Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dan Hill on January 31, 2020 at 7:20am

I have seen at least 3 different threads on the rivet heads so it may be hard to get the proper heads, Zenith will machine your heads or you can easily machine your own, I shot a video early on that shows the process.

https://youtu.be/GlDEQW1eXqo

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Permalink Reply by Bob Pustell on January 31, 2020 at 9:29am

As mentioned Zenith will machine your heads for you but that involves shipping them back and forth. Others have machined them at home using Dremel tools, rotary burrs, all kinds of things. As also mentioned there are several threads in this discussion forum about forming the heads. Unless you have dimensions from someplace it involves trial and error, machine it a bit and then set a rivit with it. If you don't like the head it forms, machine it a bit more and set another rivit with it and check that result. Repeat until happy.

I took the easy way out since I only owned a hardware store pop rivit puller. I bought both the manual and pnuematic puller from Zenith with the modified heads. That way I know I will have the heads exactly the way the design intends.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Hill on January 31, 2020 at 10:42am

dimensions are easy, 1/4" carbide burr, depth is until the outer diameter of the cut is just slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the rivet head, polish until smooth and you are done. Same tool and procedure for a4 or a5 rivets.

No annealing or heat treat necessary. In reality it takes less than a half hour to do both sizes, a carbide burr for the dremel(about $10) and a piece of silicone carbide sandpaper or cratex wheel for the dremel.

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Permalink Reply by Greg O'Shannessy on January 31, 2020 at 6:26pm

Thanks Bob and Dan

I eventually found the posts, I was using the wrong search terms.

I will give the modifications a go myself, Distance between Missouri and Australia makes it a long wait

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Permalink Reply by Dan Hill on January 31, 2020 at 8:00pm

the video I linked to is an early one and not a good one. The content is valid just poor quality. I have a better one in editing now. Should have it posted by tomorrow

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Permalink Reply by Greg O'Shannessy on January 31, 2020 at 8:04pm

Hi Dan

I took a look at the video, no issues with the quality.

Haven seen it, I now feel more confident and will definitely give it a go.

Cheers

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Permalink Reply by Robert Boyd on February 2, 2020 at 10:26am

Hi Dan, I recently purchased 600 Avex 1/8” rivets, that are from Aircraft Spruce. Their part number is

1604-0412. The heads on these are smaller diameter than my rivet heads. So being that the outer edge of the rivet head does not come out to the edge of the head will they cup properly if I grind the heads. Or are these possibly incorrect heads.

Attachments:

• CB5F4E90-9100-4586-8CCB-43C0BE7D471B.jpeg, 1.9 MB

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Permalink Reply by Dan Hill on February 2, 2020 at 12:00pm

Hi Robert: Yes they will work fine. When I said that the rivet should match the head I was refering to the outer edge of the rivet needs to match the outer edge of the cutout you are going to make on the rivet nose. I will upload a drawing in just a few minutes.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Boyd on February 2, 2020 at 12:47pm

Dan you are Awesome, thanks so much.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Hill on February 3, 2020 at 9:38am

re-uploaded my drawing

Attachments:

• IMG_3053.JPG, 1.2 MB

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Permalink Reply by Dan Hill on February 2, 2020 at 12:45pm

this is the updated video

https://youtu.be/O3V5n7ztdl4

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Permalink Reply by Greg O'Shannessy on February 3, 2020 at 1:03am

Thanks Dan

Will give it a go, great video

Cheers

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