Timothy Keith-Lucas Posted November 25 Share Posted November 25 Is there a secret to removing pop rivets? I want to remove two panels with 48 rivets each and one with 20. I can drill out some of them, but others spins with the drill bit. I've considered but not tried grinding the tops off, but that would be very delicate work. Thoughts? You wonderful folks are giving me a rapid education in 7 renewal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Westfield Posted November 25 Share Posted November 25 once they spin...it gets tricky I've ground some with a dremel also a narrow wood chisel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MV8 Posted November 25 Share Posted November 25 Lightly push the head from the side with a flat blade screw driver, tilt the drill to one side, light pressure, high speed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastg Posted November 25 Share Posted November 25 Try using a smaller drill at an angle. If you get the angle right they will not spin. Go around from a few different sides. Then a sharp tap with the same size punch and you should have success. I have never had to grind off a rivet. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdb Posted November 25 Share Posted November 25 Curious as to what y'all do about all those drilled out rivets jingling around inside the frame tubes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MV8 Posted November 25 Share Posted November 25 A little waxoil or straight boiled linseed squirted into each open hole. It gets thick and gels as it dries. Prevents rust too. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamScotticus Posted November 25 Share Posted November 25 2 hours ago, wdb said: Curious as to what y'all do about all those drilled out rivets jingling around inside the frame tubes. I don't think they can be heard over all the other running noise. Yes, rust proof the frame. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamScotticus Posted November 28 Share Posted November 28 This might be helpful https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecID=10874 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdWills Posted November 28 Share Posted November 28 Excellent advice from all, and Pegasus is very proactive in their search for handy tools. One way to hold the rivet while drilling is to use a small centre punch (or a sharp pointed nail possibly?), lightly tapped into one side on top of the rivet and angled away from the drill bit, then drill away. The punch should stop the rivet from spinning. Either that, or wedge a flat tipped screwdriver that has been ground down to a sharp edge, as per MV8's suggestion. Don't be too concerned if the hole you are left with is a tad on the large size, as Carroll Smith in his excellent series of books, suggests that a No. 30 drill for 1/8" rivets, or No.20 drill for 5/32" rivets allows for correct expansion and clearance when inserting a 1/8" or 5/32" rivet respectively. A comparison chart that I have from Snap-On shows that 5/32" is 0.1562" and a No.20 drill is 0.1610". If you do happen to drill too much oversize, go to the next size of rivet for replacement, in the case of 5/32" go to 3/16". If, when doing a complete ally body removal and chassis clean-up, you really feel the need to remove those drilled out rivet pieces (tails?) from the chassis inside tubes, a hole can be drilled in the very front square blanking plates top and bottom (I used 1/2", but smaller may be o.k.?), and with the chassis held/propped up at the rear at a good angle, the rivet pieces will roll down the round and square tubes and can be vacuumed up at the very front of the chassis. I did this with my old Lotus Unirad chassis (O.K., anal rules?), and removed most of the rivet pieces as the top and bottom tubes from front to back are mostly open even when 3/4" tube is connected to 1" square tube. The holes in the front can then be welded or brazed shut as they pose no problem to chassis integrity of course. Only the cross and down tubes will retain the rivet 'tails', but there are far fewer than in the main chassis rails. Cheers, Will 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdWills Posted November 28 Share Posted November 28 P.S. An aircraft welder friend recommended LPS3 to spray inside the frame tubes. His aircraft repair company uses this product, and it comes with a long and small diameter nozzle that can easily be inserted in a 1/8" or possibly a 3/32" hole. I purchased mine from a local Grainger store (no connection, just a satisfied customer) W. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jih899 Posted November 29 Share Posted November 29 Removing pop rivets effectively, especially if they spin with the drill bit, requires careful technique. Apply firm pressure directly in line with the rivet and use a high-speed steel (HSS) drill bit slightly larger than the rivet shaft. The pressure reduces spinning, allowing you to drill through the center. And you can use locking pliers or a flathead screwdriver to hold the rivet from spinning while drilling. Place the tool underneath the rivet head to stabilize it. Before drilling, use a center punch to create a small indentation in the rivet head. This keeps the drill bit centered and prevents slipping. If drilling fails, use a Dremel or angle grinder with a cutting wheel to carefully grind the rivet head off. This is delicate work but effective for stubborn rivets. For smaller rivets, a cold chisel and hammer can shear the rivet head off. Use caution to avoid damaging surrounding materials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Keith-Lucas Posted November 29 Author Share Posted November 29 These are tiny and very tight rivets. I think I'll try a sharp chisel and see if they will shear off. If not, I could hold them from spinning with the same chisel and drill as you suggest. Thanks for sharing your expertise. I injured my wrist a few days ago, so there's going to be a pause in Lotus work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamScotticus Posted November 30 Share Posted November 30 Can you drive a pointy center punch into the mandrel hole, enough to spread the body out enough to get a grip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Keith-Lucas Posted December 1 Author Share Posted December 1 The rivets I'm trying to remove at present are at the back edge of the engine compartment in front of the windshield. Twenty of them, with the goal of getting behind the instrument panel for re-wiring. I think I've found (with a lot of help in this thread, thank you) a way that works, at least in this situation: 1. with a sharp spike(a carbide scribe in my case) drive the mandrel back into the rivet, so a drill bit has a starting point. 2. with an oversized drill bit cut off the head of the rivet without drilling through the first plate. 3. With a pin punch drive out the rivet. So far, so good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamScotticus Posted December 1 Share Posted December 1 (edited) Ok, you're doing the scuttle easy removal fastener swap. I did that on my last scuttle and will soon be on my current one. I was thinking of what I would do should I get a spinner there. It's tight, but my first trick will probably be to get a needle nose vice grip on the back side of a spinner. I can let that rotate till it hits something (protected with padding). Disconnect the battery! Edited December 1 by IamScotticus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Keith-Lucas Posted December 2 Author Share Posted December 2 A pair of CH Hanson self adjusting locking pliers is valuable in that case: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09N8N5JNV/ref=syn_sd_onsite_desktop_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1&pf_rd_p=eece463e-9765-4c82-95e6-6bb6969aa564&pf_rd_r=S8BMX1N3M6V8DM4F90VH&pd_rd_wg=uGyuL&pd_rd_w=GOLUj&pd_rd_r=d4ca0193-8260-4745-8621-0a2e7684fda5&aref=gbejHMbwzT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamScotticus Posted December 2 Share Posted December 2 (edited) Yea I've got oodles of VGs. They multiply like rabbits. Not as much as the 11/16 wrenches did. I have no idea how I ended up with so many totally useless wrenches. Edited December 3 by IamScotticus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdb Posted December 2 Share Posted December 2 30 minutes ago, IamScotticus said: Yea I've got oodles of VGs. They multiplike rabbits. Not as much as the 11/16 wrenches did. I have no idea how I ended up with so many totally useless wrenches. Buy an Elan. They'll get used. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Keith-Lucas Posted December 3 Author Share Posted December 3 Same here. Whole drawer full. But the point is the self-adjusting part. I use/carry them big time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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