Rivet gun recommendations?

[MakoGT350]

Alright - I am only a few rivets in, with a LOT more to go....and I am not loving my rivet gun. It is an arrow brand with a swivel head. I am not sure I want to spend the money on a cordless (though the Milwaukee is tempting). Thought I would start with recommendations from this group.

[gbranham]

I bought a standard manual rivet gun from Amazon, and pulled every rivet with it. Worked great for $20.

Greg

[rponfick]

I have used the Harbor Freight model for 3 buiids. Works like a charm.
Ralph

[edwardb]

Not a lot of choices to be honest. If you want electric cordless, the Milwaukee M12 gun is hard to beat. I've built several cars with mine, an airplane, and now started a Mk5. I don't know how many thousand rivets it's pulled but a lot. Still going strong. If you don't mind dragging an air hose around, there are cheaper options. Harbor Freight has a couple. Whole bunch on Amazon. I used an air driven puller for a build. Work OK but I like the Milwaukee cordless a lot more.

PS: Your man card is safe if you don't want to pull by hand. :p

[cv2065]

I’ve been using this one. Keep it oiled and works like a champ. Pulls 3/16” rivers effortlessly.

https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-airhydraulic-riveter-58644.html

[jengum]

Marson HP2 hand riveter and HF pneumatic version mentioned above.

The HF pneumatic version pulled the 3/16" stainless rivets on the Breeze battery box like butter.

[Wizbangdoodle]

I used the Dewalt cordless on mine. Mostly because I already had Dewalt tools and I didn't want to pull all the rivets by hand. Although, I will say, I did panels in such a way that i never did hundreds at a time.

[rickyracer]

I use a HF pneumatic and no issues. Works great.

[Dgc333]

What is wrong with the one FFR supplies with the kit? I used it for the 1/8 rivets in my kit. I had another very similar one that I had set up for the 3/16 rivets and a two handle one set up for rivnuts.

[Tooth]

I found a used Milwaukee on FB marketplace, and other than a few tight spaces used it for everything.

[BUDFIVE]

I love my Milwaukee M12

[edwardb]

What is wrong with the one FFR supplies with the kit? I used it for the 1/8 rivets in my kit. I had another very similar one that I had set up for the 3/16 rivets and a two handle one set up for rivnuts.

Talking about the same thing? I've never received a rivet puller with any kit and haven't heard of anyone else either.

[rthomas98]

I used this for the 1/8" rivets
https://www.harborfreight.com/11-in-swivel-head-hand-riveter-63396.html

For the larger 3/16" rivets I used this:
https://www.harborfreight.com/17-12-in-hand-riveter-with-collection-bottle-58612.html

But after all of that the milwaukee is in my future for the next project. The biggest issue was how the hand rivet guns hop when it pops. I put a couple of nicks in my panels from that.

[dr-sicel]

Talking about the same thing? I've never received a rivet puller with any kit and haven't heard of anyone else either.

same.

I bought the HF pneumatic one and it's pretty solid.

[Dgc333]

Talking about the same thing? I've never received a rivet puller with any kit and haven't heard of anyone else either.
It was in Box 04 and is NCG branded. Not sure why my Speedstar kit has it as part of the BOM and not other kits.

217977
217978

[JohnK]

I've used hand riveters, pneumatic, and the Milwaukee cordless. The pneumatic was fine, and I did most of my roadster with it but dragging a hose around is a bit of a PITA. Given a choice, I'll take the Milwaukee cordless. You'll still need a compact hand riveter for a few rivets in tight places, but just keep in mind that you should plan on being able to drill out any rivet you put in, so if you can't get a riveter on it you probably won't be able to get a drill on it later.

[Rian_Colorado]

I've used the air hose method (bought a cheap 12' more flexible extension for the air hose, which makes it more tolerable). Pulls well, but does jam with smaller rivets from time to time. Like others, I've used a handheld in tighter spots.

REALLY wish I had gone with a battery unit, but it just seemed dumb given how little it REALLY gets used.

A hearty "well done" to you lumberjacks who pulled all those rivets by hand!

Rian

[edwardb]

It was in Box 04 and is NCG branded. Not sure why my Speedstar kit has it as part of the BOM and not other kits.

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217978

Interesting. My truck kit came with a nutsert puller and I suspect this is for the same reason. Happens to be a version that can also pull rivets.

