What is the best technique for drilling out the pulled rivets?

Views: 834

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

I ground a nail punch to fit the hole in the rivet and punch out the shank, then drill out the aluminum rivet. I have three different diameter nail punches that I use. 

An automatic center punch worked well for me.

As someone who has had to fix a lot of rivets, I have highly recommend using a punch to hammer out the centre and then use the same size drill bit to remove the head. After that punch out the rest of the rivet.

More recently I've gotten pretty good at drilling the centre out with a very small bit when it has been impossible to get the punch near (or the punch simply isn't working).

There were several different suggestions for how to get the pulling shank out of the rivet body, but that is the important step. Drive that pulling shank out of the rivet body. If you do not, when you drill the bit will wander off center when it hits the steel shank down inside the center hole of the aluminum rivet body and ovalize the hole in your skin and rib. Once the steel shank is out of that center hole of the rivet body you can drill the head off the rivet (the empty pulling shank hole serves as a nice drilling guide) then push the rivet body through to the inside with a punch. You will find you do not actually need to drill out the rivet body, just drill off the head. Then the body can get pushed inside and/or removed after the outer skin/sheet is removed. Sometimes the rivet body will not want to pop out of the interior sheet of metal but you can remove it with pliers after the skin is taken off.

I would suggest making up some samples of riveted together scrap sheets of aluminum the same thicknesses as the riveted sheets you need to take the rivets out of, then practice on them a few times before taking a punch and drill to your airplane.

A good set of number size drill bits (one or two sizes bigger) works well, A automatic center punch to get rid of the pull shank, and pliers or small sharp side cutters works well for me     Good luck!.

I have just used the same size drill bit to carefully drill the head off , then if necessary grab the shop head with a pair of needle nose pliers and pull it off. Have not used a center punch. that said a couple holes skated away on me, which in hind sight might have been the shank protruding up and contacting the drill bit. 

I have an old ice pick I use to punch out the center shank, it has a wood handle, works very well. If the rivet stays in the piece I have found that a pair of side dikes slid under the aluminum and then squeeze pops the remaining rivet out better than pulling on it with a pair of needle nose pliers.

RSS

New from Zenith:

Zenith Planes For Sale 
 

Classified listing for buying or selling your Zenith building or flying related stuff...


Custom Instrument Panels
for your Zenith
:

Custom instrument panels are now available directly from Zenith Aircraft Company exclusively for Zenith builders and owners. Pre-cut panel, Dynon and Garmin avionics, and more.


Zenith Homecoming Tee:


Zenair Floats


Flying On Your Own Wings:
A Complete Guide to Understanding Light Airplane Design, by Chris Heintz


Builder & Pilot Supplies:

Aircraft Insurance:

 
 

West Coast USA:

 
Pro Builder Assistance:

 

Transition training:

Lavion Aero

K&S Aviation Services

Aircraft Spruce & Specialty for all your building and pilot supplies!

How to videos from HomebuiltHELP.com

Developed specifically for Zenith builders (by a builder) these videos on DVD are a great help in building your own kit plane by providing practical hands-on construction information. Visit HomebuiltHelp.com for the latest DVD titles.

© 2024   Created by Zenith.Aero.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service