AK Sponsor
Posted: 3/22/2004 12:12:36 PM EDT
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I've never squeezed rivets before (never had the need), and am setting up for an AK build. I'd like to hear from the people here who do (good) rivet jobs. What method/tools do you use? Anyone ever used a hand-held rivet squeezer? Arbor press? (Note: I can borrow just about anything I can carry by hand into my car, from the schools machine shop, and I've no room to make a decent setup at home, so nothing more than a drillpress and maybe an arbor press in the house). |
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i used to rivet on an arbor press. i found out that i can get tighter sets by using the cheap, old ball pein hammer. despite all the new tooling (like plinker's rivet fixture) coming out, i still prefer a hammer, rivet punch (a set of 5 is less than $30) and bucking bars made from scrap steel. sometimes i clamp the bucking bars in a vise and sometimes i use them loose, depending on which rivet is being set. if i'm setting large rivets or in a hurry, nothing beats my $10 harbor freight air chisel that i converted into a riveting tool. don't let anyone tell you that you can't do this! i have built 1919's with a hammer and a 30lb. plate of 'pounding steel' on the cement floor of a garage. |
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Where did you buy the rivet punches? I can't seem to find any online. Edit: BTW, what are bucking bars used for (Sorry, never did solid rivets before). Also, if you use a hammer/punch combo, how do you keep from mishaping the other side of the rivet? Thanks for the help. |
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cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3804604905 I think this is what it is. |
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