I've watched countless videos on building framing for decking on aluminum jon boats and not one mentioned that solid rivets are not installed the same way as pop rivets aka 1 uses a rivet gun, the other requires your methods. Thank you for this video and for sharing your knowledge. You just saved me from ordering the wrong materials.
This the best demonstration I ever seen now I know how to use solid revet to fix my grandpa alluminium boat thank you sir I'm really need this video to save
Got some leaky rivets, this is by far the best video I have seen for fixing them. Although, I do wonder since all the leaky rivets go thru a rib on the inside, do I need to sand under the rib so the aluminum is clean on both sides? Thanks
Thank you for the kind words. The seal is achieved by the rivet being smashed out against the drilled hole. The surfaces don’t help that much. I’d just clean as best as you can. Maybe spray a little paint on the surface then put new rivet in. Thanks for watching.
Excellent instructions. I have to patch two quarter sized holes in the floor of my jon boat with some thin aluminum plate, sealant and rivets. Now I'm confident that I can do it. Thank you 👍👍
You are the man! I scrolled down thinking that exact phrase and the first comment was this other guy saying it, Ha. Anyway, I really appreciate the detail in these video's. My son and I are putting together a fishing boat and I'm bookmarking all of your video's for future use, Thanks!
You are THE MAN! I am preparing to go out fishing and was ordering extra bilge pumps and flex seal tape (which works for a while). But now... I am confident I can handle this repair on my own. Thank you so much. Very comprehensive explanations.
Exactly what i was looking for thank you it was very informative. My son has a 16 lund and it leaks pretty bad and im thinking of replacing the rivets and ive been looking through some of the videos this one was the best video by far. Thanks again
You have saved me a lot of time, money, and frustration, I’m going to order what I need and fix the leaks on my old Montgomery ward fishing boat. Thanks for getting me back on the water my friend!
Bought a old 1448. Never worked with aluminum and my knowledge of rivet types/uses is zilch. Just a tad worried about making things worse. Tried viewing numerous videos to get myself educated but just didn't get that warm fuzzy feeling until I came across yours. Seriously, you should be teaching shop class. Your instructions are clear and concise. I'm pumped now, but will practice some before I try it for real. "Even a caveman can do it" lol
Thanks for the tutorial. I want to share my experience with others, so they can avoid my regrets... I got a free 18' Starcraft Chieftain off Craigslist. It was sitting in the woods for 10 years with a blocked drain (floors and any other wood, completely rotted away. Trailer was in fair condition...Engine and Kicker were resurrected for minimal cost (impellers, gear oil and one Mercury wiring harness (I think it was $120). Everything on the outside of the hull looked good, except for one rivet on the mid-bottom 8 inches fwd of the transom. Gutted the insides (removed what was left of floors, foam, rat nests etc). Gave it a good cleaning including pressure washing and let it dry out for a week. With the inside of the hull dry... I used a pressure washer on the outside of the hull...no water came in...so I figured everything was good. Yada Yada Yada...I completely re-built and re-wired the boat, put foam and floors in place and added a 2nd bilge pump. Took it out in a calm lake on a warm day and noticed that there was a lot of water...I estimate 5 gallons in about an hour. Seems like more than leaking rivets. My point: (and my biggest regret) If you have a boat project...work on the trailer first...then gut your boat and take it to a lake to see for yourself whether it actually leaks. My suspicion and my plan: The bottom most piece of aluminum forming this boat is continuous, except where it is cut at the front to form a point...In this area I see that someone had poured resin (visible on the inside...and just noticed that I can see a little seepage on both sides of the aluminum keel strip on the outside). I actually remember during the gutting...that I picked out some of this resin because it was blocking the drain path along the keel (rib/frame has a bridged area (rib flare) right over the keel, to allow water flow). My plan is to remove the bow compartment floor and cabin center floor/foam...and put the boat back in the lake...to verify my suspicion. If that is my leak...then I guess I'll have to find a good flexible resin to pour into the area. I guess an alternative to the lake leak test...would be to point the boat bow-down and fill bow area with water.... As an alternative...guess I could install a 3rd bilge pump...LOL. That seam is suspect...any thoughts?
Awesome response. That is a common leak point and an easy fix if cleaned and dried properly. I airways fill my boats with water. I have a video showing how I do it. Just don’t over fill. I nose down and fill to check front then tilt it nose up and repeat. As for the seams. I use G-flex. On warm metal it flows like water and will fill the smallest of holes permanently. I use a heat gun to dry it and warm the area. It pours great and you. A use a syringe to feel the lap seams. Good luck and again thank you.
