Solid Rivet Air Hammer Tool

[1930Finch]

So I’m replacing the rear channel that the rear leaf spring slides into on my 1930 Model A Tudor Sedan.Also was wondering what you guyz are using to replace the round headed rivets that hold the “Beacket/Channel” to the frame rails? Or even any tricks that can make this job go smoothly.

[Joe K]

Much has been written on "re-riveting" the frame.

The technique seems to revolve most solidly around "closing in the holes" by welding, getting alignment, drilling, and then re-riveting in a fresh hole.

The hole CAN be expanded by the previous riveting process, which makes a new rivet placed in a drilled out hole more questionable. There may be oversize rivets now available to remove the need to weld.

"Rivet Kits" are available which give you the correct size and count of rivets to do a job. IIRC each crossmember has its own kit.

A gas torch with a "pencil head" would be best for heating the rivet shanks. The rivet gun can be any of the air guns commonly used on exhaust pipe splitting work. There are tools made to a standard size to fit most guns, and available at the same Model A supplier who provides the rivets.

As to technique, one is best advised to follow the description in the "How to Restore Your Model A" series of books. The writer of that article even gives dimensions of "dollies" to aid in your re-riveting.

Re-riveting is NOT something you do with the suspension under the car, or the body on top. At least not to do it right. The use of these dollies involves "flipping" the frame and making the approach always from the "top" supported by the dollies. IIRC, he "dimples" the dollies to receive the heads of the rivets in certain instances.

How to Restore Your Model A Jenkins, Bill, "Riveting the Model A Frame", photo, illus., Volume 4, p 4-5

My last inquiry into this (for re-riveting a Model A center crossmember) was back in the near years after 2020 - when rivet supply was a little "challenged." I imagine they are available now. I'll have to check...

Joe K

[rotorwrench]

My riveting experience came with a long career in aviation. For the really large rivets I use a 5X or 5-inch barrel pneumatic rivet gun. A longer one will work better for the large diameters but a 5X will work in a pinch. All solid riveting procedures are similar but driving hot steel rivets is closer in relation with old bridge and sky scraper building construction. Heat them red hot and start driving. A person could do it by themselves with a lot of tooling access but it helps to have a few buddies around.

Ford used very large specially made hydro-pneumatic rivet squeezers so they did it cold. This type of equipment is long gone in the modern era.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

We use a 3X CP Rivet gun on all of our frame repairs. The rivets are indeed heated to 'cherry red' prior to bucking.

[1930Finch]

Originally Posted by Joe K

Much has been written on "re-riveting" the frame.

The technique seems to revolve most solidly around "closing in the holes" by welding, getting alignment, drilling, and then re-riveting in a fresh hole.

The hole CAN be expanded by the previous riveting process, which makes a new rivet placed in a drilled out hole more questionable. There may be oversize rivets now available to remove the need to weld.

"Rivet Kits" are available which give you the correct size and count of rivets to do a job. IIRC each crossmember has its own kit.

A gas torch with a "pencil head" would be best for heating the rivet shanks. The rivet gun can be any of the air guns commonly used on exhaust pipe splitting work. There are tools made to a standard size to fit most guns, and available at the same Model A supplier who provides the rivets.

As to technique, one is best advised to follow the description in the "How to Restore Your Model A" series of books. The writer of that article even gives dimensions of "dollies" to aid in your re-riveting.

Re-riveting is NOT something you do with the suspension under the car, or the body on top. At least not to do it right. The use of these dollies involves "flipping" the frame and making the approach always from the "top" supported by the dollies. IIRC, he "dimples" the dollies to receive the heads of the rivets in certain instances.

How to Restore Your Model A Jenkins, Bill, "Riveting the Model A Frame", photo, illus., Volume 4, p 4-5

My last inquiry into this (for re-riveting a Model A center crossmember) was back in the near years after 2020 - when rivet supply was a little "challenged." I imagine they are available now. I'll have to check...

Joe K

Wow what a heck of a write up/reply I appreciate that thank you 🙏🏽

[wrndln]

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I rivet like Brent does with a 3X CP rivet gun after heating the rivet to cherry red.

Rusty Nelson

[Bob Bidonde]

Ditto Brent's technique. I also use heat and a pneumatic 3X rivet gun. I also used rivet squeezers. The structural imperative of installing rivets is that they completely fill the hole without any blossoming between the parts.