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Old 07-25-2016, 01:18 PM   #1
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quick question about rivet gun

Hello,

I'm currently searching for a rivet gun for my futur airstream renovation.

I just want to know if I need an 1/4 heavy duty rivet gun who can accept nose pieces 3/32", 1/8", 5/32", 3/16", 7/32" and 1/4" (with traction power 3 960 lb/pi) or a "small" one who only accept nose pieces 3/32", 1/8", 5/32" and 3/16" (with traction power 1 985 lb/pi).

those aren't the same price. The small one is about 120$ and the big one at 900$

thank for any advises

link: http://www.napacanada.com/flashpubli...PowerTools.pdf

page 165
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Old 07-25-2016, 02:30 PM   #2
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Get the smaller one, unless you plan to work on railroad cars.
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Old 07-25-2016, 03:15 PM   #3
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I've rebuilt my trailer, and used a 3/16" max capacity gun. Nothing larger is needed. I bought my gun from Harbor freight for about $30. It lasted through most of my rennovation and failed, so I had to buy a second one (as the parts kit didn't include the failed part).

good luck
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Old 07-25-2016, 03:52 PM   #4
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$9 on sale st harbor freight.... $18 at lowes/ home depot.
Popped thousands of rivets and still going strong.... take your pick!
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Old 07-26-2016, 11:51 AM   #5
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I'm just commenting so I can be part of this thread, I want to read about what others are saying. I am also looking for a rivet gun because a few inside has gone to the afterlife.
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Old 07-26-2016, 12:07 PM   #6
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another question: I know, when I will get my trailer, that some of those rivets will need to be change.

But, should I change all the revets even it have a lot to replace?

I mean, as to waste time doing the infiltration test and check them one by one ....
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Old 07-26-2016, 12:10 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AtomicNo13 View Post
$9 on sale st harbor freight.... $18 at lowes/ home depot.
Popped thousands of rivets and still going strong.... take your pick!
those I saw at Home depot / lowes aren't pneumatic riveter ....
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Old 07-26-2016, 12:39 PM   #8
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While all the input is appreciated. What is the size of the rivets used by A S.
I presume they are aluminium.
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Old 07-26-2016, 12:54 PM   #9
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Skip the Harbor Freight rivet gun. The one I bought from them would never grab the mandrel tightly enough to get a good result. I bought a Stanley rivet gun at Home Depot for $20 and never had a problem (both tools were made in China).
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Old 07-26-2016, 07:15 PM   #10
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Not sure what type of rivet gun you are looking for, but this one should be able to drive any rivet in a airstream.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...vetgun2602.php

Mike
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Old 07-26-2016, 07:33 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by Miko38 View Post
Not sure what type of rivet gun you are looking for, but this one should be able to drive any rivet in a airstream.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...vetgun2602.php

Mike
the one I will buy look like this one :

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...es/ATS8805.php

look the same as the one you showed
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Old 07-26-2016, 11:06 PM   #12
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I have seen a ratchet type rivet puller for pop rivets. Much easier to use in tight places. Does anybody have any sources?
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Old 07-27-2016, 04:38 AM   #13
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I ended up buying a second rivet tool.

The second one swiveled and was on an angle. It worked on a few hard to reach places that the straight one wouldn't.
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Old 07-27-2016, 05:58 AM   #14
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I have been very happy with my Harbor Freight pneumatic/hydraulic gun which has pulled every rivet effortlessly. I also bought a Marson hand rivet gun kit from Amazon which works very well when I don't have a compressor handy. You will be glad for pneumatic power when it's time to pull dozens of 3/16 large-head rivets for your belly pan! Airstreams use primarily 1/8" rivets, with some 3/16" as well.
For buck rivets, though it was spendy, I got the kit from VTS. In hindsight, it has been worth the investment. (I am finishing up my shell-off restoration of a 68 Sovereign so don't know if you need the buck riveting capability)
Good luck!
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Old 07-27-2016, 06:58 AM   #15
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I got my pneumatohyraulic rivet puller at Harbor Freight also.
After thousands of rivets it still works, tho does need to be tuned up once in awhile.

Best feature is that you can easily use it with one hand, freeing the other hand to postion and adjust whatever you're riveting.
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Old 07-27-2016, 08:35 AM   #16
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Boubou,

Do you have your Airstream picked out already? Are you considering a Stream that has a need for extensive exterior panel repair where you will be setting lots of Olympic rivets? If so, go ahead on a pneumatic. I wouldn't see a need for the HD model.

Otherwise my Stanely hand tool has been more than good for my repairs. It also has the benefit of a swiveling head.

Maybe wait and see what the trailer looks like before you buy?
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Old 07-27-2016, 09:32 AM   #17
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You don't need a pneumatic rivet gun. Buy a hand rivet gun from Sears, Lowes, Home Depot or Menards. They work great and will do the job unless you are riveting an entire trailer. I just put about 20 rivets in a bottom back panel of 2005 25' Safari and it worked great. If you go to the Airstream factory website there is a place where you can printout the rivet sizes and where they go. I picked up a copy while at Alumapalooza a few months ago; great info.
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Old 07-27-2016, 09:40 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thiss View Post
Boubou,

Do you have your Airstream picked out already? Are you considering a Stream that has a need for extensive exterior panel repair where you will be setting lots of Olympic rivets? If so, go ahead on a pneumatic. I wouldn't see a need for the HD model.

Otherwise my Stanely hand tool has been more than good for my repairs. It also has the benefit of a swiveling head.

Maybe wait and see what the trailer looks like before you buy?
You mark a point!

I thought those olympic rivets style was something we must avoid because they tend to wiggle and let water come in. :/
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Old 07-27-2016, 09:48 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by MissingLink5 View Post
You don't need a pneumatic rivet gun. Buy a hand rivet gun from Sears, Lowes, Home Depot or Menards. They work great and will do the job unless you are riveting an entire trailer. I just put about 20 rivets in a bottom back panel of 2005 25' Safari and it worked great. If you go to the Airstream factory website there is a place where you can printout the rivet sizes and where they go. I picked up a copy while at Alumapalooza a few months ago; great info.
ok. we can say that your 2005 trailer it pretty young . Those I look are much older (1960 to 1976). So I guess I will need to change more than a few rivets :\

And that is my second question: should I drill all the old rivets and replace it by news (the trailer will be completely stripped anyway) to make sur than those rivets are good?
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Old 07-27-2016, 10:34 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boubou View Post
ok. we can say that your 2005 trailer it pretty young . Those I look are much older (1960 to 1976). So I guess I will need to change more than a few rivets :\

And that is my second question: should I drill all the old rivets and replace it by news (the trailer will be completely stripped anyway) to make sur than those rivets are good?
All depends on the project. No reason to drill a perfectly good rivet. The bad ones, especially pop rivets, become very obvious that they are not holding.

An Olympic rivet is just a pop rivet disguised
as a buck by shaving the head. The exterior of the shell is all buck riveted by two people working together with access to both sides of the rivet. I don't know if they are to avoided or not due to leaking. I haven't read that and I also know Airstream supplies them for repairs.

Are you planning to gut the whole interior and remove all of the interior skins? If that is the case then the pneumatic would make sense, but not the $900 model (that would only make sense of you were planning to rivet all day every day). However, I have not needed to do that on my 70s trailer.

Again I would wait for the project to be purchased and then go about securing the appropriate tools to complete.
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