Rivet Gun Needed

[lewpopp]

Harry

You can be a nice guy when you really want to be. I guess you're not grumpy all the time.

Lew (second base, remember?)

[Orren Zook]

There's one at TP Tools in Canfield Ohio for $85, but it's air operated requiring only 4 pounds of air to clinch. Prior experience would make me think twice about trying to pull larger rivets by hand.

Their web page is: www.tptools.com and the part number for the riveter is WL-M680.

[win42]

Orren: I have used one of these air operated rivet guns and I doubt it will pull a 3/16" SS rivet. It takes a lot of leverage to pull & pop a SS mandrel. These air operated guns are great for production jobs with many mild steel or aluminum rivets to pull. The gun I suggested is rated for 1/4" steel rivets and should have no problem with 3/16" SS rivets.

[MangoMike]

Orren,
Thanks for the heads up, but I only have to do 6 (until the next Jimmy Buffett concert) so the manual one should work ok, even for a girly-man.

Big Harry,
Ordered my stuff from McMasters last night. I'll tell you that their website is one of the best I've seen when it comes to ordering parts. Comprehensive, intuitive and extremely easy to use. Will keep them in mind for the future.

Can't wait to tackle this job.

Thanks everyone for the help.

MM

[dalej]

So Mike, are you replacing or repairing? Just curious...I mean you did have a metals class, or did you get distracted by the H3 pulling in during the class.

[MangoMike]

Dale,
I was distracted, but it was your wife and not the H3

I'm going to try to beat it into submission, otherwise the whole bay door has to be replaced. I should've paid closer attention to you and Harry. Plan B is to take it to the local body shop and have them straighten the superstructure. I have the replacement SS from IBP, and waiting for my tools to come in from McMasters. Will be posting pixs and story soon on prevoman.com.

Mike

[Jeff Bayley]

I saw the post about the differnet size rivets and since I'm about to replace a few panels I emailed IBP aobut it and here is their reply.

Jeff
The only rivets we carry is the 1/4". We used to get our rivets from
Prevost, but they told us that their vendor was going to discontinue the original Prevost rivets because new coach panels are glued on instead of being riveted and rivet sales dropped to almost zero.

Thanks.
Howard

So then, the answer is to buy from the supplier referenced before (by Harry I think) and then have them polished elsewhere ?

Jeff

[MangoMike]

Jeff,

I'm getting all the rivet goodies that Harry recommended this week and will be installing the new panel by Saturday. I'll let you know how things worked out and the size rivets used, etc.

Mike

[Jeff Bayley]

Ok Mike. Thanks.

Harry or anyone- Is it neccessary to order the factory size rivits from McMasters and have them polished or is it that big of a deal to use the 1/4" from IBP's ? I think getting them polished would be a hassle for me. Also, someone mentioned that the type of rivet gun neccessary was special. Instead of going back to Prevost in Mira Loma (I'm still in the area but 50 miles away) I was just going to go by a body shop and let them put the panels on with the polished rivets I supply. Will the typical body shop have the right rivet gun? I think the answer is going to be "for the price, go ahead and buy the right one from the listed supplier". If I just decide to do it myself I guess the only other thing needed is a good quality drill bit (what size ?).

[win42]

Jeff: Go to mcmaster.com and put the part number 97524A044 into the blank space. It will take you directly to the rivets. Read the other things on the thread I sent Mango. How many panels, and which location are you talking about. As far as polishing the rivet heads you can do it your self with metal polish and a rag. It will take a long handled rivet gun to pull the 3/16" ss rivets and snap the ss mandrel.