[Jeff Kleiner]

A few years ago I wrote the following when this question was asked...

"I bought a pneumatic one back in 2007 and used it for about 50% of the rivets in the first car then a couple of years later while doing the second car I used it for about 10% of the rivets at the beginning of the build---mostly just to see if I had changed my other mind. I hadn't, and I still didn't like dragging around the hose or the fact that it was kind of cumbersome so for for the remainder of that one and dozens of cars afterwards I did everything by hand. After the pneumatic riveter languished in the bottom drawer of my tool box for about a decade I gave it away to a beginning builder on the forums several years ago."

I have to admit that has all changed now ! Two years ago...after I had carpal tunnel surgery on both hands...a customer gifted me his Milwaukee after I painted his car. Love it and have used the heck out of it! Totally changed my game and I've probably done fewer than 50 rivets by hand since. It works well, is maneuverable and the battery has a long life. Rarely, but occasionally, it'll hang up a pin and have to be disassembled to free it (takes 2-3 minutes) but that will happen once and a while even with a hand riveter. Highly recommended---and thanks again John :)

Jeff

[dbo_texas]

I bought a Harbor Freight one initially...it stopped working after about 15 rivets...took it apart, oiled it, could never get it working so I swapped and got this attachment for my cordless drill. $15 and worked great. My kids loved using it too!

Amazon Link (https://www.amazon.com/Vkinman-Cordless-Rivet-Drill-Attachment/dp/B099ZVBDLF/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.PjTmJ22-zlmIQAPNBQvzdmUamOfqbBGagooAbdvmVANEJscymTyCMwTCMq hebMDmaVyiw41iYOjbF0H6L0it-OshQcOTPx-mFbblPDGQ9aMg65I7iwRT-dcOVWvLFIVttup_qFomX5wytiFxe8O3dZYWYbeS27G4DYvMzeC hh5W7ZnHRczWVpzaNmPjFvTkKHN5w_LeNpxL1nIWzH7QdwiwiS QVNVYCOhgrQfJomyqrWCA6cLxYXt95-P1sASczD149A9SOPpadEFeqb0mttGzUAplLBZruNNk7zCaPTd8 Q.04deeja-NEvMHRXc7gJRo1zv6pqoCufj_KYDpvTKT_4&dib_tag=se&keywords=rivet+drill+attachment&qid=1756145272&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1)

[edwardb]

Couple more things I learned while riveting during my airplane build. Estimated 6,000 - 8,000 rivets based on weighing the stems. :eek:

For those with the Milwaukee gun, they sell an extension that looks pretty unwieldly. But can help reach places without the head of the gun in the way. https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/48-95-0100. Negative review on their website but I pulled a bunch of rivets with it, no issues. Will be interesting to see if it has a place with my Mk5 build.

Many airplane builders use rivet pullers that use also suck up the mandrels. Pretty cool. Pro models are $800 and up. I learned about a knock-off that's suspiciously cheap but has good reviews. I used it a bunch. It does use a lot of air though. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KZ89J44?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_ti tle_3&th=1. This is a video of me using it to pull rivets during my airplane build. https://youtu.be/liGpk5NY5us. I sold it with a bunch of my leftover airplane tools or I'd use it now.

[cv2065]

I bought a Harbor Freight one initially...it stopped working after about 15 rivets...took it apart, oiled it, could never get it working so I swapped and got this attachment for my cordless drill. $15 and worked great. My kids loved using it too!

Amazon Link (https://www.amazon.com/Vkinman-Cordless-Rivet-Drill-Attachment/dp/B099ZVBDLF/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.PjTmJ22-zlmIQAPNBQvzdmUamOfqbBGagooAbdvmVANEJscymTyCMwTCMq hebMDmaVyiw41iYOjbF0H6L0it-OshQcOTPx-mFbblPDGQ9aMg65I7iwRT-dcOVWvLFIVttup_qFomX5wytiFxe8O3dZYWYbeS27G4DYvMzeC hh5W7ZnHRczWVpzaNmPjFvTkKHN5w_LeNpxL1nIWzH7QdwiwiS QVNVYCOhgrQfJomyqrWCA6cLxYXt95-P1sASczD149A9SOPpadEFeqb0mttGzUAplLBZruNNk7zCaPTd8 Q.04deeja-NEvMHRXc7gJRo1zv6pqoCufj_KYDpvTKT_4&dib_tag=se&keywords=rivet+drill+attachment&qid=1756145272&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1)

The blue one is the old one and it sucked. They don't sell that one anymore.

