H in t s F or H o m e b uil d e r s
Inexpensive
Rivet-Removing Punch
Make one yourself
By Cy Galley
Many squeezed rivets are removed by drilling a hole
in the rivet head, and then a pin punch is inserted into
the hole and used to snap off the manufactured head.
A single pin punch can cost $8 to $10, and it might not
have the fit you need. Then, again, you might have a pin
punch set but not have the size you need. Or perhaps
you'll have to order a punch and wait for it to be delivered. The pin punch should be the same size as your
drilled hole.
Remember, if you bend or break it, you can always make
another. You can also make a pin punch of most any
size using this method. Make the handle of aluminum or
steel rod so you can hammer on it. Voilà, a homemade
3/32-inch punch.
Got a tip for your fellow builder? Send it to Experimenter
at experimenter@eaa.org.
Without realizing it, you probably already have a ready
stock of the high-grade steel of the precise diameter
you need to make your own punch. A broken drill shank
of the required size and your favorite file or die handle,
or even a wooden dowel rod, will do the trick.
This drill shank was fixed in the handle by using "flox"
(cotton fiber and epoxy) inside the handle. Then to
complete it, the tip square at the end was ground to get
a nice clean fit as well as a bit of a biting edge inside a
newly drilled hole in the rivet head.
Hints for Homebuilders Videos
Bending Wood Capstrips
In this video, Earl Luce demonstrates an easy method for pre-bending your wood capstrips. Earl
is an EAA SportAir Workshop instructor and a volunteer EAA Technical Counselor.
Composite Fairings Made Easy
Almost every project requires making some special composite fairings. In this episode, Wally
Anderson demonstrates how to fabricate a quick and easy composite fairing. Wally is an EAA
technical counselor.
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Vol.2 N o.4 / A pril 2013