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Old 04-12-2019, 10:16 PM   #1
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Rivets for the outside of the bus.

I have a 2000 Bluebird and will be raising the roof. I will be using 20 gauge galvanized sheet metal for the sides. I am wondering what type and size of rivets to use. 3/16" or 1/4". I know I will be using stainless steel rivets but am unsure of the other measurements required. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

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Old 04-12-2019, 10:37 PM   #2
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I replaced all the rivets I drilled out with square drive Phillips pan head screws. The heads are the same size and they fit tight in the old rivet hole. They were used in places on the bus from the factory and they are a whole lot less labor. Just throwing it out there. I believe the stock rivet is 3/16"
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Old 04-12-2019, 10:47 PM   #3
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Rivets for the outside of the bus.

i just used the same size rivets as my existing holes. 3/16” for 95% of my top rail. I drilled out any that were wollered out to 1/4”. This place (eccb recommended) is where I bought 1300 SS closed end blind rivets. https://rivetsinstock.com/ I’m very happy with them.
Make sure to measure your grip distance...the sum of all the layers you want to suck together.

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Old 04-13-2019, 12:49 AM   #4
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umm stainless fasteners on mild steel

Look into this for further confirmation. I do not think it is recommended to use a stainless steel fastener on mild steel..... The mild steel immediately around the stainless part will try to corrode faster than surrounding steel areas. Another way to put this... The mild steel around the rivet will rust away faster than any other section of the steel skin..... stainless skins, get stainless rivets, aluminum skins get aluminum rivets, mild steel skins get mild steel rivets.

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Old 04-13-2019, 05:01 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by magnakansas View Post
Look into this for further confirmation. I do not think it is recommended to use a stainless steel fastener on mild steel..... The mild steel immediately around the stainless part will try to corrode faster than surrounding steel areas. Another way to put this... The mild steel around the rivet will rust away faster than any other section of the steel skin..... stainless skins, get stainless rivets, aluminum skins get aluminum rivets, mild steel skins get mild steel rivets.

william
Stainless and mild steel are fine. Mild steel rivets are pretty hard to find.
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Old 04-13-2019, 08:31 AM   #6
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I replaced all the rivets I drilled out with square drive Phillips pan head screws. The heads are the same size and they fit tight in the old rivet hole. They were used in places on the bus from the factory and they are a whole lot less labor. Just throwing it out there. I believe the stock rivet is 3/16"



Screws with a square drive head are not Phillips anywhere in the world.


Try Robertson



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Old 04-13-2019, 09:04 AM   #7
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Screws with a square drive head are not Phillips anywhere in the world.


Try Robertson



John
some history about Robertson square socket screws - Robertson, a Canadian, tried to sell his product to Henry Ford - Ford recognised what a great idea it was, but didn't want to pay Robertson's price, so he produced his own - a law suit evolved, Ford lost, and Robertson refused to sell his product in the US - after Robertson passed away, the company continued with the ban against US sales - it's only recently that the product has been available in the US
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Old 04-13-2019, 09:21 AM   #8
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Hmmmm.....

I started using square drive screws in California in 1987.....
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Old 04-13-2019, 09:24 AM   #9
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Hmmmm.....

I started using square drive screws in California in 1987.....
quite possible - the law suit was back in the days of Henry Ford and the Model T
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Old 04-13-2019, 09:31 AM   #10
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Hmmmm.....

I started using square drive screws in California in 1987.....
https://www.robertsonscrew.com/history
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Old 04-17-2019, 10:45 PM   #11
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Thanks for your input.
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Old 04-18-2019, 12:57 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackJohn View Post
Screws with a square drive head are not Phillips anywhere in the world.


Try Robertson



John
#10-32*3/4 Inch Blue Zinc Plating Pan Head Phillips Machine Screw.
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Old 04-18-2019, 01:08 AM   #13
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#10-32*3/4 Inch Blue Zinc Plating Pan Head Phillips Machine Screw.
That looks like a #3 Phillips.
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Old 04-18-2019, 01:15 AM   #14
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That looks like a #3 Phillips.
I use a 3" Robertson bit in my impact, fits those heads perfectly and won't chatter like a Phillips can.
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Old 04-18-2019, 01:23 AM   #15
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I use a 3" Robertson bit in my impact, fits those heads perfectly and won't chatter like a Phillips can.
Nice! I'll have to take a look at HD for one.
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Old 04-20-2019, 06:53 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by Sleddgracer View Post
some history about Robertson square socket screws - Robertson, a Canadian, tried to sell his product to Henry Ford - Ford recognised what a great idea it was, but didn't want to pay Robertson's price, so he produced his own - a law suit evolved, Ford lost, and Robertson refused to sell his product in the US - after Robertson passed away, the company continued with the ban against US sales - it's only recently that the product has been available in the US
I've used Robertson screws since the early eighties here in the states. Not sure what recently is but I've used them for close to 40 years.
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Old 04-20-2019, 07:03 PM   #17
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I've used Robertson screws since the early eighties here in the states. Not sure what recently is but I've used them for close to 40 years.
what year was the model 'A' produced? - 1910 +/- - that was the time of the dispute between Robertson and Henry Ford and when Robertson vowed to never sell his screw technology in the US - it's not until recently, maybe the early 80s, that the new owner/managers started selling them in the US -lol
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Old 04-20-2019, 07:16 PM   #18
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I'll throw this wrench in the gears. DeWalt calls it a Robertson drive, Milwaukee just calls it the Shockwave square drive bit. I used it on the panhead Phillips screws.


https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauke...4572/203176193
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Old 04-20-2019, 08:39 PM   #19
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I'll throw this wrench in the gears. DeWalt calls it a Robertson drive, Milwaukee just calls it the Shockwave square drive bit. I used it on the panhead Phillips screws.


https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauke...4572/203176193
like the refrigerators that were made popular by Frigidaire, were called 'fridges', ( now refrigerators are called fridges no matter what brand they are ) - square socket screws will be called Robertson no matter who chooses another name for them - those Panhead screws are quite handy
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Old 04-24-2019, 04:08 PM   #20
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like the refrigerators that were made popular by Frigidaire, were called 'fridges', ( now refrigerators are called fridges no matter what brand they are ) - square socket screws will be called Robertson no matter who chooses another name for them - those Panhead screws are quite handy
I mostly love the fact that most threads on this site wind up being about something completely different by the end of the 2nd page from where they started.
I'll play:
Dispose-All is a Sears brand name disposer, and nearly everybody calls all disposers "disposals."
Wire Nut is a brand name.
The plural of Kleenex is Kleenices. (Okay, that's probably not true.)
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