[Wayne r mckee]

Picked up a Milwaukee cordless gun on offer up for $50 , best $ 50 bucks ever spent . Saved my wrists a ton of work .

[Ford & Jeep Fan]

I have a Marson # 39301 right above that number it says "Big Daddy Riveter" It will do 1/8-3/16-1/4 all day long. low effort. 21 inches long.

[Valkster]

I used two from HF...an old one I already had and bought the long handled one with the collection bottle to make easier work of the rivets that had the room for it because it was an easier pull. They did a great job and little money in them. However, if I did more than one of these, I'd consider an electric or pneumatic one.

[PMD24]

Marson for hand riveting. Great quality. But Milwaukee M12 for the other 99%. Love the Milwaukee.

Pat

[Mike.Bray]

A hearty "well done" to you lumberjacks who pulled all those rivets by hand!

I doubt if I'm a lumberjack and I certainly don't have Popeye forearms but I just don't see the big deal with these 1/8" aluminum pop rivets. My wife even pulled quite a few on our car.

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[gbranham]

I doubt if I'm a lumberjack and I certainly don't have Popeye forearms but I just don't see the big deal with these 1/8" aluminum pop rivets. My wife even pulled quite a few on our car.



Same here. I can't say my forearms got tired with a standard rivet gun. To each their own!

Greg

[nashuanuke]

came here just to tell you to not go with the Arrow swivel head...I went through two in my build and the second was on it's last legs as I fitted the last trim panel.

[BrewCityCobra]

I bought a standard manual rivet gun from Amazon, and pulled every rivet with it. Worked great for $20.

Greg

This x2. I bought the pneumatic one but it's big, bulky, and would break the rivets by pulling to hard half the time.

Ended up just using a manual hand-held riveter - worked great and isn't much of a manual exertion given they are just 1/8" aluminum rivets.

That said, I did rely on my pneumatic gun for the larger stainless rivets that came with the front battery box kit from Breeze. I'm sure I could have pulled those using the manual gun as well, but since I had the powered gun around I used it. Not sure if those two rivets alone warrants buying one though.

[Badfish]

I got into the Milwaukee M12 brand a few years ago, angle grinder, impact wrench and driver. Great stuff. Rivet gun, looks like another one to add to the list. I’ll probably phase out my old DeWalt drill at some point too, it’s already limping along on 3rd party batteries.

[Ejzajac]

Milwaukee has a rivet gun in the M18 battery platform. Rather pricey compared to the M12 version! Maybe be overkill for a FF project.

[edwardb]

Milwaukee has a rivet gun in the M18 battery platform. Rather pricey compared to the M12 version! Maybe be overkill for a FF project.

Not only overkill, but limited usefulness for these builds. Smallest rivets it pulls is 3/16". A few of those in these builds but mostly 1/8". Not to mention the size and cost.

[2nd2none]

Super pricey. I have several Makita 18v tools so I initially started looking for a Makita version of a rivet gun and its $1700 with a battery/charger. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-18V-LXT-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless-Rivet-Tool-Kit-5-0Ah-XVR01T/312129342
Ended up just buying the Milwaukee M12 as it was only $250 new and Home Depot has a deal that comes with 2 free batteries. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M12-12-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Rivet-Tool-Tool-Only-2550-20/304400907 Both rivet guns pull up to 3/16" rivets. Not sure why the 18v versions cost so much more.

[jklapp]

I have the Dewalt rivet gun since all my other tools are Dewalt. Overall it works well. It will jam every so often and you have to open and clear the jam - takes a few min without tools. One issue I had is jams in the barrel from the silicone caulk used to attach the panels which is hard to avoid. I try and tip the gun backward each time I pull a rivet, to make sure the shank ends up in the collector at the back.

[rickster991]

+1 on Milwaukee.

[Nigel Allen]

I had good experiences with a reasonably budget pneumatic riveter. I found running a low sir pressure was paramount to having the rivets pull tight prior to the shanks breaking.

[Cobraman]

My rivet gun just needs pizza and rootbeer and he keeps coming back for more.

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