Rivet Squeezer recommendation

[ed4banger]

Looking to work on some of my Craftsman boxes, and pulling and reattaching the handles. My pneumatic rivet setup is a bit awkward for doing these. Looking at the squeezers sold by Hanson and Rivetsonline, but I wonder if there are better choices out there. Looking to do semi-tubulars and solid aluminum. Thanks.


https://www.erivet.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=ERIVET_12167956_76522522&itemNbr=HS-60E

 

[Wamsutta]

If you want the absolute very best. . . .

https://www.tatco.com

 

[JTx1717]

Reviving this thread. I've come across some old craftsman tool boxes and looking into replace the rivets as well. That Tatco doesn't have a deep enough throat to reach where the rivets need to be attached and neither do those c-clamp style ones that they use for Tonka truck restorations. The only thing I can think of is buying air hammer attachments and a bucking bar to get those rivets in. Just starting with this and from what I can tell the rivets are semitubular rivets. Am I supposed to use a bucking bar on those style rivets or a different type of die on the back end?

 

[ed4banger]

Reviving this thread. I've come across some old craftsman tool boxes and looking into replace the rivets as well. That Tatco doesn't have a deep enough throat to reach where the rivets need to be attached and neither do those c-clamp style ones that they use for Tonka truck restorations. The only thing I can think of is buying air hammer attachments and a bucking bar to get those rivets in. Just starting with this and from what I can tell the rivets are semitubular rivets. Am I supposed to use a bucking bar on those style rivets or a different type of die on the back end?

Good timing, I just bought tools last week. Ordered a Tatco 6" squeezer, it should reach the rivets on the drawers of my roller (4-1/2" from drawer top). I already had a pneumatic setup I got from Eastwood, and will still use it as needed, but its pretty violent, and wanted to avoid using it if I could. For the semi-tubular, used one of these sets for my air hammer.rivet set

 

[JTx1717]

Thanks for your help again ed4banger. Are you replacing the rivets with solid ones? Let me know how it turns out.

 

[ed4banger]

Thanks for your help again ed4banger. Are you replacing the rivets with solid ones? Let me know how it turns out.

I have used solids in the past on small hip roof and other tool boxes, they work well. On my heritage roller I used semi-tubular, as I wantedto keep it close to original. I just replaced a couple rivets which needed it. Turned out well. Current job for which I'm tooling up is to do flush aluminum rivets to repair a pre-war box hinge. When I bought the squeezer though, made sure it was of a size which would handle my roller drawer handles should I remove them for cleaning.

 

[RTM]

Ohh, ignorant question: how would you attach a rivet to the top of a raised center roof? Like this shape? Do they make an offset / deep head at Tatco? Thanks

 

[ed4banger]

Ohh, ignorant question: how would you attach a rivet to the top of a raised center roof? Like this shape? Do they make an offset / deep head at Tatco? Thanks


On boxes like that I use a pneumatic rivet setter. Gap on squeezers will not accommodate a lid like that. Can either do solid or semi-tubular rivets.