Additional Rivets - Length/Source?

[mach'er]

As I understand it, the kit will be coming with enough rivets to roughly accommodate building the kit with 3" rivet spacing. I'd like to go ahead and order additional rivets to both ensure an adequate number (including spares for reworks, if required), and to do tighter spacing.

Looking on Amazon, I see some from Bryke Fasteners. Alternately, there are those sold by McMaster-Carr, of course.

Does anyone have a favorite, go to, source for good quality rivets? Or bad experiences with a given source/type? Or maybe, rivets are just rivets.

Also, if anyone could share what lengths are required (or supplied with the kit), it would be helpful. I'm looking at getting extra 1/8" and maybe some of the 3/16" as well.

Thank you,
--Curt
--Going Stir Crazy Waiting on Delivery and Spending Way Too Much Time Sweating Details That Will Probably Seem Ridiculous A Few Months From Now

[DaleG]

Just wait until you get the kit, see what is supplied and get xtras at Home Depot, Ace, True Value, etc. If you do not have a pneumatic rivet gun, I'd advise you get one.

Also, get Clecos and pliers for fitting the aluminum panels; invaluable; there are some for sale by one who has finished his kit here: http://www.ffcars.com/forums/19-parts-sale-wanted/605794-clecos-pliers.html

Cheers, and good luck with the build; you will love it and get lots of help here.

[AZPete]

Dale is correct. I have used an air rivet gun from Harbor Freight for 2 builds, and Clecos are good also. To proportionally space rivets, there are $50 hinged gadgets but I recommend the free one: Cut the inch-wide elastic from a pair of jockey shorts, mark it every 2 inches, then clamp an end where you want to start the first rivet, stretch it to the last rivet location and mark the aluminum at each elastic mark. This "tool" also takes less space!

[GoDadGo]

I've been buying from these folks for years.

www.rivetsonline.com

They have everything you need, plus a bunch more!

[Gumball]

Posted by me a while back.....

On the advice of a friend who restores and maintains vintage race cars and another who works on aircraft, I put the FFR-supplied rivets in a drawer and ordered Avex rivets from Crawford Products in Ohio. These pull in a very nice uniform fashion, break clean down inside the rivet, and have a very nice appearance on the top.

http://www.crawfordproducts.com/avex.htm

[edwardb]

I personally don't see any reason to be closer than 2 inches. As I recall, the manual recommends 2 inch spacing for panel to panel, and 3 inch spacing when into frame members, tubes, etc. Many go ahead and use 2 inch for everything. But any more than that really isn't necessary and IMO would look excessive. Keep in mind, it's a two component bonding system. Rivets + adhesive. Silicone is recommended, and works fine IMO. But some choose other materials and that's OK too. But bottom line, once riveted and glued, nearly impossible to remove without inflicting serious damage. Ask me how I know... I wouldn't get too excited about buying more rivets now. Look at what comes in the kit and then decide. Similar rivets are available in retail at multiple locations. Mail order in a day or two.

Having said that, I really like ultimate rivets from Summit. https://www.summitracing.com/search/product-line/summit-racing-ultimate-rivets. Come in boxes of 250 for a good price. Wide grip range, nice wide head, and come in several colors. Only downside is they leave a pretty big crush component on the underside. No problem with frame tubes or where you don't care about the other side. But pay attention to both sides when necessary.

McMaster has an excellent selection as well. They have several varieties of a 3/16-inch high strength rivet that I used sometimes. Also have flush rivets that come in handy.

x3 on a pneumatic puller. I have an older version of this one. https://www.amazon.com/Campbell-Hausfeld-Pop-Rivet-CL153900AV/dp/B00E3T0XLU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498071427&sr=8-2&keywords=rivet+gun+pneumatic. Works great. Saves hundreds of squeezes and sets them nice and neat. Plus the high strength 3/16 version I mentioned I can't pull by hand. My Charles Atlas grip just isn't enough.

[Arvin]

I put rivets on 2" centers on everything and only had to buy about 50 extra.

[mach'er]

Thanks guys. Yes, I have 50 1/8" clecos, 25 3/16" clecos, and a set of cleco pliers. For pulling rivets, I got what I hope is a good hand rivet gun with a swivel head, as well as a pneumatic gun (I went with a POP PRG510A). I did get one of those hinged metal fan spacer tools.

My plan is to use using 2" spacing everywhere, just because I like consistency. Good to know, Arvin, that you only required about 50 extra.

I'm either buying colored rivets, or painting plain ones, and going for a contrasting color vs. the panels, where the rivets are visible. It a subjective thing, but I like the look.

I'll check out rivetsonline, Avex, and the Summit Ultimate Rivets.

Thanks again.

[BDHoneyman]

Hi, Curt,

I'm probably going to use Cherry Q rivets from Aircraft Spruce:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/cherrynrivet.php

I used them on my first build (2008).

Whatever rivets you use, make sure that they are 'structural' rivets and that in your specific application the mandrel goes through the shear plane of both materials. I did a comparison of the mandrel penetration of Cherry Q rivets and Factory Five supplied rivets in 2008. The link is to a photo for the clamping of two aluminum sheets:

http://www.sunshinegaragemkiv.com/photo-album-directory/fasteners-photo-album/cherry-q-v-f5-rivets-for.html

The cherry Q rivets penetrated farther than the F5. I've just started my new build and haven't gotten to the riveting steps yet but I plan to check the F5 rivets against others to see if I get the same results.

A great source for information on fastening is Carrol Smith's 'Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners and Plumbing'. He discusses rivet spacing and all sorts of things (and in an entertaining way). By the way, he was Shelby's engineer during the 1965 / 1966 race seasons.

-Bruce

[JRL16]

Wait till you run out then you can buy then at any home improvement store. One other thing, for what it's worth, 50 clecos sounds like a lot but I used 100 and was always running low. So many panels and so many holes. Looks like you're just up the road from me. I'm in Toledo. I'll have a body buck available shortly if you haven't built yours yet.

[MisterAdam]

Dale is correct. I have used an air rivet gun from Harbor Freight for 2 builds, and Clecos are good also. To proportionally space rivets, there are $50 hinged gadgets but I recommend the free one: Cut the inch-wide elastic from a pair of jockey shorts, mark it every 2 inches, then clamp an end where you want to start the first rivet, stretch it to the last rivet location and mark the aluminum at each elastic mark. This "tool" also takes less space!

I used a fixed 2" center but this is a brilliant idea. thanks. and clecos, you dont need one in ever hole (i have seen it) one in each corner and maybe one additional per side.