

Anyone have one of these, or had experience with them? These are used mainly in the RV and BIY aircraft industries, and look well suited for the casual BIY shop. I also found some other types of rivet squeezers for the automotive industry, such as a brake pad rivet tool:

http://www.cleavelandtool.com/catalog/webRapcio.JPG
http://www.cleavelandtool.com/catalog/misctools.html#BrakeRivetTool

Follow the links for the Hand Rivet Squeezers:

http://www.browntool.com/tableofcontents.asp

Reading a review of them here...
http://home.hiwaay.net/~sbuc/journal/tatco.html
... he sounds very pleased with them.

hrm I'm remembering my luck with use of a 5" C-Clamp to squeeze the rear trunion rivets... wheels are turning again... mmm tasty rivets...

 

[hcpookie]

Another search turned this up:

http://www.ustool.com/usstore.asp?WCI=wciViewItem&WCE=90996

HEAVY DUTY HAND RIVET SQUEEZERS
(With 1" "C" yoke)


Item #:TP888-1 Price: $128.00




<FONT size=2>This versatile tool is available individually as a 1", 2", or 3" model or as a combination unit. By simply removing 3 hardened pins you can change the yoke to match your riveting or dimpling application. Longer, redesigned handle for increased force and ease of operation. Accepts all sets with .187 shank and comes with four AN470 and two flush rivet sets.

?.187 shank rivet set holes
?Comes with 4 Universal AN470 rivet sets and 2 flush sets (TP116A)
?Adjustable set holder
?3/32" to 3/16" rivet capacity
?Has removable ?C? yoke
?1" Yoke Comes without Upper Set Hole

 

[hcpookie]

This guy has a really good detailed write-up on using these for his RV-7 project which looks like an airplane? Anyway here's the link:

http://www.rvproject.com/tools.html


SO... for ~ $130 you can get a rivet squeezer, which at first glance should be fine for the average BIY "press-challenged" shop.

These look like bolt cutter handles and a big C-Clamp. Going to dig my (unused) bolt cutters out of that dusty corner and look again at them, to see what kind of jury, er, jerry-rigging can be done

hth,
- Jerry

 

[tarawa]

I hate when someone posts something like this when I am away on a business trip.....and bored. I had to call Brown Tool and order a squeezer with a 3" reach and a dimple set. This is a good post. There was a similar post on the "other" forum, where a guy builit an AK with a set of these squeezers. There sure are a lot of options out there for the home builder. I will let you know how it works out. If it don't, watch ebay for it!!!!!!

 

[hcpookie]

Did a little test tonight...


http://pookieweb.dyndns.org:61129/boltcutter.htm

 

[Toten Kopf]

Found a site that handles aircraft tools.

http://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/main.htm

They have one of those hand riveters but it's expensive. Also a reminder that most of the hand type aircraft riveters are for aluminum or very soft steel rivets. Don't know how they would work on AK type rivets.

 

[hcpookie]

The bolt cutters I ground down are TOUGH steel. They seem to have the strength that will be needed. This (should) be just like a poor-man's alligator squeezer. I hope.

I ran out of time last night so I didn't get to complete the grinding, but the "shoulder" of the jaw needs to have some more material removed to reach into the trunion.

I was able to partially smash the rivet. Due to the size of the handles it was hard to tell I was doing anything.

 

[Toten Kopf]

The bolt cutters I ground down are TOUGH steel. They seem to have the strength that will be needed. This (should) be just like a poor-man's alligator squeezer. I hope.

I ran out of time last night so I didn't get to complete the grinding, but the "shoulder" of the jaw needs to have some more material removed to reach into the trunion.

I was able to partially smash the rivet. Due to the size of the handles it was hard to tell I was doing anything.

You are amazing, I wish I had you for a neighbor.

 

[hcpookie]

SUCCESS

PLEASE NOTE THE NEW LINK BECAUSE I CAN'T EDIT THE OLDER POST

http://pookieweb.dyndns.org:61129/AK/rivet/boltcutters/boltcutter.htm


That's right, it WORKS... the front-most rivets are doable with this jig... have yet to try on the rear or lower rivets but I should be able to get to those with some minor work.

SO it looks like that, for budget garage assembly, and a $15 set of bolt cutters, the trunion CAN BE RIVETED without the need for a costly shop press. The $130 rivet squeezers are still my personal preference because that's what they were made for, but if you can't afford it & don't mind the risk of using a tool in a way it wasn't meant to be used, then I don't see why my jerry-rigging can't be used?

Whaddayathink? Is that too cool or WHAT?!?
Can you tell I'm pleased with the results?

- Jerry (aka rivetmonkey)

 

[tarawa]

Great Idea!!!!!

 

[hcpookie]

Update: Didn't get the second jaw just right, and it popped. Sounded like a tree branch when it broke! So off to HF tomorrow at lunch to get a second set of bolt cutters. Maybe they'll have another sidewalk sale

New pics up at the bottom of that page...

http://pookieweb.dyndns.org:61129/AK/rivet/boltcutters/boltcutter.htm

 

[hcpookie]

Update -

looks like the top approach is the way to go for the rear rivets. Just smashed the right-side rivet, and need to grind another jaw for the left-side rivet.

I'll put some pics up later...

 

[hcpookie]

"Done"

All of the trunion rivets are doable with my modification!!!

:headspin:

Just put up all the pics for the final update to my test.
Of special interest, I also scanned an image of the jaws, and labeled them.

http://pookieweb.dyndns.org:61129/AK/rivet/boltcutters/boltcutter.htm

 

[Grendeljaeger]

That is excellent! Like someone else already said "I wish you were my neighbor"!!

 

[tarawa]

I received my 3" reach squeezer from BrownTool and it is really nice. I have to figure out which "rivet sets" to buy, but I did get a "dimpling set" with it. I did a test dimple and it really works nice. I will probably have to do some creative shaping of the yoke to be able to reach all of the rivets in the front trunion.

 

[hcpookie]

Really, the yoke won't reach all the rivets? If/when you grind down the yoke, keep as much mass as possible on the yoke. Too thin and it'll break. Also don't over-heat the metal. I went very slow when I ground down the metal on the bolt cutters.

hth,
- Jerry

 

[Sangrun Hunter]

Very nice Pookie!

It's almost got me thinking I should rivet my kits now? The habor freight store in 1.5 miles from my house...........

 

[tarawa]

Really, the yoke won't reach all the rivets? If/when you grind down the yoke, keep as much mass as possible on the yoke. Too thin and it'll break. Also don't over-heat the metal. I went very slow when I ground down the metal on the bolt cutters.

hth,
- Jerry

I haven't tried yet, but looks like I might have a little bit of a clearance problem on the center trunion holes.

 

[hcpookie]

Yeah those were the rough ones - be sure to go from teh TOP and not the front. Also, you should have plenty of clearance on the one side.

 

[tarawa]

Yeah those were the rough ones - be sure to go from teh TOP and not the front. Also, you should have plenty of clearance on the one side.

The squeezer takes different size sets than my pneumatic one, so I had to order a set of them from Brown Tool. I will take pictures when I use it.