# How to get the back of a rivet flat?



## answer3 (Mar 10, 2015)

Just bought some aluminum rivets and 5200 at home depot tonight and gave a shot in a spare piece of aluminum to see how it goes before working on the hull of my boat. This is the first time I was using rivets and was quite surprised of the result... The back part of the rivet is very protruding and I am affraid it will catch things on the inside of the boat... Below are some pictures to illustrate what I am talking about. How do I reduce the size of this protruding part on the inside of the hull? Do I have to use shorter rivets? Do I have to hammer the back to flatten it?


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## Jeeper (Mar 10, 2015)

Is it a solid rivet or hollow? If solid do you have a rivet gun? If so make sure to use a bucking bar on the inside while using the gun. This will make it tighten up in the hole while smashing the inside down. Also if the rivet is too long you can use a shorter one. Good luck


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## BigTerp (Mar 10, 2015)

That looks like a blind (pop) rivet. Either get a shorter grip range rivet or use solid rivets. The blind rivets will always have some material protruding out the other end, it's how they "grip" and hold onto whatever it is your riveting together. I'd be afraid if you tried to hammer it flat or cut some of it off you'd compromise the integrity of the rivet. With an air hammer and bucking bar you can get a solid rivet almost flat.


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## overboard (Mar 10, 2015)

We have used a sledge hammer as the anvil on the outside of a solid rivet, and a bucking bar to tighten/flatten the inside. 
Two man job, and worked pretty well. 
If you can access the rivets to be replaced, I would use the solid ones. 
Also can tighten up loose rivets without removing them.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Mar 10, 2015)

That's just the way pop rivets work.


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## Johnny (Mar 10, 2015)

ok - after re-reading your post - - - - 

you are using the wrong rivets for just plugging holes in the hull
or replacing rivets for seats and such things as that.

I got several sizes from ZoroTools on e-bay


also, you can do your own experimentation on hammering a pop rivet down flat
and see how you like it.


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## answer3 (Mar 10, 2015)

Ok I see... I cannot buy an air rivet gun and will have to put rivets in places where I can only access one side so I guess I have to go with closed end blind rivets instead of the standard blind rivets that I tested. I will buy the short version so they don't protrude too much. Thanks!


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## surfman (Mar 11, 2015)

You don't need any fancy tools, two hammers will work just fine, if you cant reach the rivet get a friend to hold the other hammer. You only need to use the pop rivets if you cannot access the back side of the rivet and they make solid pop rivets for that, then it doesn't matter if it sticks up. one large hammer as an anvil and one regular hammer to flatten the shaft end. You can hammer pop rivets down flat too, I've done it but it ain't pretty.


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