FFR supplied rivet issues

[jklapp]

I played around with some scraps of metal to test my new Dewalt rivet gun and the FFR rivets would not pull flush. Tried my hand riveter and same issues. So, I grabbed some other aluminum rivets I had in the shop and they worked just fine. (dull ones in picture are the FFR ones, shiny are from my shop). Anyone else have this issue? I was going to order black rivets to match the powdercoat anyway, and it looks like the FFR ones are aluminum with steel shank (?).

194578

[Papa]

I didn't have any issues with the supplied rivets.

[JJK]

I had no issues with FFR rivets, but believe them to be all aluminum (no steel shank). Verify you are using the correct length rivet, as using a very long rivet with thin materials may cause the rivet to prematurely engage and not fully compress.

[jklapp]

Thanks for the tips. It seems that the FFR rivets do not sit flush in the holes before pulling the rivet...there is a small flange from manufacturing that prevents them from inserting all the way. I'm using a #30 drill bit. At any rate, I ordered some black ones just now from McMaster-Carr.

[rich grsc]

Operator error, not the rivets fault. You are trying to set the rivet before it is fully inserted into the panels

[Ted G]

Yep, no issues with mine.

[michael everson]

I had the same issue as you with my last bag of rivets from FFR. they also had a small flange/ defect underneath. I have built over 200 ffRs so I have pulled a few rivets. Mine looked just like yours. The quality was terrible. I through them in the trash and ordered more from McMaster-Carr. Never had that problem before withe the FFR supplied ones.
Mike

[Nigel Allen]

"I had the same issue as you with my last bag of rivets from FFR. they also had a small flange/ defect underneath. I have built over 200 ffRs so I have pulled a few rivets. Mine looked just like yours. The quality was terrible. I through them in the trash and ordered more"

x2

[F500guy]

X3 on bad rivets from my June '23 delivery. I have pulled a few rivets and the supplied ones were #@$@, the did not fully insert into the hole before pulling.

[MSumners]

Curious if this changed. Anyone with bad rivets have images of production, lot numbers etc?

[jklapp]

Here is a picture of the four different sizes in my kit. Not sure if there is a lot number on the label. I only tested the short 1/8" rivets to join two pieces of the 18 ga aluminum together. I'll try and get a close-up picture of the FFR ones vs a "good" one. Bottom line, the head of the rivet doesn't sit flush, so you'll know if you have a bad batch. I received my kit in mid-Dec 2023. (if you zoom in to the top left bag of rivets, you can see the defect on the underside of the rivet head.)


194586

[wallace18]

I agree the new rivets are not the same as before. I recently built a MK4 for a customer and had lots of issues with quality of parts and fiberglass vs a few years ago. FFR has changed vendors on lots of stuff and not always for the better, IMO. Several company's are dealing with personnel losses/supply chain from covid. This has impacted production/parts quality. Airstream quality has gone down the tubes. I guess this something we all will have to get used to for some time. :(

[Dave M]

Has anybody bothered to contact FFR about this issue?

[edwardb]

No way a pulled rivet is going to set properly if the head isn't flat on the surface before pulling. In the past, I found some rivets (including others not from Factory Five) had a small angle on the underside of the head so it worked best to very slightly countersink the surface so the rivet went flat. But those in the picture IMO are defective. I wouldn't use them. Yes, Factory Five needs to know about this and do something. McMaster has a huge assortment of rivets, including high strength steel and SS versions. I use those. But for volume, hard to beat the rivets from Summit. Including their ultimate rivets that have oversized heads. Some are also multi-grip meaning they have a much wider thickness range.

[jklapp]

I will send them a note and a few pictures today. Joel


Has anybody bothered to contact FFR about this issue?

[lewma]

perhaps use a slightly bigger drill ?

[rvanstory]

+1 more for defective rivets. Here's a close up pick of the rivet head and proud shoulder that keeps the head from pulling up flush. Mine came in the kit supplied in Nov. 2023. It was only the shorter rivets. The longer ones are fine.

194627