hand riveter that doesn't ****?

[tpolley]

does such a thing exist?

i recently started a new job working with sheet metal. i use a hand riveter several times a day. i have a company issued "klik fast". i hate that thing with a burning passion. you gotta be a basket ball player to use it. i have to use both hands to get it started because the handles open so wide i can't get my hand around it. when the mandrel pops off the handle on the riveter slams closed all the way smashing the sh*t out of my hand.

a co-worker swears by his pop powerlink 30. he says they don't make them anymore. i haven't been able to find one.

your thoughts?

 

[jeep450]

Look up Huck brand. They are the best out there but they are very high.

 

[rt dak]

Gesipa Flipper.

 

[nexum1919]

I had good luck with Stanley MR77C Swivel Head Riveter

Used many times to fix rear doors, shelving, floor panels etc on delivery step vans. It maxes out while pulling 3/16 aluminum avex rivets (530lbs tensile) but anything smaller is no problem.
It's pretty much the best $20 can buy, I can not speak for any professional or power riveters.

 

[alan camby]

I have a cool cordless drill operated riveter. Only used it a few times, so can't coment on how reliable. It is real small. If you have to carry a cordless drill it might be a option. Here is the website.
http://www.s-bgroup.com/lobster.html

The unit is called a rivedrill.
It is made in Spain.

 

[ilovevocs]

The malco with replaceable heads is a descent unit. It is far superior to home store brands.

 

[jeep450]

here you go

http://www.toolsource.com/manual-riveter-hand-rivet-tool-p-124560.html

 

[Rusty Musket]

Tpolley,

I have this in my "things to sell" pile. Sure looks similar to your Powerlink 30 image. I have not used it but if you can find any positive feedback that makes it of interest to you, shoot me a PM. Otherwise, I am watching this thread with as much interest as you since I always love to learn more about unfamiliar tools.

 

[Chamkila]

Tpolley,

I have this in my "things to sell" pile. Sure looks similar to your Powerlink 30 image. I have not used it but if you can find any positive feedback that makes it of interest to you, shoot me a PM. Otherwise, I am watching this thread with as much interest as you since I always love to learn more about unfamiliar tools.

how much are you asking might be interested.

 

[Monte]

Gesipa

 

[KyleQ]

I like the one you pictured, but I have big hands...

 

[rlitman]

I'm not a fan of pop rivets, but I find them useful from time to time.
If I used them more, I think I'd get one of those pneumatic tools from HF.
Has anybody had any luck with those?

 

[tpolley]

The Gesipa Flipper looks like the best option and best price. Plus it catches the mandrels. I work on roof tops and leaving behind mandrels or using an air riveter isn't an option. My contract says I can't use my own potter tools so that rules out a battery powered one. $200 for a Huck is way more than I want to spend.

Rusty, the one I pictured and the one you're selling is the klick fast I hate so much.

 

[acer66]

I have a Gesipa for 20+ years and no problems.

 

[duude]

I'm not a fan of pop rivets, but I find them useful from time to time.
If I used them more, I think I'd get one of those pneumatic tools from HF.
Has anybody had any luck with those?

I have one. Works well...so far. Don't buy the HF rivets though. The pneumatic gun sometimes pulls half of the shaft off and leaves it too short to grab again.

 

[packofqtips]

wow, i just did a quick search for battery powered ones and they were wicked expensive!!
i had a really nice pneumatic one my old boss got off the cornwell truck for me when we had to do a box truck roof. is air an option for you or does it have to be by hand?

 

[DHS]

I too use the Marson but never have a problem. If you don't like to squeeze it with handles spread wide you can just go a little at a time so one hand can reach both handles. You have to start it with a little space between the rivet and riveter, and then only open handles slightly just enough for it to bite again. I think the Marsons are top notch.

 

[Monte]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a35xrfg6XIU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[browntown]

I have a cool cordless drill operated riveter. Only used it a few times, so can't coment on how reliable. It is real small. If you have to carry a cordless drill it might be a option. Here is the website.
http://www.s-bgroup.com/lobster.html

The unit is called a rivedrill.
It is made in Spain.

that looks pretty cool actually. I was cursing my craftsman swivel head gizmo when using 3/16" rivets that required both hands and a lot of force just to give way or twist at the wrong time.

I'd ideally like to find a pneumatic one on ebay for cheap, but the rivedrill is a new contender.

 

[metaleltr]

Huck hand riveter

price= 223.46

 

[Lotek]

Maybe invest in one of these instead...

I picked up one of the HF units to do the Volt recall, you have to pull 50 1/4" rivets, did one with my Huck then went to the dark side, Works well, the rivet catcher broke, I'm going to rig a bag on it, mandrels can fly a long way. Had to disassemble and clean up the hole in the middle of the ram after about 600 rivets, no surprise, it's HF.

