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What's your favorite way of doing rivets? Poll

jtiii

Beautiful day, great to be alive!
I know, old thread, but we once did a couple dozen Cessnas for a local flight school, rivets everywhere. Cast metallic film. We eventually came up with this method and really flew - quick and violent rivet brush to compress the air into one tight bubble against the rivet. Heat it quickly until it pops (about 2 seconds), wait 3 seconds for the vinyl to cool just enough, then another quick and violent rivet brush and on to the next one.
 

printhog

New Member
I know, old thread, but we once did a couple dozen Cessnas for a local flight school, rivets everywhere. Cast metallic film. We eventually came up with this method and really flew - quick and violent rivet brush to compress the air into one tight bubble against the rivet. Heat it quickly until it pops (about 2 seconds), wait 3 seconds for the vinyl to cool just enough, then another quick and violent rivet brush and on to the next one.

Hopefully you used a rivet cutter on them afterwards. In the FAA inspections I've been thru they insist the vinyl be cut so the rivets can be inspected for corrosion or loosening over its lifetime. The vinyl hides that and entraps moisture that causes corrosion supposedly.
 

jtiii

Beautiful day, great to be alive!
Hopefully you used a rivet cutter on them afterwards. In the FAA inspections I've been thru they insist the vinyl be cut so the rivets can be inspected for corrosion or loosening over its lifetime. The vinyl hides that and entraps moisture that causes corrosion supposedly.
Yikes! No we didn't and I'm glad we didn't know to - it would have messed up the margin on that job!
 

Circleville Signs

New Member
RollePro - but in combination with the Geekwraps Big Easy. That tool is the very best $225 I've ever spent on any tool - ever. I can do a 57' trailer, by myself, in 6 hours using those two tools and a lift.
 
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