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Pop Rivets and similar blind rivets are great for use where only one side is accessible, but where the back-side shows, the rivet head is not flush with the surface, just bulging out a bit from the divot made by the "nail" head.

Is there a better way to flatten out that side than pushing put the broken-off head and flattening the rivet with a punch and anvil (such as another hammer)? The end result is not always neat, and requires three hands when used away from a hard surface to hold the anvil.

DrMoishe Pippik
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  • If you can get to the back side, use regular rivets. A pop-rivet is intended for applications where the back is inaccessible. – blacksmith37 Dec 08 '21 at 15:18

2 Answers2

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Though I don't usually answer my own questions, I came up with a simple solution today while riveting a mailbox: Use a flat-head nail to pull the bulging side of the rivet flat.

  1. Before riveting, find a flat-head nail with shank of the same diameter, or just slightly smaller, than the "nail" that is part of the rivet. You can push the rivet off its own shaft to check that the nail slides through freely, then put the rivet's "nail" back into the rivet.
  2. Rivet as you would normally.
  3. Use the nail or a punch to pop out the part of the "nail" that breaks off, remaining in the rivet.
  4. Put the flat-head nail through from either side of the rivet, and use the riveting tool to pull on the nail as if it were the rivet's shaft. There's no need to pull until the head pops off, as long as the bulge flattens neatly. This is surprisingly easy to do, especially with soft aluminum rivets.
  5. Remove the flat-head nail.
  6. If need be, put a dab of glue or paint in the center to seal the hole.

Why not use the just the flat-head nail, rather than go through a two-step process? Those attempts left the rivet incompletely flattened; the original "nail" is designed to flare the hole, which I found is needed before flattening the head further. (Mileage may vary -- if you have a stronger nail and riveting tool you might be able to avoid the two-step.)

From now on, I'm keeping a few suitable nails along with my rivets.

DrMoishe Pippik
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  • You have me curious. I just popped out to my workshop for a look-see. Seems it would take a 3d box nail or smaller for a 1/8" rivet. What did you find that worked? – isherwood Dec 07 '21 at 21:58
  • If used near an an edge, farm supply stores have a rivet tool for sickle bar knifes that does rivets neat without need for hammer and anvils. need to use often to pay for it(~100$). – crip659 Dec 07 '21 at 22:00
  • @crip659, could you add a link to that tool? Though I find the US$20 Pop rivet tool I have good for general purpose use, if I had a lot of rivets to flatten, that might be a good alternative -- though, as you state, you have to be near an edge of the work piece to squeeze the rivet. – DrMoishe Pippik Dec 07 '21 at 22:06
  • @isherwood, I'm not sure exactly what type I used -- just reached into an old box of assorted small nails (sticking myself a few times in the process ;-). The shaft is ~1/16", 0.063" or 1.6 mm, which translates to perhaps a 2d USA nail size. Of course, different size rivets need different nails. However, I can reuse the same nail a few times until it fractures. – DrMoishe Pippik Dec 07 '21 at 22:14
  • Can google sickle bar rivet tool. It is for real(solid rivets) rivets in difficult places, but should flatten pop rivets easy, if near an edge(~1 or 2 inch). https://www.farmking.com/Product/Product?productId=193089. Just one of many. – crip659 Dec 07 '21 at 22:21
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    I'd just use rivets (the usual for this sort of work being "rivet and washer" type so you don't have to flare the head nearly so far to make it grab) rather than starting with pop rivets. Pop rivets are for where you cannot see or get to the backside, or just don't care about the backside. Rather than try to make them what they are not, use rivets that are made to be flattened on both sides. – Ecnerwal Dec 07 '21 at 22:26
  • Just a thought, for just a few aluminum rivets, a C clamp would probably work and be handy also, instead of spending money. – crip659 Dec 08 '21 at 18:52
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use shorter rivets, they come in many sizes, if you pick the size that's just long enough the ball will not be trapped in the shaft for the rivet.

Jasen
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