Learning curve for buck rivets

[CraigCam]

I need to replace about 150 Olympic rivets a PO used to repair the street side exterior skins, most are leaking.im struggling with the best option, replace with Olympic or buck. I have never worked with buck rivets and am a little intermediated by them. What to do?

[markdoane]

There are three reasons to use buck rivets.

1. Cheaper than Olympics. At 150 rivets the cost to acquire the tools you need for buck rivets (rivet gun, bucking bars) is about the same as the premium for Olympic rivets.

2. Quality of work. Definitely the buck rivets will give you a stronger seam and better appearance.

3. Skill. You will acquire a new skill that you may or may not use again. I enjoy having a new skill, and I've use my buck riveting skills to build other things, like boxes and objects d'art.

Those are the three things I would consider when deciding which method to use.

[Belegedhel]

If you have access to the back side, then buck them. Learning to buck rivet is no big deal, but the rivet gun, and all the accessories will run you around $300. You might also try just sealing the rivets you have from the inside. Goop them up with thinned vulkem and really work it into the cracks and crevices.

good luck!