Tips on Riveting

[swall]

I need to get new fender to frame tabs for the rear fender on my '52 Chief, then rivet them on. Are the rivets common hardware store items (truss rivets, I believe). I'm not exactly sure how to do the riveting. Suggestions anyone?

[exeric]

I get rivets through McMaster Carr. I don't know if they have the exact correct truss head rivet, but you can always file the head to the right diameter in a lathe, or drill press. Forming the rivet at that location is going to be difficult to say the least. I would use a screw and nut to hold the bracket in place while you form the other rivet. Also, I would make a driver for the rivet head, and a buckaroo for the rivet shank on the inside of the fender. Rivets are intended to be driven on the head side, and bucked at the shank. The buckaroo may have to be rather long and it should be held in a vise. It would be very good to have a helper that can steady the fender while you concentrate on driving the rivet head.

[tfburke3]

I get rivets through McMaster Carr. I don't know if they have the exact correct truss head rivet, but you can always file the head to the right diameter in a lathe, or drill press. Forming the rivet at that location is going to be difficult to say the least. I would use a screw and nut to hold the bracket in place while you form the other rivet. Also, I would make a driver for the rivet head, and a buckaroo for the rivet shank on the inside of the fender. Rivets are intended to be driven on the head side, and bucked at the shank. The buckaroo may have to be rather long and it should be held in a vise. It would be very good to have a helper that can steady the fender while you concentrate on driving the rivet head.

It think if I couldn't get the right rivet head profile I would grind bottom of rivet,remove broken piece,countersink the new tab rivet hole a little to make room for a little weld,fit tab over old rivet and weld. Tom

[jim d]

I have many different rivets with all types of heads and materials. I worked in a field for 48 years that used rivets and collected them just as long. There are threads on here and CAIMAG on how to rivet and tools needed. Jerry Greer may have the rivets. You could PM me for some help on riveting if you like. I would not weld them the next break may leave a hole in your fender.
Jim D.

[sirhrmechanic]

You can PM me as well. Lots of options. Hot, cold, tools, etc.

One trick is that after riveting a fender tab, you can silver solder the rivet. Not as hot as welding and won't cause embrittlement. But will fill any gaps and prevent paint cracking as things won't move.

Riveting is one of those things that there are a million ways to do it right... just as many ways to do it wrong. But it's not hard to get it right.

Cheers,

Sirhr

[Robert Luland]

Enough, Contact the Big Flats Rivet Co. They can supply you with the truss rivets you need. I'm not aware of anyone that makes off the self rivet sets for truss rivets. We make our own. Another solution is send it to us and will make it like new. Sorry I can't help ya more than this. Bob L

[exeric]

It think if I couldn't get the right rivet head profile I would grind bottom of rivet,remove broken piece,countersink the new tab rivet hole a little to make room for a little weld,fit tab over old rivet and weld. Tom

I think Tom's idea is excellent, however, I would leave what you have and tig weld a new angle bracket to the what's left of the old bracket. From the outside, no one will ever be the wiser.

[swall]

I've been doing some trials on test pieces. Rivets are from either McMaster or the hardware store. Made a bucking tool with a 1" spherical radius to support the head. My driver is a piece of SAE 5160 rod with a recess for the rivet shank. I found that I could get a decent job when I had 0.040" of rivet stick-out. I am ready to try the actual fender, but I need to refine my tooling a bit.

[Chuck#1848]

I think Tom's idea is excellent, however, I would leave what you have and tig weld a new angle bracket to the what's left of the old bracket. From the outside, no one will ever be the wiser.

I have TIG welded rivits to front fender braces, and used bolts to hold the brace in place cooling each spot with compressed air before moving to the next spot that's a total of 10 rivits I welded on a front fender.

After you prime and paint from the outside you will never notice the difference, I have compared that fender next to a couple others, I got rivits from Easy Russ in Michigan.

The key to it is not to much heat when welding and to take your time AND cool each spot before moving to the next location it's not a race.

[swall]

Thanks for the replies so far. One point of clarification--the tabs were broken right in the slot and one rivet was also long gone. So some cutting back of the bracket was required. If you cut back 3/8", you are into the first rivet hole, so you need to cut back some more to get between the rivet holes for a full width weld. I'm still going to attempt a rivet job, with welding of rivets as my fall back position. I don't do TIG, so this will be an oxyacetylene weld.

[tomfiii]

I have used a piece of aluminum with a small dimple for head and after cutting rivet with correct overhang I used a ball-peen hammer and beat it down like an armorer would do like on a knight's armor.

[OldMCRider]

Welding a rivet is wrong ! When you hammer the rivet it expands the OD of the rivet and tightens it in the holes. Welding doesn't expand the rivet and the two parts can slide around. This will crack the paint.

[fciron]

Oxy-acetylene welding is also more likely to distort the fender than TIG.

Why not repair the missing parts of the bracket and then rivet as originally done?

[swall]

Yes, it is my intent to rivet. I have fab'd the two brackets and am practicing riveting. Welding is my last resort.