Yep. I got access and just looked at it again...still a bit of water pooled forward of resin filled frame drain. Semi smoking gun I guess...just need to decide how much of old resin to chip out and which new (flexible?) Resin to use to "patch".
Thank you! I was dreading redoing the rivets on my boat. I tried flex sealing the rivets, it didn't last one trip out on the ocean. Your knowledge and demonstrations may have saved me from buying 2nd boat. Thank you again.
@@bowl830Would it be possible to book my ex-wives a trip out on the ocean in that pop-riveted aluminum boat with flex seal? I could buy me a brand new boat
just wanted to take a moment to say thank you. I'm on my second riverboat and leeks it always been a big deal. I've always painted the outside of the boat and lined the inside with gluvit. it does work and it will seal the boat but lo and behold over the years they break free and start leaking again. This sounds awesome!!
Thank you. I only got a friend teaching boatin stuff so this is really helpful since I have only used pop rivets on building stuff but never boats. Now I know! Also I didn't even realize the implication of using stainless steel on a aluminum boat so thank you for all that knowledge.
Thank you so much for this, I am going to fix my aluminum boat this way. And I always use 5200 around my rivets always so no leaks will be detected anytime soon.
Just a fyi. Put the sealer on the inside of boat. Try to keep the river head free of any type of thick adhesive. It can cause a gap between the head and the surface. That can cause a bad seal over time and a loose rivet. Thank you for watching I appreciate it
That tool you made by cutting down a chisel is a great idea , a very informative video Jeff . We need to tag team a DIY one of these days . Or just go fishing lol
Great video. I was about to start work on my aluminum bass boat and this tutorial video is the best i have seen in a while. very informative. thank you sir. you saved me a lot of time and money.
Another great video my friend and great information. Jeff you are a friend to all fisherman by helping us learn how to do thing that save us money and do things themselves. Thanks for sharing this. 🇺🇸
Thank you so much. I’m doing another boat now. I appreciate the support, I’m planning on building my channel as much as I can. Again thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
You've given me some courage to try this on my 'new-to-me' boat this winter. Great video, best one I've found. You should consider posting amazon affiliate links to the products you promote. You deserve a couple extra dollars that's for sure!
Thank you I appreciate the kind words. I’ll look into that. I’m building a shop now to do boat and fishing videos. I hope to have it up and running by October. Again thanks for watching and taking time to comment
Thanks for the video. I have a tracker topper 10/36 that I bought new. Had a few rivets that started leaking. Took it back to the dealership and they had someone weld the rivets that was leaking ( it was still under warranty) . But it really looks like crap. Now I know how to fix it right myself.
Nice video Jeff. I've only seen a few people that could hammer a rivet that nice, lol. I used to work in aviation in sheetmetal/structures. Ive shot thousands of solid rivets. If you ever need help shooting any give me a hollar. I still have all my rivet guns and sets and other tools.
Question on installing solid rivet in a Jon boat. Can you put the buckbar against the head and hammer the other end. That way we could replace the bad rivets with the boat on the trailer.
It’s not recommended. The reason why is the impact force is pushing the head away from the surface instead of toward the flat surface. This can cause a gap. That will cause the pieces to be able to move or get corrosion under the head and will leak again. Thanks for watching and commenting I hope it helps.
Hello TRTB, I love me two man aluminum boat and I tried your method. Seems to me I had to order those CLOSED END REVITS. I WENT ahead and used the standard revits. I will do the repair again when they come in. It is a small boat and the water pressure may not be that great.?? Albert
You will get a little leaking on standard rivets but you can push a little sealer in the open hole and it will last a good while. Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
good luck with your joints if you keep doing these. people who did them in ww2 had bad arthritis for the rest of their lives and could barely pick up a cup.
That’s a awesome hull. I’ve redid a few Smokercraft boats. The hills are as good or better than a Lund. Made just as well. Thanks for watching I appreciate it
@@bowl830 my friend I’ve shared your video at least three times in the last couple of days,I have it saved to my favorites so when someone asks about fixing rivets I send a link to your video,I’m the one thanking you ❤️
Great video. Thank you! I intend to use 3/16 closed pop rivets and 3M 5200 to seal some holes in my smokercraft phantom 170 transom. What length or grip range would you recommend for this application?
