Where are you? Someone local should be able to help.

No need for a rivet press. Just buy a rivet gun for 10-15$

I'm in Sugar Land

Rivet gun won't do it. Not factory rivets. I could do it if you ship it to me.

One option is to use a hammer and Pinbits' "Pressless riveting kit".
https://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9&products_id=72&zenid=90cd40ae8fd998a2d97676345ad85770

I tried this once and it made me suicidal. It also made me just want to cough up the money to get Pinrestore's riveting press and do my riveting the proper way rather than trying to save a buck.

I'll rivet the guy's plastic. It's the least I can do for a community that has always helped me.

Good on you B!

You Can make your own tool for under $20 and by some rivets from Hanson Rivets in California. Gonna cost you about $40 in the long run but at least you'll be able to do them on all your games.

You need 4 things
1) C-clamp (find one that is light weight but with a wide gap. (so you can get to rivets within wide reach places)
2) kwikweld (to solder the die and clamp together)
3) Tubular Rivets (http://www.hansonrivet.com/rivets/tubular-rivets/)
4) Squeezer Dies (this is what you weld to the C clamp) (http://www.hansonrivet.com/tools-machines/riveting-accessories/riveting-squeezer-dies-2/)

The only thing left to do is squeeze the damn thing into place. Works like a charm.

c-clamp.jpg (resized).png
kwikweld.jpg (resized).png
pasted_image (resized).png
pasted_image (resized).png

pasted_image (resized).png

pasted_image (resized).png

I use my c-clamp press way more than my arbor press from pinrestore.

flashinstinct GREAT post! Are there any "standard" sizes that we should order (in terms of squeezer dies) if we want to make several of these and have them on hand?

The number of sizes on the menu is high, so wondering if your experience indicates that pinball applications only require X number of sizes to cover 90% of our jobs...

Thanks!

If you ship it to me I could do it also. I have the rivets and tool.

Hi,

I was offering the press and rivets I have to help. Do not know where you are in Texas, guess not close by. As Boob has offered his press all is good.

Note; some of the ideas sound interesting except for the hammer idea and conventional rivets. The press squeezes the rivet so the forces are applied to the rivet and deforming the open end as intended and is as gentle as possible to the plastic. I do use use a rivet tool and tool for for non plastic metal to metal applications but mostly the press is the better alternative.

Why not just eliminate the rivets and use #8 screws and nylock nuts, never have to worry again.

There are standard sizes for the rivet heads but found it useful to get different lengths. The body of the rivet is 1/8" the head If the rivet is in a prominent place I used a more polished aluminium rivet. I'm not holding the bags in front of me right now but if you call them they can tell you the lengths and shape of the heads for these.

My last order from Hansen was this

C1-7-ST 5056 ALUMINUM RIVET
MS20450-C8-AD8 ALUMINUM RIVET
MS16535-156
MS20450-C8-AD10 ALUMINUM RIVET
MS16535-158
MS20450-C8-16 STEEL RIVET
MS16535-124
ABUP-4 ALUMINUM BACK-UP WASHER

Most places just don't have the space and the shaped hole in the plastic prevents the screw from being flush to the surface.

All good but Hanson I believe need a min order of 100 rivets per size. PBR has all the rivet sizes we need and sells by the unit. For the length measure the thickness of the plastic and the metal frame add a 1/16" max and you got the length. For the diameter it is either 1/8" or 3/32". Drill out the old rivets and see which diameter it is. Lastly use the copper color rivets the same as what your picture indicates.

Anyway as Boob is going to do it this message is really for him if he is drinking.

I don't drink; I'm naturally stupid enough.

I have the whole assortment pack of rivet sizes from Pinrestore. All is good...

I think I have used #4 screws and locknuts in place of rivets and they look great and hold fine.
I doubt I would do it on a ramp flap, but a general plastic mount should be no problem.

same here and if you have need to access or replace the part it's attached to it's easy.

This is what I use for ramp flaps:

http://tubularrivetclincher.yolasite.com/

It looks like a Hanson CA2004-03 would work for Oval/Truss head 1/8. Do you order two of these to put on the C clamp? One end for the head and the other for the tail?

They are two different pieces. One is hallow to accepted the dome shape of the rivet and the other has a hallow end with a point in the middle to the the shaft of the rivet on itself

Im in Houston Texas. If you want to get it to me Ill do it for you. I have a press and rivets. I wont even charge you to do it.

It looks like the CA2004-03 is the piece needed for the tail then? What part number do I need to order for the head?

Same here

I ordered a long time ago canr remember but the folks at hanson can help you out

If you need an addy to send it let me know.

Everyone likes the Boob more than me. Glad you got it done.

It was fun. I don't really gamble that much because I always lose and I'm a cheapskate. The shows are awesome and there are so many. Lots of comedians and bands. Hell The Who was there last night or tonight. The Circus du Solei O was just amazing. There are some great places to eat but they are not cheap. Well some are but most will cost you a Benjamin each especially if you drink. You will enjoy it. Watch out for the TSA

Not my wife.

I will say...This thread has motivated me to buy a rivit press.

OP, I'm glad you're taken care of.

Folks wondering about rivet tools:

If you know a gunsmith locally, borrow (or ask them to do it) their AR swivel staking tool.

I bought one years ago for about $20 and it works great for these.

Yeah, but to be fair, who doesn't like boobs?

flashinstinct I think your C clamp idea looks awesome, but I don't understand how you mounted the dies. Every one of the squeezer dies I've seen has little nub on the end that seems to fit into some kind of rivet tool (no idea what that is). In your picture, it actually looks like you flush mounted the one on the bottom? Did you drill a hole in the clamp?

Metal saw, a vice and a bench grinder are your friend. After i cut the pieces flush i put a rivet between the dies and squeeze the clamp slightly to make sure both pieces were aligned. Then i added the kwikweld to the base and the top. Let them dry for a full day....no problems since then. Someone sells these things online somewhere but i just made my own.

The thing I don't understand is why someone doesn't sell a friggen tool that is exactly this, but allows you to change the die. This is insanely stupid!