Best drill bit for removing rivets?

[beckettnole]

Has anyone found a great drill bit for taking out rivets? Mine breaks often
Any special techniques you’d recommend?
Thanks for your advice as always

[s1000pre]

I use titanium bits with thick bar oil to keep temps down. If you are planning on doing a lot and have an air compressor, I highly recommend one of these... https://www.harborfreight.com/3-16-i...ter-93458.html

[Bill M.]

I just use a quality HSS bit. Brad point for the 3/16. Regular point for the 1/8 and 5/32. Broken bits sounds to me like the nitrite coated imported bits. Be a little picky and a little spendy when buying bits that are going to get used a lot.

[ITSNO60]

I've had good luck with miniature step bits, not the short stubby ones but the long thin ones. The short fat ones sometimes hang up and just spin the rivet.

[truckasaurus]

Quick answer; order some from an aviation materials supplier in the correct size. #30 to remove 1/8" rivets. Somewhere like airpartsinc.com, brown tools or similar. One bit should do a whole trailer unless your pushing tool hard or using a cordless drill or something slow and heavy. :-)

[SuzyHomemakr]

Also, having a non-pointy scratch awl can be useful for those stubborn rivets. I happened to have a broken awl handy, but finding a cheapo and grinding the tip to about 1/8" will also do.

Some small linesman's pliers are good to remove the "trophies" that collect on the drill bit.

[B17drvr]

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catal...obaltdrill.php

[gr.austin]

They make shorter drill bits (jobber) shorter will be less likely to break. Also on small diameter bits make sure the speed is very high 3000 RPM+ slower speeds cause breakage. That is the reason for the air power drill it has a higher RPM.

[batman]

Jobber bits are shorter, cheaper and less likely to break. Fastenal carries them. Order a package of them.

-Dennis

[waninae39]

1/8" for 1/8" rivets
that way you can rivet the same hole

[markdoane]

Use #30 with an air drill. Split point bits work best. Center the bit in the dimple and give it a quarter turn by hand before drilling and you won't need a center punch, if the bit is sharp.

[Tom_T]

Ryan -

In addition to the bit types, aviation supply & other sources above - Vintage Trailer Supply also sells bits for rivet removal, as well as rivets & tools:

https://vintagetrailersupply.com/ext...and-fasteners/

Cheers!

Tom
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[rucos]

Originally Posted by Tom_T

Ryan -

In addition to the bit types, aviation supply & other sources above - Vintage Trailer Supply also sells bits for rivet removal, as well as rivets & tools:

https://vintagetrailersupply.com/ext...and-fasteners/

Cheers!

Tom
///////

Agree with Tom ...check out Vintage for everything to remove and replace rivets

[Eric 26 Argo]

My experience has been that bit break for two reasons. 1. cheap bits. 2. side pressure. I will break small bits much quicker with a 18 volt cordless drill due to the side pressure as a result of the heavy battery. I found using a 12 volt with the 1.5 a/h battery is both easier on the drill bits and my arm. When I was taking my Argosy 26 apart I broke a couple of bits with my 18 volt drill then went through a pack of harbor freight bits in about an hour. I went and bought some name brand bits then finished the job with two bits and my 12 volt drill. I still have the two bits and they work fine a year later.

[Krek]

VTS was out of stock on this tool so I grabbed it from Amazon, much quicker and easier than center punching each bucked rivet first.

https://www.amazon.com/Aircraft-Tool.../dp/B005VR2L3Q

[ITSNO60]

Originally Posted by Eric 26 Argo

My experience has been that bit break for two reasons. 1. cheap bits. 2. side pressure. I will break small bits much quicker with a 18 volt cordless drill due to the side pressure as a result of the heavy battery. I found using a 12 volt with the 1.5 a/h battery is both easier on the drill bits and my arm. When I was taking my Argosy 26 apart I broke a couple of bits with my 18 volt drill then went through a pack of harbor freight bits in about an hour. I went and bought some name brand bits then finished the job with two bits and my 12 volt drill. I still have the two bits and they work fine a year later.

I learned a long time ago with small bits to hold the drill at the motor directly opposite the bit, not by the handle. This way you get steady, even downward pressure more like a drill press instead of the side pressure that snaps bits.

[SuzyHomemakr]

Here's another idea... you can get a cute little friction chuck for a Dremmel tool. That's what I use around the shop when using tiny drill bits. I wouldn't want to do an entire trailer with it, but it could be useful for those hard-to-reach places.