Thank you sir for making this video! Rivets underneath where my batteries sit have been leaking for awhile. Do you have a recommendation for paint/primer or epoxy to seal entire inside of the boat after i install new rivets?
I’m not a fan of just painting the inside with epoxies. It’s hard to get a good bond. It can be done. When I do it. I just epoxy seams and rivet lines. Then I use a good quality epoxy etching primer on it. Then just a good paint.
@@bowl830 thanks ! What about (bpm ) these air hammers seem a lot higher bpm then rivet guns . Is it hard to keep the hammer from drifting and damaging aluminum panels. Do I lower air on compressor or hammer or both ? I appreciate any help . I’m completely new to this !
@@keithm2327 that’s why I only use a trigger variable speed gun. They’re a lot more precise and easy to learn with. As always get you a piece of aluminum to practice on a few then go for it. The key is good straight forward pressure on the gun. Don’t push so hard you might slip off the head. It’s not hard once you get the hang of it
Great video and just what I was looking for. Had aluminum boats all my life and they all eventually leaked. Question for you. I'm cutting a 14" piece out of the center of the center bench seat (a spot where I can walk thru) in a 14ft aluminum V hull boat. I need to remove the support that attaches from the seat to the bottom of the boat. Will a solid rivet just fill the holes where I drill them out? Thanks
Great video. I have an old 16 foot lund that has some leaky rivets.I have seen 3/16 closed end rivets in 1/4, 3/16,and 1/2. How do you decide the length?
Great video! Thank you! I have a question for you. I have a 2003 Polar Kraft 168 Deep V with a significant leak. I did the water test and the leak appears to be coming from one of the strakes that are riveted on. I cannot tell which rivets are leaking though...the water comes out of the strake seam. The bottom of the boat is filled with foam that I would prefer not to cut out. Is it possible to do the sealed pop rivet method you discussed to replace the rivets holding the strake on? If so, what length rivet should I use? Is 1/2" enough? Where is the best place to order these rivets from? Thank you so much! I finally have some hope to fix these leaks!
Thank you for watching and commenting. I try not to use closed end rivets in anything structural. Now if it’s a rivet here and there or just a temp fix till I. A get to the top and bottom I use them all the time. The strakes act as guides and give the bottom some rigidity. It’s a hard call on that. The length should be good in that 1/2 range
JB weld ...wipe off the outside phenomenal stuff..... only thing I would do differently is yo have the buck drilled and dished to round the bucked side makes a very nice finish both sides
Yes. it’s rare that a hard aluminum rivet is used with sheet metal. They’re used for truss and frame connections mostly if at all in marine applications. 99% of the time they’re soft. A hard rivet is extremely difficult to tighten without hydraulics.
Great video. I was wondering about installing the solid rivets.i have a boat that is sealed with window caulking by the previous owner.is there a way i could tell the rivet size without drilling it out where I know what size to order?
What type /brand/model air operated rivet gun do you recommend. Also The nematic air hammer or what ever its called that you use to put in solid rivets with. What brand/model do you prefer or recommend.
The ones I used I. Video are just plain harbor freight tools. I’ve had the rivet gun for 10 years. It’s about wore out. I’ve but in tens of thousands of rivets with lol. The impact air hammer is the more expensive one from Harbor freight. You need a good variable speed to get good results if you’re new to it. Thank you for watching I appreciate it
Could you also use air hammer and set rivet that’s already in boat? Just to tighten it up or is it vest to drill out rivet and put new in? Do you have link to where to purchase solid rivets
If the rivet looks good and the metal doesn’t show signs of corrosion I have just used a hammer to tighten. If I can get to the loose rivet easily I usually just go ahead and replace it just to be sure. But I keep pounds of the rivets on hand lol. They can be a pain to find
Approximately how much longer should the grip area of the rivet be than the thickness of the metal? For example if I'm using a 1/8" thick aluminum plate to patch a hole in the floor of my jon boat about what length rivet would you use?
I have an old lund aluminum boat with a permanent floor that I don’t want to take off. Can I use a solid closed end pop rivet due to not having access to both sides of the hole? So long as I use the epoxy.
Yes sir. It’s not a perfect solution but I’ve done it in the past with great results. I’ve got some that’s been repaired that way for over 8 years. Just use aluminum rivets. Thanks for watching and commenting
I try to do the dome side. Just take your time and stay close to center. The head will pop off leaving the stem. Then I just tap the stem with a punch to knock it out.
