Rivet Confusion

[arhuranna]

I have been searching this forum and have found many threads on riveting. I need to cover two exhaust vent holes with panels about 12"x12". I don't wan't to spend huge dollars, but want to do a good job. What are the basic tools I need and where is a good place to get them? I have been looking at Harbor Freight and would like advice on what to buy. Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Mitch

[Tinsel Loaf]

Mitch
That’s a good question and there use to be a time when a lot of members would chime in here with answers. It seems that if we direct you to a commercial vendor on this forum now, your thread will be placed in the portals of the lost somewhere. Alas, pm an approved commercial vendor, maybe they can help you.

[85MH325]

Welcome, Mitch! As a moderator at AirstreamForums it's our job to keep threads from deteriorating into flame wars. Unfortunately from time to time, members are passionate about their widget, vendor, plan... or whatever. We have a number of members who are... well... strong willed and passionate about either their own products or their favorite products, services, or vendors. Sometimes a legitimate information sharing thread will degenerate into something it shouldn't. Then action is taken consistent with our policies here.

We encourage the sharing of information, and in fact the name of the Forums is "The Airstream Knowledge Sharing Forums".

I'm sure many members who have first hand knowledge about riveting on Airstreams will fill you in shortly. In the meantime, if you use the "search" function on the blue bar on top for "rivets" you'll probably find more than you ever thought was out there on rivets, rivet tools, and how to do riveting on an Airstream!

Good luck with your project!

Roger

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by arhuranna

I have been searching this forum and have found many threads on riveting. I need to cover two exhaust vent holes with panels about 12"x12". I don't wan't to spend huge dollars, but want to do a good job. What are the basic tools I need and where is a good place to get them? I have been looking at Harbor Freight and would like advice on what to buy. Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Mitch

Welcome to the forums!
If the vents you are covering are the roof vents on an Airstream, the holes are about 14" square, and you can use imperial rivets, with Vulkem along the edge of the panels. If this is the only riveting you are planning to do, you can pick up an inexpensive rivet gun from Sears, or Northern Tool, Harbor Freight, or any other tool supply place. If you think you may want to do some more riveting down the road, I would go with a somewhat sturdier, higher-quality rivet gun that will last a long time. The other tools you will need, you can get from the same places.
The basic tools you would need to do this job properly would be the rivet gun, a drill with proper sized bits, tin snips, a caulking gun, and either a rivet shaver or Dremel tool to buff down the ends of the rivets that will remain. The Dremel tool is less expensive than the rivet shaver, and, if used with care, can give a satisfactory outcome.

[arhuranna]

Thanks for the replys,

I appreciate the help, didn't want to start anything just wanted to figure out how to rivet my project, a 1948 Spartan Mansion, I know it's not an Airstream, but this site has great information on vintage campers. Hope I don't catch too much grief. My neighbor has an Airstream and told me about this site. Thanks for all the help.

Mitch

[85MH325]

No problem at all Mitch! We're happy to have you with us! You'll find a lot of general info here that will help you with your Spartan, even though it's not an Airstream. There are lots of us here who have interests in other brands as well!

Roger