Need help removing ceiling!

[Gringourd0]

Hey all, hope you're having a great weekend. I just bought my Skoolie and am getting ready to take the ceiling out. I'm not at all a diy person and this is my very first project(I know how crazy that sounds but I'm trying to give it everything I've got.) This is going to sound like such a simple question but does anyone know how to remove these? I don't see these in any videos I watch about ceiling removal. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for everything!

[JDSquared]

Originally Posted by Gringourd0

Hey all, hope you're having a great weekend. I just bought my Skoolie and am getting ready to take the ceiling out. I'm not at all a diy person and this is my very first project(I know how crazy that sounds but I'm trying to give it everything I've got.) This is going to sound like such a simple question but does anyone know how to remove these? I don't see these in any videos I watch about ceiling removal. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for everything!

Those are rivets. If you expand your search to include ceiling rivet removal you will find several ways. Easiest if you have a compressor and air chisel. I tried several things and finally took my angle grinder and a flap disc to them.

[Starlite]

I drilled mine out. Simple and effective

[TJones]

A large air compressor and air chisel with a sharpened chisel would be the fastest. You do have to use a punch to remove the mandrel from the center of the rivot before hitting it with the chisel. If you do not have access to those either drilling or grinding as previously mentioned are good options.

Ted

[CoffeeGuy]

Here's a tip if you go the air chisel route. Buy one with a 4" stroke. It'll be heavy and your arms might get tired holding that thing over your head, but it will make much quicker work out of those rivets than a medium stroke chisel.

I learned this the hard way. The aluminum rivets on my skoolie were no problem, but the steel ones were a bear to wrestle with. I finally decided to upgrade the chisel and now they cut like the aluminum ones did with the shorter stroke.

[lawdog71]

Originally Posted by CoffeeGuy

Here's a tip if you go the air chisel route. Buy one with a 4" stroke. It'll be heavy and your arms might get tired holding that thing over your head, but it will make much quicker work out of those rivets than a medium stroke chisel.

I learned this the hard way. The aluminum rivets on my skoolie were no problem, but the steel ones were a bear to wrestle with. I finally decided to upgrade the chisel and now they cut like the aluminum ones did with the shorter stroke.

What air chisel you using?


~Scott

[CoffeeGuy]

Originally Posted by lawdog71

What air chisel you using?


~Scott

I went with the Chief Professional Long Barrel from Harbor Freight after seeing some great reviews. It's under $100 with a 20% off coupon, and it really performs. I just finished knocking out all the rivets in our ceiling, over 600 of them, in much less time than it took to hit the walls.

[CoffeeGuy]

Originally Posted by Gringourd0

I'm not at all a diy person and this is my very first project(I know how crazy that sounds but I'm trying to give it everything I've got.)

Damn! I am very much a DIY person and I'm finding the task somewhat herculean in size and scope. There is so much to learn!

My hat's off to you! Don't get discouraged, because it will be a ton of work (probably much more than you realize right now) but it's going to be worth the effort, both as a learning experience and as a reward in accomplishment.

[rdrnek3]

I have been doing it with a cold chisel and 3# hammer. I only have a couple of sheets left on the ceiling. It was the cheapest option for me and I prefer it to grinding.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by rdrnek3

I have been doing it with a cold chisel and 3# hammer. I only have a couple of sheets left on the ceiling. It was the cheapest option for me and I prefer it to grinding.

Jeez man, I almost quit and sold my bus after attempting to remove ceiling rivets that way. You get the Popeye Award for sure.

[tobeamiss]

I also used a cold chisel and a #3 hammer but first i cut an X in the center with my angle grinder. Once I started cutting an X in the center, it made the job so much easier. Was so happy when I got the 1,153rd rivet out!
If I can do it, you can too as I was only 110 lbs at the time lol.

[rdrnek3]

I did most of the ceiling this last Sunday. I needed a couple of days to recuperate I'll probably finish it up this afternoon. Once you get on a roll it isn't too bad. I got in a rhythm 3 good hard blows and the rivet is cut.

[tobeamiss]

edit: I used a 4# hammer.