Posted: 12/17/2024 6:43:14 AM EDT
|
I was installing the steps on my plane, and one of the mandrels for the stainless steel rivets broke before the rivet was completely pulled. The original length of the mandrel was 1 1/8", and now it is 3/4". None of my rivet guns will pull the remaining portion of the mandrel. I was thinking of getting a cheap rivet gun and somehow shortening the nose so that it would grab more of the mandrel, but don't know if that would work. Has anyone run into something like this before? |
|
Originally Posted By bigborehound: This is the only solution. Originally Posted By bigborehound: Originally Posted By NoHarmNoFAL: Can you drill the rivet out and try again? That would seem to be the best solution. This is the only solution. That's what I was hoping to avoid, but it looks like it's the only way. If I can get behind it with a Dremel, and cut the mandrel off, it should be easier to drill out. Of course it had to be a stainless rivet and mandrel.  Thanks for the help, guys. I appreciate it. |
|
Originally Posted By brownbomber: There are rivet remover tools that attach to handheld drills and allow you to cleanly drill out the defective rivet. I'm not sure that I would attempt to freehand it. The aluminum rivet/steel mandrel are easy to drill, but this is stainless/stainless, which makes it a tough one. I haven't done anything to it yet, as I've been working on other things. I'm going to climb into the cockpit and see if I can get to the rear of the rivet. If I can, I might try to cut it off with a Dremel and pull out the head. |
|
Originally Posted By tinysd: I have to remove stainless rivets often. I always start with a new bit use the same diameteras the rivet body. The head pops off right away. This is for 1/8" and 3/16" rivets. I really should get one of those tools.  That is what I do too. Go slow and once it pops off use a straight punch to knock it out. |