Rivets and tools

[art]

I recently broke a vista view window. I have located another .Has anyone used the olympic rivits and rivit shaver from airstream dreams .com Some hints would be appreciated .Did you use vulkem ? how did you get the old stuff off ? vulkem rivits etc. Im diving In soon .Help .Im a virgin

[Inland RV Center, In]

It is customary for the parts supplier to give you that kind of instructions.

Andy

[art]

Andy Ill take help when I can get it.Im not afraid I m just new to this one .Trying to be safe and not sorry.I already broke the window .Ha Ha Trying to keep my spirits up .

[PeterH-350LE]

check this link:
Olympic rivet removal and installation

[art]

Peter thank you very much. do you recomend the rivits with or without the neoprene washer? you have been a big help .

[PeterH-350LE]

I would use vulkem instead of washers:
1. lasts longer
2. you can push vulkem in the hole
the only consideration is the shaving of the rivet. Clean the vulkem real good around the set rivet before shaving or else you will catch the shavings in the vulkem and end up with scratches around the rivet.
But If you are setting a window, that fact is of little concern.

[j54mark]

"Did you use vulkem ?"

Either Vulkem or Sikaflex will work.

"how did you get the old stuff off ?"

Vulkem can only be removed with profanity. Between the window frame and the body use a putty knife. CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY. You do not want scratches around the frame, and you absolutely do not want to bend the body panels. You may need to sharpen the putty knife.

For cleanup, you have to remove as much as possible mechanically - wooden craft sticks with a beveled edge are my preferred tool. The final residue will clean up with mineral spirits (eventually) or with the rather more dangerous xylol (somewhat faster).

The dealers earn every penny they charge for this kind of work.

Mark

[art]

I know they sell gas bottles that can be polished. thats how I heard of them.If andy sells a rivit shaver ,I didnt know it .

[art]

THANKS ALOT PETER AND MARK

[Chas]

Art,

Unless you have a buddy like Petermh close by with a rivet shaver just use a dremel tool or if you have compressed air you can use a 3M disc pad and die grinder to polish them off. You can set them with ayour average rivet gun. Inland does have the best prices on the rivets so I would just get them there, maybe if you drop some bucks Andy will be a bit more helpful.

Chas

[Inland RV Center, In]

Pap.

Airstream Dreams is a no overhead, work out of a home operation.

They keep little to no stock, therefore no overhead.

Their basic intent, seems to be, to sell Airstream owners parts at super cheap prices.

They also cannot be reached by telephone.

Some of their merchandise in the past and present also infringes on Airstream copy rights and their proprietary rights, especially since they are not an authorized dealer.

Airstream may or may not take them to task for that.

This type of operation has a definite negative effect on every Airstream dealer, that must have a store.

They have also stated that it is not necessary, as an example to use the vulkem sealer that the factory uses. Hmmm. Wonder why Airstream uses the expensive vulkem? Maybe because it's superior, or might it be that they don't know what they are doing and like to waste money.

Supporting them is OK, but don't look for any telehone or on line assistance, that regular Airstream dealers usually provide.

Being an entrepreneur, is the American way. Undermining those that have made hundreds of thousands of dollars investment in their business, isn't. Sooner or later, the bullet bites back.

Andy

[53flyingcloud]

XYLOL : Is an synonym for xylene

Which is very dangerous as was pointed out.

MSDS on xylene

TWA=100ppm

My experiences with this stuff is..It dries way too fast~
Besides, it smells awful~!

ciao

[Inland RV Center, In]

Pap

Have no idea who is doing what or why, about your posts.

I am not a monitor, and don't want to be.

I try to answer reasonable questions, on a time available basis.
I do my best to stay out of the personal controversy. It serves no useful purpose for us.


Andy

[ALANSD]

posts that serve no purpose but to "stir it up" may be and often are edited out. I edit few, but if I see what seems to be purely offensive or lean towards starting a problematic discussion I might just choose to edit. I belive that is what we moderators are here for, as well as to share onfo and help disseminate the info here. Hope that answers any questions.