Best tool for riveting

[LaurenceFrost]

Hi all, I'm a PH regular, but new to the kit car section so please be gentle with me.

I have just bought a Westfield Megabusa kit to build up over the winter. The kit is due in early December and it looks like the first job on the agenda is fixing the aluminium panels to the chassis. I have heard that some people find this really hard with hand tools and often break the tools due to the sheer number of rivets that are required.

I have one of these already:



Would I be better going for something that will make the job a little easier like this:


Or are air tools the only way to really make the job simple?

Your advice is much appreciated.

[grahambell]

Considering you'll be putting literally hundreds of rivets in, air tools are best if you can, though the 'lazy tongs' in your second pic would be a decent choice if you can't.

[tribbles]

I'd also say an air rivetter as well. The lazytongs are probably good (not used them myself), but can't really be used in confined spaces.

[SplatSpeed]

an air line and one driven by the air line


I have one they are soo much easier

[LaurenceFrost]

Thanks guys - any links to any suitable products. Would something like an electrical compressor be suitable?

Can these be hired?

[SplatSpeed]

LaurenceFrost said:

Thanks guys - any links to any suitable products. Would something like an electrical compressor be suitable?

Can these be hired?

a small compressor is 100 quid and a must for doing work

the riviter 30 second hand

ebay it

[BobM]

You can certainly get by with the first rivetter you've shown. The second makes life easier but be careful as it's very difficult to control it once it's popped the rivet and it tends to bounce onto your panel leaving a mark/dent.

A trip to Machine Mart is worthwhile - a compressor and air rivet gun will make it an easy job.

[LaurenceFrost]

BobM I see what you mean about the second riveter.

How about these bad-boys to save the need for a compressor?

http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/products.php?c...

Will they be up to the job do you think? If I can get away with an electric one the neighbours can't get upset at the noise from a compressor

[MoleVision]

I'm close to finishing my kit car.. and must have close to about 3000 rivets in it... all done by hand with a rivet gun. rivet gun never broke... £10 from halfords i think.. similar to the one you already have.

never had any trouble apart from sore hands .. esp in the winter but bruised/cut/burnt/grazed hands are all part of building a kit car.

Edited by MoleVision on Wednesday 21st November 16:21

[r1ot]

I bought a lazy tong riveter when I built my kit car and used it mainly for fitting the floor. But the bulk of the time I used a £15 riveter from halfords, never failed still use it now.

[Steve_D]

The electric jobie is expensive (£305)for a tool with only the one function.
An air one is £53 from Machine Mart leaving you with plenty to buy a compressor and a range of other toys, sorry, useful air tools.

Steve

[jimmystratos]

Lazy tong useless in confined spaces, so you need a small one as well.

[Furyous]

I had one of the manual typr that had a twisty head, very usefull in tight corners.

Put all the rivets in the Fury in by hand.Take your time, its not that bad.

When your kit is built, when are you ever going to use an air riveter ?

[Steve_D]

Furyous said:

.....When your kit is built, when are you ever going to use an air riveter ?

For the next kitcar.
I'm on my fourth.

Steve

[LaurenceFrost]

Steve_D said:

Furyous said:

.....When your kit is built, when are you ever going to use an air riveter ?

For the next kitcar.
I'm on my fourth.

Steve

Well I'll start with the hand tool, and if the hands start to get sore then I'll hire an electric/air driven one to make the work a little easier.

Thanks for all your replies.

[grahambell]

LaurenceFrost said:

I'll start with the hand tool, and if the hands start to get sore then I'll hire an electric/air driven one to make the work a little easier.

Thanks for all your replies.

Which hand tool - the normal rivetter or the lazy tongs?

Honestly, for the number of rivets you're looking at I'd invest in the lazy tongs - just put the rivet into the hole, push the handle forward and the job's done. Quick and no risk of aching, blistered hands.

[LocoBlade]

You can hire the cordless battery rivetters from HSS, I got one for my build for about £35 for a week's rental IIRC.

Having said that I ended up buying a small compressor anyway to use for general maintenance and its proven invaluable doing various things like running an impact wrench, inflating tyres, blowing away swarf, spraying Gunk to clean up parts etc, so it may well be worth simply investing straight away unless you're convinced you wouldnt use it after the build

[LaurenceFrost]

LocoBlade said:

You can hire the cordless battery rivetters from HSS, I got one for my build for about £35 for a week's rental IIRC.

Having said that I ended up buying a small compressor anyway to use for general maintenance and its proven invaluable doing various things like running an impact wrench, inflating tyres, blowing away swarf, spraying Gunk to clean up parts etc, so it may well be worth simply investing straight away unless you're convinced you wouldnt use it after the build

Thanks LocoBlade. Do you have a link to a suitable compressor for doing all of the above? It might be worth putting that £35 towards a compressor right away.

[LocoBlade]

Probably worth doing a search for recomendations on compressors as I think there's been a few threads on them in the past, the basic rule of thumb is to buy the most powerful and largest capacity compressor you can afford!

Ive only got a fairly cheap one that was on special offer at the time, similar to this. If I upgrade Id probably get one with a 50L capacity as a minimum as it runs out quite quickly using the impact gun etc, but its fine for inflating tyres etc and I suspect for a rivet gun where it would have time to recharge between use.

[carefull]

I also have one of each of those Draper riviters, the standard one seems to be "geared" too low and takes a lot of force to break anything other than the smallest rivet and the other one I find can slip and scratch your work.I am using a cheep Amtech air riviter off Ebay and it's great. I am also using a Clarke Bandit compressor and if you want a great little compressor thats quiet, easy to carry and value for money then I would say take a look at one.

Jason