Pop Rivets vs. Solid Rivets

[jiott]

I am finding that installing the solid aluminum rivets that hold cam-lock receptacles in place are a real pain in some areas. Would there be any disadvantage (other than cosmetic) to using flush head pop (pull) type rivets instead. I am thinking mostly of the cam-locks that hold the cowling together and the boot cowl to the firewall.

Jim

[Dave S]

Jim,

EAA has a basic video on setting solid rivets located at:

http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=1200014906001

It takes a bit of practice...not too much; but, the solid rivets work out well for this application. I speculate that the kit uses the solid rivets because it is better suited in this case. The holes on the camlock tabs are pretty darn small to mess with a two part pull rivet.

I used a variety of tools including a body hammer & dolly; and, a visegrips as a rivet squeezer in those hard to reach edge places where you just cannot swing a hammer.

I look at solid rivet setting as a skill a person can learn and it is satisfying when it works out right:). Sort of like rib lacing.:D

Good luck,

Sincerely,

Dave S

[jiott]

I have learned to set the solid rivets, but am still wondering if there are any disadvantages to using flush head pull rivets other than cosmetic and the satisfaction thing you mentioned.

Jim

[HighWing]

Jim, Can't answer your question with certainty, except to say I prefer them and find them easier to squeeze. For most of my rivets, I use a high end squeezer, but it requires some room. I have the long and short jaws, but the reason for my response is that I made up a squeezer by heavily grinding a pair of vicegrips. I did this after watching a friend - since gone west - who squeezed the solid rivets on his Lancair with a typical off the shelf vicegrip leaving all the striations on both front and back of the rivets. This tool will get anywhere a rivet can go and gives a professional look when finished.
Lowell

[Esser]

As per wikipedia regarding pop rivets:


"These types of blind rivets have non-locking mandrels and are sometimes avoided for critical structural joints because the mandrels may fall out, due to vibration or other reasons, leaving a hollow rivet that will have a significantly lower load carrying capability than solid rivets. Furthermore, because of the mandrel they are more prone to failure from corrosion and vibration."

[szicree]

There's nothing wrong with using pulled rivets to hold a platenut. It's about as non-critical a location as you can find. However, with the right tool, the solid rivet is easy to set and looks a bit nicer. For what it's worth, I'm thinking of screws and nuts to attach my boot cowl. It looks like there's good access to the back side so why bother with the platenuts?

[HighWing]

...so why bother with the platenuts?

That was the question I was asked when I was helping a guy build a Lanair IV. We were working on the baffling at the time. My answer - it would take about an hour with all the tools in hand and that hour will be minor time spent considering the life of the airplane and all the time saved removing, and I might add, retreiving dropped washers and nuts. Sort of like working a bit harder today to make life a bit easier tomorrow.
Lowell

[szicree]

You have a point about dropped hardware. So if I go with platenuts, do they go on before fabric?

[HighWing]

I always liked them on before fabric. I forgot in a couple of places and don't like the look of the rivet heads and the countersunk holes are not as clean as the fabric tends not to cut cleanly.
Lowell