Removing exterior rivets?

[ak91th]

Here is a link to a rivet removal tool for different size rivets. https://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/detail.aspx?id=1341A
It is used a lot in the aircraft industry. Hope it helps.

 

[o1marc]

Sojourner, is that a 100 gallon tank you dropped from yours? Looks like a bigger job than I was picturing in my mind.

 

[sojourner-SKO]

Sojourner, is that a 100 gallon tank you dropped from yours? Looks like a bigger job than I was picturing in my mind.

Standard 65 gallon fuel tank, in case that's what you're referencing.

 

[o1marc]

Standard 65 gallon fuel tank, in case that's what you're referencing.

I don't have tractor cheater, so I'll have to see what a nightmare my 100ga. will be to drop and clean.

 

[PNW_Steve]

I am having some success grinding the heads off and punching the body out with my air chisel.

Unfortunately, a number of them on the chair rail are not punching out. I am going to have to figure out how to deal with those.

I managed to do a little body damage and break a couple of windows as well

 

[sojourner-SKO]

I don't have tractor cheater, so I'll have to see what a nightmare my 100ga. will be to drop and clean.

If you set it up correctly with a couple floor jacks and an extra set of hands you should be able to do it fairly easily. Patience with an eye for safety is the key here. Its mostly just me working on this thing so my tractor is just another set of "hands". I ran my own mobile marine business for a good number of years so I'm pretty adept at moving heavy things around alone.

 

[sojourner-SKO]

I managed to do a little body damage and break a couple of windows as well

I got one myself. Thankfully I'm only using a few of the windows in mine. I'll still have lots of spare parts when I'm through.

 

[PNW_Steve]

If you set it up correctly with a couple floor jacks and an extra set of hands you should be able to do it fairly easily. Patience with an eye for safety is the key here. Its mostly just me working on this thing so my tractor is just another set of "hands". I ran my own mobile marine business for a good number of years so I'm pretty adept at moving heavy things around alone.

Took me a minute......

I started reading that and wondering "how in the heck is a floor jack going to help?"

 

[sojourner-SKO]

Took me a minute......

I started reading that and wondering "how in the heck is a floor jack going to help?"

Sorry, I think this thread got hijacked a bit.

When I removed my rub rail rivets, I removed all of them and removed the rub rail altogether. I then go around with a hammer and a roll pin punch a bit smaller than the shank of the rivet that's been cut short (so it doesn't bend) and with a 1 or 2lb hammer to knock the rivet shanks out. You have to whack it hard all at once though to shock it through. I've also used vise grips on the inside and clamp on and wiggle them loose and pull from the inside.

 

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

Just catching up on this one?
And I might have missed a part?
If your interior walls are off and the ribs exposed? Why not cut the interior side of the buck rivet flush to the rib and punch it out instead of trying to cut the head off.

 

[sojourner-SKO]

Just catching up on this one?
And I might have missed a part?
If your interior walls are off and the ribs exposed? Why not cut the interior side of the buck rivet flush to the rib and punch it out instead of trying to cut the head off.

I believe the ones he's having issues with are the ones in the sheet metal. Not much material to be grinding from the backside. The ones through the hat channels are punching out fine.

 

[PNW_Steve]

Just catching up on this one?
And I might have missed a part?
If your interior walls are off and the ribs exposed? Why not cut the interior side of the buck rivet flush to the rib and punch it out instead of trying to cut the head off.

I am not sure if I can get to the back side of the ones that are giving me the most trouble but I will certainly give it a try.

I got an answer back on the "affordable" rivet cutter that was recommended. Aluminum only. Bummer!!

Thank you all for the suggestions.

Sojouner, You gave me a good moment to laugh at myself. I blew past the quoted text and just read your reply. I sat here trying to envision how I could apply the jack to getting the rivets out

 

[TrailLifeBill]

Just catching up on this one?
And I might have missed a part?
If your interior walls are off and the ribs exposed? Why not cut the interior side of the buck rivet flush to the rib and punch it out instead of trying to cut the head off.

I'm not quite to this stage in my construction, but had thought about doing exactly that when I saw what it looked like with the inner walls and ceiling exposed. Will report how it goes using that method. I had thought about either using the air hammer/chisel to knock the back side off, or grinding it flush and then popping it outward.