Pop rivet gun...

[clearcut]

Anybody have a favorite? I'm looking to buy one...no broken rivets on the Casita yet...just want to be prepared.

Which one do you like? Are there any to avoid?

Thanks.

[Eddie Longest]

I have an older Craftsman std. pop rivet gun with cast handles that works great. I bought a swivel head arrow for tight places. I started using it using it all the time but the gripper teeth wore out after about 200 rivets. I tried to repair it it but it is just as easy to buy a new one.
I am going back to using my older Craftsman and buy another swivel head gun and only use for tight spaces.
Eddie

[Donna D.]

My only suggestion, is if you can find one that's not in a blister package, test it out in your hand. Some of the hand grips are sharp or the finger areas in the wrong spots (for my hand). If the tool isn't comfortable in my hand... I move on to a different brand. YMMV

[Harvey]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

My only suggestion, is if you can find one that's not in a blister package, test it out in your hand. Some of the hand grips are sharp or the finger areas in the wrong spots (for my hand). If the tool isn't comfortable in my hand... I move on to a different brand. YMMV

YESSSs! Definitely check out the 'grip' on a new pop rivet tool if possible. Also, on many of 'em the handles spread so wide that it is nearly impossible for a person with normal sized hands (let alone one with smaller hands) to 'start' the rivet using just one hand. I had one tool that required both hands to compress the handles to start a rivet. I'd much rather have to 'cycle' the tool a few extra times with shorter 'strokes' to 'set' a rivet than hafta use both hands to even get started...

[mary and bob]

I'm lazy, I have an air powered pop rivet gun

[Darwin Maring]

Here is one for someone that does not have allot of hand strength:
Heavy Duty 17-1/2" Hand Riveter With Collection Bottle

Here is one for someone with Strong hand strength:
3-in-1 Riveter Kit

[Ron in BC]

Depends if you're buying one specifically for the trailer or if you anticipate other uses. A lot depends on what type of rivet you're using. Common rivet materials are aluminum, steel and s/s.

For aluminum rivets the basic old style ones do just fine. Mine are over 30 years old and have driven untold numbers of rivets.

For steel and s/s rivets the long handled ones are much easier to squeeze especially 3/16" rivets.

The hydraulic one is good for the tough ones but now that the air riveters are available and pretty cheap I don't use the hydraulic one much any more. The air one is also good when you have a large number of rivets to do.

Ron

[Roy in TO]

This is a good thread.

I've got a friend that worked in the aircraft industry. Saw what I was doing to my boler and dropped me of a few rivets from work. They looked the same as what I've used previously but ... they are heat treated and tough as ****. The regular hand tools won't work with them. Be forewarned that not all rivets are the same.

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by Roy in TO

This is a good thread.

I've got a friend that worked in the aircraft industry. Saw what I was doing to my boler and dropped me of a few rivets from work. They looked the same as what I've used previously but ... they are heat treated and tough as ****. The regular hand tools won't work with them. Be forewarned that not all rivets are the same.

cherry rivets, and a good hand puller will do them just fine, up to #5's, although they take a pretty good squeeze.

I use a bluepoint swivel head, and it's probably pulled several hundred cherry rivets, when i was too lazy to go get a cherry gun just to do a couple rivets.

Cherry stems stay in the rivet and lock, and they also go by the 1/16th inch for length, so you need a grip gauge to do it right.