Rivet spacing - Page 2

ol trunt · 10-23-2012, 08:12 PM

Bapos, I can't remember all that stuff but if you look up a drill size chart on the internet you'll find your answer. Hope that helps. Jack

bapos · 10-23-2012, 08:20 PM

Yeah I looked it up. Thats why I said it was some odd ball size. Heres that info

4.8514mm .191" #11

4.7625mm .1875" 3/16"

I dont think they are very far off. I went to home depot and looked for the odd ball with no luck. So I got the 3/16 and will move forward with it since they say it will work with a hole up to 1/4.

cschlessman · 10-24-2012, 02:08 PM

I used a 3/16 dril bit on mine and they worked fine.

Chuck

bansil · 10-24-2012, 03:45 PM

The extra .0035 doesn't seem like much,(about thickness of normal copy paper) it will allow the rivet to go in easier and other things that fill engineer books like circular displacement in hole,scratching of rivet which could cause stress fractures....lots of little things that won't bother a skoolie

Mcmaster carr, and msc are places that you can get drill bits and such that are normally better quality than say cheap tool sales and grocery chains

ol trunt · 10-24-2012, 08:46 PM

Ditto Bansil, Mc Master Car Is as good as it gets. Kind of like the Sears catalogue of the "40's only better. Fair prices, tons of great stuff.

sdwarf36 · 10-24-2012, 10:57 PM

Another thumbs up for Mcmaster- Carr. You gotta know someone-or be a biz to get a catalog-(and it weighs like 4 lbs!) -but anyone can order online. http://www.mcmaster-carr.com
There are warehouses all over-I've ordered stuff at 7pm-and gotten it the next day.

Its an industrial catalog-you can get 3/16" drill bits from cheap-to ones NASA would use-and they break it down for you which is which.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-drill-bits/=jv9nak

bapos · 10-27-2012, 04:54 PM

Update on rivetaplooza today.

The rivet gun works great. I think anything say 85-90 psi is good to go. This worked very well. No broken rivets in any way.

Not having ever riveted before but had an idea how it goes I got a lot on one side of the bus done. The 3/16 bit is a tad bit too small for this rivets so I have to wallow the bit around and the rivet goes in with no problems.

For the record do not drill holes with a cordless drill unless you have a bank of batteries from hell. So I went to the corded drill and started drilling.....and drilling....and drilling. Yes I didnt order enough rivets so Ill be doubling up my count so I dont run out in the future.

Heres some of my work....

The previous owners must have been just drilling hole. None of their measurements match from window to window. So I got a yard stick and marked off 2 inches and transcribed that to the metal with a sharpie marker.

It worked out best to drill all the holes and put the rivet in and then come back with the rivet gun to close it up. And yes the air rivet gun made their clamping force seem sissy. So for the 60 or so dollars for the gun I think it will pay off a lot better than doing it by hand. Only complaint I have is the cup that catches the left overs is WAY too small and you have to constantly empty it.

Over all Im impressed at how things are going other than it will take forever to drill all the holes I need but Rome was not built in a day.

Let me know your thoughts.

Bapos

crazycal · 10-27-2012, 09:02 PM

Why are your skins so rusted? That's a lot of extra work that I would dread. Aren't you worried it will come through when you paint?

bapos · 10-28-2012, 10:53 AM

The skins were on the bus and already rusted when I bought the bus. Like you Im not happy with it and I am sure it will be an issue down the road and I will have to deal with it then. I have some friends that are painters that will guide me on the right processes to use so I dont have paint problems. Im probably going to use impliment paint ( tractor paint) as I am going to paint it like the Texas flag. So it wont be a super complex color scheme.

Bapos

kimberlink · 10-28-2012, 12:00 PM

Did you use any Caulking or sealant between the pannels? Just wondering as what everyone else has done, and if they didnt did they have any problems with leakage?

bapos · 10-28-2012, 01:34 PM

They previous owner did use caulking when they put them up. So the rattle wont be so bad. But they didnt finish the deal which is why I am finishing up.

I may alter my plan a little.

1) set the widows
2) spray the left over places with some type of sealer that will not allow and water to seep in
3) pack it with polyiso
4) then trim the inside out.

But I agree with worrying about leaks. The main issue I have right now is the bottom of the skin is flush with the bottom. The top is not tall enough to tuck way up in the inside to rivet up on the inside so I will probably have to go in and weld some square tubing and attach it to the top. Only issue im worried about is I want to try and avoid cutting the old window section if I can avoid it. I dont want big windows in it so I need to get the skin done and figure out what Im going to do with the top and move forward.

kimberlink · 10-28-2012, 02:04 PM

I agree about not cutting to old window frames as I didn't plan on doing that either. Pop riveting Angle iron might be easier to shore up the top and bottoms and use an automotive grade type of sealant or the Great Stuff where the gaps seem to large for the automotive stuff. I used the great stuff on the top of my step plate rails which i placed the metal on the great stuff before it cured and riveted it down. It deaden the sound Immensely, the contractors use it around here as they say it cuts down on squeaks plus they put it under the bath and shower also, its makes a difference in the feel.

bapos · 10-28-2012, 02:39 PM

The angle is a great idea. I like it and it wont chomp down a lot on the interior space I need on the window. If I recall its going to be tight from a height perspective.

I was maybe thinking a rolling of maybe bed liner on the metal on the inside where the seams meet to make sure they dont leak that or maybe lizard skin. Another way or layer to insualte and quieten it down.

Great stuff is very good. My only issue is it breaks down in time if exposed to the outside in some way. I use it to foam in my radiators in my demotion derby cars. granted its in the wide open of weather but it breaks apart in time.