What's the length of these rivets? By the way very helpful video and it's sure gonna help me on my 18 ft boat. It leaks but it doesn't leak so bad. And what type of epoxy do you use? Thank you!
I use Gflex epoxy. Non thickened most times for rivets. Thinner is better for that. 1/2” is usually good. Perfect world you want 5/16” sticking through when using a 3/16 rivet. Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
Thank you for your video. I have a question for you. I am doing a compleate restoration on an old Grumman aluminum fishing boat. Since we are supposed to use aluminum rivets on aluminum boat, what if I need to use some screws to fastened the new wood floor to the bottom? What do I use?
@@TheKanawa Probably too late, but if you have steel in contact with aluminum, it'll eventually corrode. You can put a bit of epoxy on the screws, or you can use a little bit of oil.
May be a stupid question but can you put the head of the rivet through the inside of the boat instead of on the bottom. Basically replace it to look factory or do you absolutely have to do it through the bottom?
You could but the factory puts them in from the outside with the rounded head facing out. Creates a smoother appearance. Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
Why didn't I have you as my teacher while in school. Going to my school in the army was crummy and dry compared to this. I actually want to do my job on aircraft.
Man that made my day. I truly appreciate it. Whats funny I was a Airforce nuclear, biological and chemical warfare (NBC) instructor back in the day. Comments like yours is what keeps me doing these videos. Thank you.
Need a little help, does a closed aluminum rivet with a steel mandrel matter? I can’t Find a closed 1/4 inch aluminum rivet with an aluminum mandrel anywhere, only with a steel mandrel and aluminum closed rivet. I try to do a quarter inch solid aluminum rivets that was a quarter inch long and with two people could not hit the river close like you did with a hammer and something solid on the other end, do I need a longer rivet? Thanks for your help great video
Yea I would use a longer solid rivet. You want plenty of meat on the back side. As for the steel mandrel. I got my closed end with aluminum mandrel from amazon. The only issue with a steel mandrel is if it gets wet it will cause corrosion in the rivet. Search The rivet Gallery on Amazon. They have what you need
Team Reelin The Blues would you go a 1/2 or 3/8 for the solid 1/4 in diameter rivet? To add I can find everything with a aluminum mandrel in Amazon, but 1/4 in. Thanks for your help and quick response. Your video helped a ton.
So the bottom of my transom is leaking around the rivets.. There is epoxy/caulking along the rivets which i pressure washed away... Once i prep and clean the rest of it, my plan would be, after watching your video, would be to drill out each rivet one at a time and insert a closed in pop rivet rolled in g flex epoxy. There is alot of rivets.... I know you suggested a solid rivet but i dont have the help. I know you said you have done this before and its lasted 7 years ect.. Will this fix work? Or be worse... Or should i just seal where the leaks are with marine caulking and flex seal like most of youtube comments say.....
Closed end rivets Are a far better than flex seal and caulk. But if the rivets are part of your support or there’s a lot in one area I would go back with solid. Even if it means temporarily putting more caulk on till you can find help. Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
i have a jonboat is there anything i can do to the rivets that dont leak to prevent them from leaking in the future? like epoxy or somthing just to make sure they dont ever leak ? thanks a bunch love your channel
I just bought a 1954 Arkansas Traveler. In my mind I imagined that there would be some sealant between the sheets of Aluminum but your saying... it's just rivets and I can find the leaky ones and redo them? That sounds awesome if so. I was literally going to drill them ALL out and re-buck rivet the whole thing. So no sealant? just find leaky ones and replace with some epoxy and solid rivet? Eh? Thanks
They use a sealant kind of. But it just don’t break down usually. I had 1 seam on my Starcraft about 3 “ that still had a small leak after rebuking. It was a little warped from a impact. I used a torch and GFlex to seal it. Hasn’t leaked a drop since. Been 8 years of hard use too. You can’t even see where I used it either.
I have a 97 tracker pro 17 that takes on about 3 gal of water over a 3-4 hr period on the water ...Leak tested it the other day leveled the boat and added 5 gal water.. the keel seam leaked on one side around 7 rivets in a row . Due to the decking, I"m unable to access the inside, so solid rivets are out of the equation..question is? Are 7 closed end pop rivets wise to installed in a row? And strong enough as a replacement? The area in question is just before the rocker starts on the bow ... realizing this area takes most of the stress on choppy days...Your input will be greatly appreciated.. Thank You Jeff for your expertise
That’s unusual to have that many in a row without damage or a crack. But I’ve seen it before. I don’t like having that many pop rivets in a row. They’re not structural.
