Richie's Mk1 Restoration

[RichardT10829]

so did you just use a lathe to bore out the correct shape in the snap ?

[Ben]

When I spoke to the chap who did Shuans riveting, he said you can turn any shape you need but they need to be hardened otherwise the constant heat and hammering deforms them.

Ben

[RichardT10829]

so what steel would you recommend for the snap... ? high carbon i might go get a blank and turn one out... the snaps available for the gun i have only go up to 3/8 and i need 5/8. i did a cold test on a rivet tonight with the snap i have (3/8 brazier) and it was peening the rivet over all be it only slightly... this was with the compressor half charged and only 40 psi at the reg (so i was somewhat impressed) i should think it will squash a hot rivet ok.

[Lynn Eades]

I have used 4140. It work hardens. I used steel from broken shafts that were so hard, at the break, that a ceramic tip wouldnt put a mark on them.
I made mine on the lathe and finished them off with a die grinder. (my formal lathe training was mostly while the metalwork teacher wasn't looking at school)
The small one, with the handle was rolled into place behind the rivet head to do the ones going through the engine bed rails into the floor. (we are yet to do the second one) We have done them with the carrier on its side, introducing a dolly behind the handled thing.(on the outside of the bed rail)
If you are planning this operation, look for a friend who is an insect, or even better a spider. If you ask your wife, she might point you in the direction of one of her ex boyfriends.
Anyhow the point is, they need extra arms/hands etc.
We have cut the rivets to length for each set of rivets. I heat a rivet, pick it up with pliers, and poke it into the hole. My friend with the gun pulls it in while I position the dolly. I yell "ready" or "go" (this is optional. I'm sure Richard, that you will have some weird local alternative)
With that heavy dolly arrangement in the photo, I get it behind the rivet,get my knee behind my elbow, and my foot against the inside of the hull on the opposite side. It works good that way.
Try not to put rivets in the bolt holes for the bogie adjusting studs. They look good, but slows your progress down.

[Stew Robertson]

Hey guts you don't have to heat the rivets they will peen in cold
Just a little experience talkin :

[Lynn Eades]

The hot rivet is firstly spread laterally in the hole to take up any discrepancies, the head and tail are then formed, and then as the rivet cools it shrinks tightening the whole deal up. If your going to put them in cold, you may as well use a bolt. According to one web site, "A bolt is just a low grade rivet"
And no! my gun (as big as it is) wouldn't form them cold.

[RichardT10829]

Lynn they will be put in hot, i was just interested to see what it would do to a cold rivet