Rivet question on tin boat

[GarageGuy89]

Replacing some aluminum rivets on a Valco 14'er. Is there a certain grade aluminum rivet i should be using or can i walk down to HD and pull them off the shelf and go.

Thanks!


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[cjcocn]

I believe that you should be looking for aircraft grade, solid rivets.

HD does not carry those as far as I know.

Read up on this a while back and I seem to recall some advise about using a sealant along with rivets ... something suitable for use with aluminum.

Hope this helps.

 

[KmanCave]

You need brazier head solid rivets in aluminum. I would check Grainger or Fastenal for local stock especially if you are near the Puget Sound and the land of Boeing. No affiliation. If you strike out try the manufacturers Jay-Cee or Hansen. Hope this helps.

 

[johnnyradiant]

Fastenal is my goto rivet place. If they don't have it they can order it. I needed some copper rivets awhile back they were the only place I could find that could get some. And they did it in a couple days. I checked around all the other places to see if they had any. The rest didn't even have listings so I went back and ordered them and was pleasantly surprised by the time it took to get them. They normally seem to have a large selection of the more common stuff including several alum. sizes.

 

[tthornto]

If it's just a couple rivets plain old Aluminum Pop rivets plus 3m 5200 sealant will work for many years. I used this method to reattach the seat brackets on an 12' sears aluminum boat, and the repair was still holding strong 5 years later when I got rid of the boat. I wouldn't trust pop rivets anywhere below the water line but just about any where else they would be fine.

 

[bepjrfan]

If it's just a couple rivets plain old Aluminum Pop rivets plus 3m 5200 sealant will work for many years. I used this method to reattach the seat brackets on an 12' sears aluminum boat, and the repair was still holding strong 5 years later when I got rid of the boat. I wouldn't trust pop rivets anywhere below the water line but just about any where else they would be fine.

3M 5200 sealant is a must for any hull repairs on a boat. Highly recommended. Just replaced the transom on our boat and that stuff works wonders.

 

[Red Voodoo]

Aircraft Spruce carries any kind of rivet you could need. Not expensive, but you may end up with WAY more than you need.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/

"AD" material rivets will probably be your best bet; very common in aircraft. For a "button" head (protruding) rivet an MS20470AD4 (1/8" diameter) would be typical. You'd also need to specify a grip length (they go in 1/16" increments). Total material thickness you're riveting plus the rivet diameter should get you close.

 

[VC-Racing]

I just did this project a few years ago on my 10' Sears Jon boat . I went to Fastenal and got Blind or Closed Rivets and borrowed a friend's air powered rivet gun. I replaced 25 in one afternoon and then sealed them with 3m 5200 sealer as a backup. I have a few pics of my project I'll add once I find them .