I am working on these Bomber seats, actually not from a bomber but Navy Air Force seats and shen I got them the rivets at the top were ground off. As I look at the seats the rivets do not appear to be the common rivets with the point sticking out in the middle. Is there something I can use that would be similar to that across the top bar? Would be a lot safer for my neck. Thanks for the help!
Go to your local airport and talk to an A & P (airframe & powerplant) mechanic, they should be able to help!
I’m an A&P. Can you post a closer pic of the rivets? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
What you removed was most likely CherryMax rivets, they are structural aircraft rivets, because of the tubing you can't buck a regular rivet, going into a Hot Rod no need for a structural rivets, your local hardware store (Home Depot) will sell pop rivets, most likely they were 1/8" rivets but, looking at the holes you will probably need 3/32" pop rivets, you will need to check though.
I agree with a36bonanza, except I think he meant -5 or 5/32" rivets, they would be the next size up from 1/8" since your hole are wollered out.
Wow, someone really did a hack job grinding those out. They removed so much material, that the new rivets would pull through in a high stress area. Perhaps you can back up that sheet with a thin strip of aluminum epoxied between the sheet and frame.
Too bad the holes are so rough; possibly you still could countersink them and use a matching rivet. Once set, you could knock them down flush, since you mentioned a concern with rubbing your neck.
I did not do the removal! Here are some pics of what I would like it to look like before I spray them. I cam across these things that go inside a pop rivet to round them out. Anybody happen to use them?
Those are solid Rivets not pop style rivets. The large rounded tops show on the back of the seats (first photo) are the heads. The second picture shows the shanks after they have been peened. Knowing what they are from the rivets were set by a squeeze machine. You can do the few you have by hand. You need a block of steel that fits against the head of the rivet (making a little dimple in it with a drill will keep the head looking nicer) then you need a flat punch that will reach under the lip of the seat. Hold the block of steel firmly against the head of the rivet and tap the shank of the rivet with the punch (and hammer). If you have a punch that fits on a air hammer it's faster (they sell these they are called rivet sets). The rivets can be ordered from McMaster Carr You want to get the size that just slides into the holes with no play! Aluminum peens easy so don't beat it just a bunch of little taps. CBB
They also make little covers for pop rivets to cover the hole, we used them all the time at Chapparell Trailer and Champion Trailer companies we got them from the rivet supplier. When you finished you could not tell they were pop rivets.
Airstream trailer rivets come under the heading of aircraft rivets and the same methods and tools are used for both. That includes the proper tip for your rivet gun and the correct bucking bar for the job. Something similar to these with the flat surface for counter sunk and the rounded tips for the size of round head rivet you are driving. https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...MIrODwia382wIVD8JkCh0AOghBEAQYBCABEgLf9_D_BwE I had a set stolen out of my mailbox a year or so ago. Saw the mailman stop and put the packages in and by the time i got out there six packages had been stolen out of the box. Bucking bars are polished steel bars with flat surfaces that come in different shapes to be able to get around obstacles at time. Normally you have a partner bucking the rivet as it is a challenge to drive and buck it at the same time. That comes from experience bucking rivets at Boeing in 1966.
There is also a good rivet set that is made for swather sickle bars. They are hand operated but have a limited throat. Probably 2 1/2 ''
If they are aircraft seats, they more than likely used 'monel' solid rivets . They are the ones with the tiny dimple in the head. I must have bucked thousands of them. Google Monel Rivets.. (warning, they are expensive)
Not necessarily. Inconel, monel, and titanium rivets are only used in high heat areas. A good 95% of aircraft structural rivets are aluminum. But yes, they are expensive. And very hard.
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