Rivet guns/rivets

[anziconda]

What is everyone using for rivets/rivet guns? I bought the most expensive gun at the local hardware store, and the teeth stripped out within a dozen rivets. I'm not afraid to spend money for a quality tool!! Also, do you prefer air or just hand power?? Thanks for any input!

 

[cowboy181d]

I have a harbor freight pneumatic that will shoot from the little rivets up to the .25 shaft diameter works like a charm and I think I payed about 90.00 for it over ten years ago and it has been run hard all those years putting rivets in dirt late model bodies and rebuilding sleds and it will cinch the rivets down to their actual split pressure. And I have a hydraulic over pneumatic for doing the bigger stainless steel rivets on certain applications works like a charm and will out clamp even the old school marson big daddy hand riveters. for shier speed and ease buy the more expensive of the two pneumatic riveters from harbor freight!

 

[SRXSRULE]

Air gun anytime you can fit in the place your working with, manual gun for the tight spots. Manual gun with rotating head is even better.
The air gun I have was about 75-100.00 when I bought it new 10 yrs ago and I have ran about 5-6,000 rivets through it (race car) with zero problems.
As for what rivets to use that depends on the project but I use Multi-grip style and exploding rivets the most. Eric

 

[cowboy181d]

Oh my yes srx... if only I knew how damn many rivets i ran through my pneumatic in the last ten years between race cars and sleds... Damn I think I am at about the 5-7,000 mark also by now worst part is just how many of those I have drilled back out to change body panels

 

[DUKHTR3]

Had my Harbor freight rivet gun for 5 years and still works great.

 

[mortelec]

X2 on the harbor freight rivet gun. Mines probably 10 or 12 years old and I've put a few thousand rivets in with it. I really like the Avinox rivets. Just hope you don't have to drill them out.
http://www.rivetsonline.com/rivets-en/blind-rivets-en/avinox-blind-rivets.html

 

[Shermanator]

I bought a $50 air riveter from Princess Auto (here in Canada) and the thing has worked for the last 5 years, popping steel or any other kind or size of rivet, its a great little machine! Sherm

 

[kanedog]

Stavex rivets. I order them online from rivet stop.

 

[warreng417]

Broke my Arrow swivel head hand blind riviter with good 3/16 rivets but it was great while it lasted . I second the Princess auto air riviter but if price is not an issue, cannot go wrong with any high end tool. Buy some extra jaws if your going to spend the money.

 

[kidwoo]

Man that's crazy. I thought I'd be an anomaly with several years punching steel rivets with a cheap a$$ harbor freight pneumatic. Sounds like I'm in good company.

I've got a long handled deal for weird angles but pneumatic is the only way for big jobs with lots of punches, especially with steel.

And yeah I guess those harbor freight ones are a good deal. I've been amazed at the one my buddy loaned me two years ago.

 

[bnorth]

Same story, bought the best rotating head riveter they had on the shelf and it broke on the first rivet. Changed it out with the cheapest hand riveter they had and warrantied it a few times cause after a hundred or so rivets the handle would break off.
Finally got sick of that and bought the Princess Auto (Canada's version of Harbor Freight) pneumatic and haven't looked back since.

 

[CO 2.0]

Another for the Heavy duty Harbor freight riveter. Their smaller one isn't as good.

 

[joshkoltes]

I use a wide variety of rivets but mostly the avinox style ones posted above. So excited about that link I had no idea what the name was or where to get them other than Cr racing!
As for tools, I have a fancy pneumatic one I got on an auction for thirty bux. The jaws go out from time to time but they are the same size as an arrow hand riveter

 

[joshkoltes]

I also use the smash style aviation rivets with the air hammer and dolly when I really need some force

 

[Indy_500]

Harbor freight pneumatic gun here. Not sure where Polaris gets their rivets from but they are by far the best quality rivets I've ever used.

 

[shelbwyo]

If your hardware store is worth anything they should take it back. Air riveter all the way. Ive been buying rivets off ebay and have been happy with them

 

[rmscustom]

$100 pneumatic from Fastenal with their good guy discount for me. Best hundo I ever spent. I don't know the make but its green and has pulled any rivet I've tried with ease including the Polaris ones. Also I think it fits in tighter spaces than any manual one I've ever tried.

 

[Timbre]

Harbor Freight version here too. Works awesome!

 

[AKtoad]

Cherry max rivet gun is what I use. Brace yourself because they are not cheap. I got mine at a garage sale for $50. Same place I got my 1/2" snap on torque wrench for $20. Crazy people