Re: [a/s] Riveting Experience

["Jrnymn" <jrnymn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bob, You may not 'see' a lot happen while riveting just two thin plates
together.  When the rivets popped out, the panels may have misaligned.
Somehow, you need to be sure your two panel holes are lined up and that they
are both 'inside' from the tip of the rivet so the rivet does it's job.

In the shell of the Airstream, the outside skin is riveted with two
different results.  One, (my 57 Overlander is the reference here) rivets
running horitzontal to the ground i.e. front to back, tend to only be panel
to panel.
Two, rivets running vertical tend to be going through the monococque ribs
and are a thicker join.

As for your door, make sure the proper holes are lined up and that you don't
push the inside lap in while you insert the rivet.
If the rivet doesn't seem to be going in, you can try a firmer push before
resorting to drilling the hole a little larger.  In lieu of drilling, I
would use an awl type tool to pressure enlarge the hole since the drill will
remove material awfully fast.  You've got to push the rivet in so the head
meets the surface, then squeeze the handle.

It sounds like you just put the tip in and tried to 'crank-walk' the rivet
into the hole.

You may have to squeeze one, two or three times to get the shank to fully
'take up' through the rivet and snap off.  There should be a little stub
sticking out from the head and the rivet should not rattle when done.

Would this seem to clear up how to solve your technique?

Jay L. Griffin               [a.k.a. Jrnymn "Journeyman"]
jrnymn@dave-world.net
http://homepage.dave-world.net/~jrnymn/jrnyindex.htm
http://homepage.davesworld.net/~jrnymn/jrnywebarchive.htm
    ____---,____
  /   �       [ ] �   )   Airstream Overlander '57 26'
 :-----��---------------^#6066 WBCCI / VAC