 

[bimmerZ5]

I had good luck with Stanley MR77C Swivel Head Riveter

Used many times to fix rear doors, shelving, floor panels etc on delivery step vans. It maxes out while pulling 3/16 aluminum avex rivets (530lbs tensile) but anything smaller is no problem.
It's pretty much the best $20 can buy, I can not speak for any professional or power riveters.

i have the MR77C too and thought it was a nice unit. but when I was doing 5/32 stainless steel rivets, OMG... I could barely pop half the rivets I had to install. the other half of the time I used a nylon rope around the handles and twisted the rope with a 3/8" breaker bar I had... that was the only way I could get the 5/32 stainless rivets to pop.... is that normal? I don't have huge hands, but I don't consider myself weak; i can curl at least 50lbs on each arm... but those rivets were killing me. are the hand operated ones really meant mostly for the aluminium rivets or smaller size ones?

 

[miketyler]

I too like the Marson. Used it MANY times in aircraft assembly. One of the few that could pull a cherry MAX rivet.

 

[Hal]

Several years ago I built a new maple syrup evaporator. We blew out three consumer grade riveters doing 3/16 stainless rivets. At the time I looked around for something better, but didn't pursue it, as this was a one time project,and most of the other pop rivets I use are 1/8 mild steel or aluminum, and not many of those.

 

[browntown]

I'm convinced I need to buy a pneumatic/hydraulic riveter for 3/16ths in the future. It was so difficult to do with the roto-head hand riveter, that I might just plunk down the extra money and get one.

 

[ilovevocs]

Both harbor freight units are good for what they cost IMHO. I could never use a swivel head riveter period, they just take to much effort for the volume of riveting I do. I prefer stainless rivets; I do allot of Architectual metal work.

 

[kmacht]

If you have an air line available I highly recommend the riveter below.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-16-inch-air-hydraulic-riveter-93458.html

Just check to make sure it has enough fluid before you use it the first time. So far I have pulled over 10,000 rivets on a sonex airplane using one.

Keith

 

[FlushingDIYer]

Hey everyone, I know this is kind of an old thread but figured it was probably a good idea to keep this information in one place. Just wondering if this is still the best under $20 hand riveter. Need to correct some mouldings on our car and need to put some rivets in. Probably won't get used that often.

Stanley MR77C Swivel Head Riveter
$16.99

I know Harbor Freight makes a really cheap one... does it really ****?
Hand Riveter Set $4.99

As always, thanks for the insight!

 

[Cope]

I have the Marson that has been shown, but I also have an Astro Pneumatics PR14. It runs ±$100 online. If you have air, it is a dream.

 

[ecotec]

I have mostly used Marsons, they work pretty well. The swivel ones are harder on the hands. I have never owned on, though.

 

[colin39]

Lazy tongs

 

[aka Larry]

I assume you want a hand riveter because you don't have the option to go pneumatic? What size and type of material rivets? How many per day? The rivets I use (on my race car) are 3/16" aluminum, but with a steel pin. After popping about 5-10, I was ready for a pneumatic gun. I bought one from HF for less than $20 and have used it for several hundred rivets with no issues. The only time I use my hand rivet gun now is on 1/8" all-aluminum rivets.

 

[B_Bimmer]

I have broken several cheaper ones, that stanley one is still kicking. I don't use it often but when I do I am hard on it. Very impressed for the price.

 

[scissorman]

Marson hand riveter is what I have and love it.

 

[ken w.]

I've had a Marson for 30 + years and it's still works good. I can relate to it being tough to squeeze as I don't have big hands. I bought a HF riveter to do window regulators and it's OK. It's nothing special , but it will do 1/4" rivets without a problem.

 

[Boneebone]

I was looking for a good hand riveter last year and did alot of research and read alot of reviews and I also chose the Marson.

I used it a few times and it does what it's supposed to do and is also rebuildable.

 

[bonneyman]

Emhart PRP 26a - hands down the best manual pop riveter I've used.

At the bottom of page 53 of their catalog.

http://products.afi.cc/contentonly.aspx?file=images/vendors/POP.pdf

 

[eddieK]

Bonneyman got it right -

Been in the trade since the late 70's...This is the ONLY riveter I will use

image upload

 

[yhprum]

Has anyone used one of these? https://www.rivedrill.com/

 

[Billy Jack]

Bonneyman got it right -

Been in the trade since the late 70's...This is the ONLY riveter I will use

image upload

You mean they still make that thing?
I have one that was my father's, over 60 years old and I thought they were long ago replaced by something cheaper and flimsier. I've been involved with a Sprint Car race team, where we run wings over the roll cage and over the front axle. The owner has a habit of buying damaged wings at race car flea markets, then dropping them off at my shop for repair. Sometimes I'm pulling over a hundred rivets at a time (fortunately, not often).
I've had the Marson shown earlier for over 30 years, which I devote for 3/16" use, but the 60's POP tool is the one I grab first for 1/8" rivets, normally aluminum with steel mandrel. It's smaller and lighter than the Marson, but still pulls rivets just as well. Every few years you run a thread file thru the collets to sharpen the teeth and you're good for a lifetime.

Bill