Looking for a pop rivet gun which actually works.
Avoided the cheapies, and been through 2 Stanley models, both of these fired less than 10 rivets before jamming and becoming unusable...
Surely this is not normal nowadays??
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Looking for a pop rivet gun which actually works.
Avoided the cheapies, and been through 2 Stanley models, both of these fired less than 10 rivets before jamming and becoming unusable...
Surely this is not normal nowadays??
Some lighter units won't cope with steel rivets; only alloy. Check the pack carefully before buying.
Try a ships chandler, lots of rivets in boats.
Cheers
Peter
G'day jimmyh!
In my past employment I have used many types of pop rivet guns and rivets and believe me the old adage "you get what you pay for" has never applied more to your problem.
The cheap guns, as rsser has said, are only good for aluminium rivets and only the 1/8" (AS4-4) size at that. Try anything bigger or steel or stainless steel and the cheaper guns just do not have the grip to pull the rivet and eject the stem.
If you are doing a lot of riveting either get yourself and industrial hand pop rivet gun or an air gun you can operate of you home compressor. Check out this link for some examples. Rivet Tools - Products - AUSTRALIAN RIVETING SUPPLIES PTY. LTD
No connection to above company or recommendation implied.
As I said, I did not buy a 'cheapy', at least $40 is not really what I call cheap. The gun was supposed to handle steel rivets but could not even handle 1/8" ally.
Stanley tools = absolute rubbish.
Only want hand riveter, not air...
I am looking for a brand recommendation really...
Anyone used the Kincrome ones?
Yeah, I'm using a Kingchrome and it's fine but only recommended for alloy and, from memory, small steel rivets. Tried it on steel a size or two up from 1/8" and it couldn't cope.
HTH.
Coming from a sheet metalworker apprentice ship many years ago all sheeties only used POP brand, now by Cooper tools I think. Blackwoods/Bakers or any good engineering suplies will carry them. The later ones aren't as good as the ones I had when I was an apprentice but I only threw out my old ones after they stopped making replacement jaws for them. They were about 30years old and had only had a couple of sets of jaws in them. They were used thousands of times and never let you down. I have the new pair but in this day and age of tech screws they don't get very much use.
My only recommendation would be to go a long arm riveter. I've had two short handled ones over the past couple of years (admittedly not the best quality) and they were useless from the get go...upgraded to a long arm riveter and haven't looked back. Handled stainless and larger rivets without a problem.
My "go to" tool for pop rivets is an air operated one.
Years ago I was building a house boat and had to pop rivet 100mm Al U channel right around the roof panels (100mm steel clad polystene ones as use din cool rooms etc). Using 3/16" pop rivets and quickly came to the conclusion that a hand help rivetter was for the birds. Went out and bought one of those air operated ones and now hardly ver use a hand rivet gun.
Great tool, does steel and Al rivets with ease right up to 3/16", best $100 I ever spent.
Cannot recommend Kinchrome hand pop rivet gun at all. :no:
Could only handle 1/8" ally rivets. My service crew had one and literally tossed it away in frustration. It was replaced with and identical make and the cast handle snapped and so did the serviceman. If you must use a manual rivet gun, yes, a long handled one as desert oak suggested is a better option. But really an air rivet gun is not much dearer.
OK, not looking good for the hand riveters..
I will look at the long arm type and reconsider air-powered ones
Thanks for the feedback
For steel rivets I have an earlier model of this, I bought it from the same shop too. It works well but you wouldn't want to be in a rush.
Cheers
Horaldic
As far as steel rivets go, I don't think any of the small hand riveters are really up to the task. The bigger type that Horaldic mentions would be a lot easier.
I have one of these small Lobster riveters. They're Japanese. I think the quality is very good. (I had a good look around trying to find the best small riveter available.) Works well for smaller sizes/aluminium rivets, but hasn't had a great deal of use, so can't comment on longevity. I've been happy with the purchase, although they were fairly expensive, I think about $80 from memory, available from Alltools and Total Tools, I don't think Just Tools stock them any more.
Hi Jimmy
You may have missed my post above but for small hand riveters POP brand (Cooper tools) are the best by far.
definately a pop. All the tradies use them but any rivets over 1/8 go for the long arm