Pop Rivets

[sparkplug188]

Where do you guys buy your rivets from?  Last year I bought 1500 Aluminum POP Rivets CLOSED/SEALED 6-4 3/16 x 1/4 on Amazon for $34.27/500 case.  I went to reorder and the price jumped to $62.36/500 case!!!  I found an eBay listing for $87.31/1000 case which isn't bad, but still not like the deal I got last year.

[sparkplug188]

$66.15/1000 case from Jay-Cee Sales & Rivet with free shipping.  That is a lot closer to what I wanted to spend on rivets 
http://www.rivetsonline.com/closed-end-blind-rivet-pr64aaph.html

[eagle19952]

just curious ?

what are you using to set the rivets ?
how many are you actually going to use/need ?

$66.15/1000 case from Jay-Cee Sales & Rivet with free shipping.  That is a lot closer to what I wanted to spend on rivets 
http://www.rivetsonline.com/closed-end-blind-rivet-pr64aaph.html

[sparkplug188]

I am using a hand operated rivet tool.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Arrow-Fastener-Professional-Rivet-Tool-RH200S/100097261
I know pneumatic rivet tools exist, but I have never used one.  I will take a power tool any day over a manual tool if it makes the job considerably easier (think putty knife vs oscillating saw with a scraper attachment).  I guess the hand rivet tool is so easy I haven't felt a need to get the powered version.

I have used 1300 out of the first 1500 shipment.  I estimate I will need an additional 1700 rivets to to finish redoing all of the painted and anodized skin.  There are 4 rows of rivets on the painted skin and 7 rows of rivets on the anodized skin.  All of the rivets are spaced 3" apart.

[Zephod]

Why use sealed rivets? I'm using ordinary rivets. I'm dipping them in epoxy, putting them in the hole and crimping then putting epoxy on the heads. These are to fill screw holes some butthole previous owner drilled in the roof

[sparkplug188]

I used sealed rivets because there is less chance of leakage.  We are talking 3000+ potential places to leak-- I want to stack the odds in my favor as much as practicable.  Every single rivet has been dipped in Sikaflex 221 to further reduce the chance of leaks.

Spending a couple hundred dollars on sealed rivets and Sikaflex is worth it when you consider the cost of replacing cabinets or a wood floor because of a preventable leak.

[ros]

Air rivet guns are very cheap and GOOD at Harbor Freight.  They may, by now, have an electric one.  I used mine a lot and it is easy and fun.

Do you have a Harbor Freight near you?  If not, you can order by mail.


Ros

I am using a hand operated rivet tool.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Arrow-Fastener-Professional-Rivet-Tool-RH200S/100097261
I know pneumatic rivet tools exist, but I have never used one.  I will take a power tool any day over a manual tool if it makes the job considerably easier (think putty knife vs oscillating saw with a scraper attachment).  I guess the hand rivet tool is so easy I haven't felt a need to get the powered version.

I have used 1300 out of the first 1500 shipment.  I estimate I will need an additional 1700 rivets to to finish redoing all of the painted and anodized skin.  There are 4 rows of rivets on the painted skin and 7 rows of rivets on the anodized skin.  All of the rivets are spaced 3" apart.

[Oonrahnjay]

Air rivet guns are very cheap and GOOD at Harbor Freight.  They may, by now, have an electric one.  I used mine a lot and it is easy and fun.  ...
Ros   

     Absolutely, it takes a huge amount of work out of the equation and is much faster.  Better results, too.  (My bus is pretty well held together by pop rivets.)

[luvrbus]

Jesse check these guys out and see if they have what you need and let me know I maybe able to save you some bucks www.allensfasteners.com they are in my part of AZ

[sparkplug188]

Clifford- I bookmarked that site.  Their prices are about half of what McMaster wants for the same hardware.  I can't buy from them this time though-- they don't sell closed end rivets.

Ros, Bruce- Hmmm...  If I get an air riveter, I will never be able to compete with Matthias Schlitte.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uB39kw6KaI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ts2Zb8VHpA

Just kidding  I bought an air riveter from Harbor Freight with the 20% off everything super coupon.

[luvrbus]

I'll talk to him today and see what he can do for you

[sparkplug188]

Clifford- I already placed an order with Jay-Cee Sales & Rivet.  I won't need to order any more right away.  Knowing me, I will need another 1000 in 2016.  It would be nice to know what they can do, but prices change.  Knowing the price now won't do much good.  Thank you for offering to check.

[Oonrahnjay]

... Just kidding  I bought an air riveter from Harbor Freight with the 20% off everything super coupon.   

    IME they don't pull a big volume of air - you need steady pressure but they won't need a lot of air.  Of course, that depends on how quickly you pull the trigger, too.

[bevans6]

I use one of the inexpensive air powered rivet tools, like it a lot.  May be my favorite hand tool.  Lately I have been pulling a lot of Avex 3/16" rivets, and they don't pull easy, if you did three a minute by hand you would injure yourself.  If you are time limited by an epoxy and you need to pull several hundred rivets in 15 - 20 minutes, you need some air powered help!   That's how I attach floors to race cars these days.  I also have recently bought an air riveting gun and I've been setting solid rivets, also a good fun thing to do.

Brian

[eagle19952]

so....show us what model guns you got... does Smith and Wesson make a good one ...