Cheap (but dependable) riverter

[TigerUK]

In my flight case build project I will need to do a lot of riveting. Can someone recommend me a good value riverter to buy.

Lazy riverter probably a pointless expense as I will do maybe 30 rivets max per job. Jobs occasional (fortnightly)

Forge steel £15.99 (v. good reviews)

Twister riverter £14.99 (bad reviews)

Stanley contractor grade rivets £26.99 - poor review but only 1 reviewer, finicity reason given for poor rating

Unknown reviews toolstation £10.83)

I suppose the reviews are pretty self explanatory and I should just go for the forge steel one.

Another question. I'm going to be riverting material about 12mm-13mm thick. What size rivets do I need?

[TigerUK]

sorry should have posted this to tool talk. notified mods.

[moderator2]

Probably just as well to leave it here for now. If no replies in a day or 2 report it again.

[wrinx]

I'm going to be riverting material about 12mm-13mm thick. What size rivets do I need?

12-13mm...really??? I guess you mean 1.2, which is 18g.

Size of rivet (not rivert) depends on the amount of material you've got to play with, but the main one I use is 4mm, requiring a 4.2mm drill.

wrinx

[TigerUK]

no i reall mean 12mm. Probably sounds too thick given that this is the metalworking forum.

Check here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjQyv494bzU around 3:23

To put it simply how much does the rivet needs to poke out on the other side?

[Someone-Else]

Air powered rivet gun, never seen one of them before, nice bit of kit.

[village idiot]

Air powered rivet gun, never seen one of them before, nice bit of kit.

Gesipa make a cordless one

[wrinx]

no i reall mean 12mm. Probably sounds too thick given that this is the metalworking forum.

Check here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjQyv494bzU around 3:23

To put it simply how much does the rivet needs to poke out on the other side?

I see now...usual "rule" for overall rivet length is 1.5 x rivet diameter added to the thickness of the material. The bit poking out should be 1.5 times the rivet diameter.

wrinx

[Hitch]

Steel or aluminium rivets?
In lengths like that, you probably will be looking at 4.8mm rivets.
If you are doing anything other than aluminium rivets id steer clear of all of the ones you have linked to, although, without seeing them its difficult to judge. Most of the hand riveters i've used, i have eventually managed to bend the handles on larger rivets.

The Gesipa gear VillageIdiot has linked to is nice stuff, but cordless ones come with a price tag...of about £400 up iirc...They also do a hand riveter though, Gesipa Flipper. Quite a nice hand tool for 5mm alu or 4mm steel, but about £60.

If your plan on using steel rivets, Id suggest a Lazy tong style riveter, but make sure you get the heavy duty models, I've got a Sealey one, which is okay, about £50, not the best, but sensible money.

[aeromech3]

A hand riveter, the better quality forged one will be ample for your needs, poor quality ones tend to loose grip on the mandrel or get spent mandrels stuck inside them, of course it is an aluminium case so same, Al, for the rivets and as Wrinx points out you need a clearance drill, if the Al rivet is a litle too long it will still draw down as the mandrel is steel but you will have a longer tail inside, length more critical with steel rivets.
Watch your knuckles when the rivet sets and the mandrel, stem, head breaks (breakstem rivets)

[TigerUK]

Thanks for your feedback. I bought the forge steel riveter. You are probably right for longer term use I should get a good one. It's tough work riveting 4.8mm - but managing. I went for 20mm rivets which does the job.

[TigerUK]

30 rivets max per job? what an unterstatement.

I've gone through 2 bags of 100. I'm onto my 3rd bag and won't be surprised if I need to use all of it.

Just a handle latch uses 10 rivets!

A good automatic riveter would have really helped me with this job. doing 4.8mm rivets by hand 200 times is not easy. Nigh on impossible in fact. I had to take rests for my hand to recover. Palms are still sore..

Not much long to go and the flight case should be finished.