@@bowl830 doing every other one might be the ticket if I go with 1/4 in rivet with steel mandrel for increased strength? and a good seam sealer for the keel . Also if there is a crack its under the keel no way of knowing till keel seams are sealed with only the hole in stern end of keel can take on any water...Thanx for getting back so promptly Jeff
@@johnvanengelen2329 I’d use aluminum with aluminum. The steel doesn’t really add much if any strength. But it will cause it to be more likely to corrode because of dissimilar metal reaction when wet. GFlex is great for seams.
Great instructional video. I feel confident getting these leaky rivets taken care of. Do you have an online source for the rivets. I plan on using 3/16 x 1/8-1/4 grip domed aluminum/aluminum closed rivets. I can't seem to locate them locally, and everything online seems to be a large quantity (500 minimum) I only need about 30 right now. Thanks for any direction you can send me in....
Thanks for watching. I had the same problem. I got lucky and found a store going out of business and got mine years ago. I have seen them on amazon in small quantities. Good luck. If I come across a source I’ll post it here in messages. Again thanks for watching and commenting
That’s really hard to say. I’d try to go back with the same size or on size bigger. Probably 3/16 now. I used solid 1/4” diameter on mine. Thanks for watching
5200 isn’t solid when cured. It will allow the pieces to still flex a little and just isn’t as durable. Now if I’m putting a temp pop rivet in I do use it.
@@bowl830 You're the first person I've ever heard complain about 5200 not being durable enough, usually, it's more along the lines of how do I get this damn (and that's being polite) stuff off ;) Does take a while to set up though.
I've seen some people use some sort of sealant to put around the rivet or on the rivet before installing. some said "marine grade". you use anything like that? would 100% waterproof sealant work or does it have to be "marine grade"? I am using these rivets on a step van roof too not boat. Oh I see you used epoxy.
I rarely use a sealant on mine if the hole is good and not eat up. About any thing will work. The biggest draw back is if you get it between the head and the surface it can prevent a good tight contact between it and the skin. I usually will put a dab on the back side of skin and just spin the rivet a little to get it spread out on back. Thanks for watching and commenting
Thank you sir. I usually try to use 3/16-1/4” for most applications. Length is determined by the thickness of what your joining. Most the stuff on my Starcraft was 7/16+ Rule of thumb The optimum length for a solid rivet will be equal to the thickness of the material to be joined, plus an exposed tail equal to the rivet diameter times 1.5. For example, a 1/8-inch rivet should have an exposed tail of 1.5 x . 125 inch
I’m replacing my transom on my 67 Starcraft fiberglass boat. The metal cap that fits over top of the transom. Can I use stainless steel bolt and nut instead of rivets?
I have a boat that needs a whole seam re riveted. Is there any sealing agents that can be applied in that small space? And what hardness of solid rivet do you use?
If it were me. I’d use that same epoxy. Apply it to the seam and use a heat gun to heat the surface. That stufff will get super thin and flow into seam. Then use regular solid rivets. The Hard rivets are so hard they are almost impossible to flatten without applying a lot of heat to them. Good luck. And thanks for watching
You need about 5/16” more than the thickness you’re fastening. Otherwise when you put the river in the hole. There should be 5/16 sticking through if using 3/16 rivet
This is what I'm currently working on. The rivets I have are so tough, I can barely beat them to death before the smash. They're aluminum 3/16 X 3/8. What brand are you using, or where to purchase? I've searched everything I can.
I've watched countless videos on building framing for decking on aluminum jon boats and not one mentioned that solid rivets are not installed the same way as pop rivets aka 1 uses a rivet gun, the other requires your methods. Thank you for this video and for sharing your knowledge. You just saved me from ordering the wrong materials.
Awesome. Thanks for watching and commenting
Best boat rivet tutorial on RUclips.
Dang I appreciate that. Thanks for watching and commenting.
This the best demonstration I ever seen now I know how to use solid revet to fix my grandpa alluminium boat thank you sir I'm really need this video to save
Awesome that’s what I like to hear. I appreciate you watching and the kind comments
I have a more recent video that just covers solid rivets.
I wish the right way to do things popped right up every time I looked for it. Thanks bud
Yes sir I appreciate you watching. I have a more detailed video coming out soon. Keep a look out. Again thanks
no pun intended??
