Re: [VAL] Re: Riveting

[Roy Lashway <rlashway@xxxxxxxxxx>]

You need to use Olympic Rivets on the outside.  You can use the same 
rivet gun as with pop rivets except you will have about a1/2 inch 
shaft/stem sticking up  after your rivet gun cuts off.  These shafts can 
be cut down with wire cutter or similar tool to about 1/8 inch or less.  
Then you  grind down this shaft and smooth it off to the top of the 
rivet.  This seals the rivet top.  This is usually done with a special 
rivet head grinding tool but on the roof you do not need to worry so much 
about a real smooth finish.  I have used a small grinding wheel in a 1/4 
inch drill and with a delicate touch you can get a reasonable smooth 
finish.  I also used a small file and even  a nail polishing board.  
After this I used aluminum polish and buffer to shine them up.  Mine 
rivets were exposed at the lower part of trailor.  Do not use the pop 
rivets on the exterior as they do not have the holding power and have a 
different expansion mechanism on the interior.  You can use the same 
holes and if necessary take a drill to open the hole and push out any 
existing part of old rivets.

Roy Lashway
'78 Argosy,'56 Bubble
WBCCI 1610     VAC
rlashway@zianet.com
web site: www.zianet.com/rlashway
   (polishing report included)