# Problem with rivets breaking



## tsrtinboats (Jan 1, 2010)

Hi,

When I'm putting in my rivets about 1 out of every 5 breaks off really high on the stem. Is there something that I'm doing that's causing this or is it quality of my rivets and my gun. Both the rivets and the gun are brand new from Lowes.

Thanks


----------



## bassboy1 (Jan 2, 2010)

Do you have a Home Depot nearby? Reason being, Lowes (at least in my area) carries Swingline rivets, and Home Depot has Stanley. I find the Swingline ones to be of a lesser quality than the Stanley ones, although I don't have near as high a breakage rate as you did.


----------



## thudpucker (Jan 2, 2010)

Try to find a Fastener place. 
There are all kinds of alloy rivets.
Also the Swedging of a Rivet is important. The Swedging tool, the bucking bar and the 'attitude' of the operator are all a symphony. 

You might be making your rivets brittle by going too fast and too hard, wrong tool, or driving them down too hard making the metal brittle.
When you (the hammer addict) whack them down too hard, you also crack the metal of the boat which will contribute to failures and leaks.

Now that you have a few broken rivets, take some closeups of the hole after you get the rivet out.
Then,  take out a rivet you thought was good, and take close ups of that hole.
To see how your doing? You might find your 'good' ones are not good, but just barley hanging on!


----------



## danmyersmn (Jan 2, 2010)

Northern Tool has Aluminum rivets as well.


----------



## bassboy1 (Jan 4, 2010)

thudpucker said:


> Try to find a Fastener place.
> There are all kinds of alloy rivets.
> Also the Swedging of a Rivet is important. The Swedging tool, the bucking bar and the 'attitude' of the operator are all a symphony.
> 
> ...


I'm fairly certain he is speaking of pop rivets, not solid rivets. On the pop rivets, instead of the pulling mandrel breaking inside the rivet as it should, many of his are breaking part way up, leaving a 3/4 inch or so piece of mandrel sticking up, that must be twisted off with pliers.


----------



## thudpucker (Jan 4, 2010)

I had an issue with Pop rivets and went to a place where they repair Trailers for Over-the-road truckers.
He gave me a handfull of Weather proof Steel Pop rivets that require a Pnumatic Pop rivet gun.

Now, buddy, them air's rivets you wont pull out with yer granny's store bought teeth!


----------



## KMixson (Jan 4, 2010)

thudpucker said:


> I had an issue with Pop rivets and went to a place where they repair Trailers for Over-the-road truckers.
> He gave me a handfull of Weather proof Steel Pop rivets that require a Pnumatic Pop rivet gun.
> 
> Now, buddy, them air's rivets you wont pull out with yer granny's store bought teeth!



You wouldn't happen to be talking about Magna-bolts? If you install those it just about takes an air chisel to get them out. You have to grind the head off and punch them out with a pin punch. I have rebuilt roll-up doors with those on fleet vehicles. One word of caution, do not install them where you can not get them out later.


----------



## beetlespin (Jan 5, 2010)

I use stainless steel rivets after having a bunch of aluminum ones pop out of my aluminum floor during a rough ride on the Delaware river. They are tough to do, you need a tool made for SS rivets. Your hands will hurt after doing just a few. I have not had a single one break yet.


----------