Got some leaky rivets, this is by far the best video I have seen for fixing them. Although, I do wonder since all the leaky rivets go thru a rib on the inside, do I need to sand under the rib so the aluminum is clean on both sides? Thanks
Thank you for the kind words. The seal is achieved by the rivet being smashed out against the drilled hole. The surfaces don’t help that much. I’d just clean as best as you can. Maybe spray a little paint on the surface then put new rivet in. Thanks for watching.
Excellent instructions. I have to patch two quarter sized holes in the floor of my jon boat with some thin aluminum plate, sealant and rivets. Now I'm confident that I can do it. Thank you 👍👍
Awesome. Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate you taking time to watch and comment
This is exactly what I was looking for. Wanted to know how to reinstall my bench seats after redoing my boat floor. THANK YOU and god bless.
Thank you for watching and commenting I appreciate it. Good luck.
You are the man! I scrolled down thinking that exact phrase and the first comment was this other guy saying it, Ha. Anyway, I really appreciate the detail in these video's. My son and I are putting together a fishing boat and I'm bookmarking all of your video's for future use, Thanks!
Thank you so much. I appreciate that more than you would ever know. Good luck
Nice, good to hear from a guy who knows what he’s talking about.
Thanks
Thanks I appreciate that and thank you for watching.
You are THE MAN! I am preparing to go out fishing and was ordering extra bilge pumps and flex seal tape (which works for a while).
But now... I am confident I can handle this repair on my own. Thank you so much. Very comprehensive explanations.
Wow. Thanks for the comment. I appreciate you watching.
Exactly what i was looking for thank you it was very informative. My son has a 16 lund and it leaks pretty bad and im thinking of replacing the rivets and ive been looking through some of the videos this one was the best video by far. Thanks again
Awesome good luck. Once you get the hang of it, it’s not that hard
You have saved me a lot of time, money, and frustration, I’m going to order what I need and fix the leaks on my old Montgomery ward fishing boat. Thanks for getting me back on the water my friend!
You are welcome. Thank you for watching and commenting I appreciate it
Appreciated the information on closed end pop rivets. Great tutorial.
Thank you
Thank you I appreciate you taking time to watch and to comment
Thank you for explaining everything clearly. I am now ready to replace leaky rivets.
Thank sir. Super helpful. It feels like 4 years when i was loooking for this videos, no body had them. Now your world is so helpful.
Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate it. That’s the goal of my channel to help folks
Bought a old 1448. Never worked with aluminum and my knowledge of rivet types/uses is zilch. Just a tad worried about making things worse. Tried viewing numerous videos to get myself educated but just didn't get that warm fuzzy feeling until I came across yours. Seriously, you should be teaching shop class. Your instructions are clear and concise. I'm pumped now, but will practice some before I try it for real. "Even a caveman can do it" lol
Awesome and comments like yours makes it worth it. Thanks for watching hung and commenting i appreciate it
Thanks for the tutorial.
I want to share my experience with others, so they can avoid my regrets...
I got a free 18' Starcraft Chieftain off Craigslist. It was sitting in the woods for 10 years with a blocked drain (floors and any other wood, completely rotted away. Trailer was in fair condition...Engine and Kicker were resurrected for minimal cost (impellers, gear oil and one Mercury wiring harness (I think it was $120).
Everything on the outside of the hull looked good, except for one rivet on the mid-bottom 8 inches fwd of the transom.
Gutted the insides (removed what was left of floors, foam, rat nests etc). Gave it a good cleaning including pressure washing and let it dry out for a week.
With the inside of the hull dry... I used a pressure washer on the outside of the hull...no water came in...so I figured everything was good.
Yada Yada Yada...I completely re-built and re-wired the boat, put foam and floors in place and added a 2nd bilge pump.
Took it out in a calm lake on a warm day and noticed that there was a lot of water...I estimate 5 gallons in about an hour.
Seems like more than leaking rivets.
My point: (and my biggest regret)
If you have a boat project...work on the trailer first...then gut your boat and take it to a lake to see for yourself whether it actually leaks.
My suspicion and my plan:
The bottom most piece of aluminum forming this boat is continuous, except where it is cut at the front to form a point...In this area I see that someone had poured resin (visible on the inside...and just noticed that I can see a little seepage on both sides of the aluminum keel strip on the outside). I actually remember during the gutting...that I picked out some of this resin because it was blocking the drain path along the keel (rib/frame has a bridged area (rib flare) right over the keel, to allow water flow). My plan is to remove the bow compartment floor and cabin center floor/foam...and put the boat back in the lake...to verify my suspicion. If that is my leak...then I guess I'll have to find a good flexible resin to pour into the area.
I guess an alternative to the lake leak test...would be to point the boat bow-down and fill bow area with water....
As an alternative...guess I could install a 3rd bilge pump...LOL.
That seam is suspect...any thoughts?
Awesome response. That is a common leak point and an easy fix if cleaned and dried properly.
I airways fill my boats with water. I have a video showing how I do it. Just don’t over fill. I nose down and fill to check front then tilt it nose up and repeat. As for the seams. I use G-flex. On warm metal it flows like water and will fill the smallest of holes permanently. I use a heat gun to dry it and warm the area. It pours great and you. A use a syringe to feel the lap seams. Good luck and again thank you.
Yep. I got access and just looked at it again...still a bit of water pooled forward of resin filled frame drain. Semi smoking gun I guess...just need to decide how much of old resin to chip out and which new (flexible?) Resin to use to "patch".
G-flex is a great flexible permanent fix if applied correctly
Thank you! I was dreading redoing the rivets on my boat. I tried flex sealing the rivets, it didn't last one trip out on the ocean. Your knowledge and demonstrations may have saved me from buying 2nd boat. Thank you again.
Good luck. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
@@bowl830Would it be possible to book my ex-wives a trip out on the ocean in that pop-riveted aluminum boat with flex seal? I could buy me a brand new boat
just wanted to take a moment to say thank you. I'm on my second riverboat and leeks it always been a big deal. I've always painted the outside of the boat and lined the inside with gluvit. it does work and it will seal the boat but lo and behold over the years they break free and start leaking again. This sounds awesome!!
Thanks I appreciate the feedback Thank you for watching and commenting.
Thank you. I only got a friend teaching boatin stuff so this is really helpful since I have only used pop rivets on building stuff but never boats. Now I know! Also I didn't even realize the implication of using stainless steel on a aluminum boat so thank you for all that knowledge.
Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate you taking time to watch and comment
You helped my save my grandfathers star craft. Thank you
Awesome. Thank you for watching and commenting I appreciate it
Thank you so much for this, I am going to fix my aluminum boat this way. And I always use 5200 around my rivets always so no leaks will be detected anytime soon.
Just a fyi. Put the sealer on the inside of boat. Try to keep the river head free of any type of thick adhesive. It can cause a gap between the head and the surface. That can cause a bad seal over time and a loose rivet. Thank you for watching I appreciate it
That tool you made by cutting down a chisel is a great idea , a very informative video Jeff . We need to tag team a DIY one of these days . Or just go fishing lol
Or both. Thanks for watching.
Best of the best videos on this topic. Really enjoyed and learned a lot.
Awesome I needed that today. Thank you for watching I appreciate it
Excellent information. If you can get oversized reamers even better. Great step by step. Thanks 👍👍
Great video. I was about to start work on my aluminum bass boat and this tutorial video is the best i have seen in a while. very informative. thank you sir. you saved me a lot of time and money.
Thank you. I appreciate you watching and commenting
By far one of the best videos out there
Thank you I appreciate that. Thanks for taking time to watch and comment
Another great video my friend and great information. Jeff you are a friend to all fisherman by helping us learn how to do thing that save us money and do things themselves. Thanks for sharing this. 🇺🇸
Crisp clear and concise information. Excellent video thanks very much.
Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment I appreciate it
Most informative and and complete methods I’ve seen on RUclips!
Man I truly appreciate you watching and that comment. It makes it worth doing these videos.
Very thorough, educational, informative!
Thank you I appreciate you watching and commenting
Good stuff! Appreciate it.
Just got gifted a wore out 1960s (I think) StarCraft aluminum boat.
Gotta strip it down to metal. All the wood is rotten.
Awesome boats when fixed. Thanks for watching and commenting
I have a lot of appreciation for this video. I'll be referencing it a bunch this spring. thank you!
Thank you so much. I’m doing another boat now. I appreciate the support, I’m planning on building my channel as much as I can. Again thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
You've given me some courage to try this on my 'new-to-me' boat this winter. Great video, best one I've found. You should consider posting amazon affiliate links to the products you promote. You deserve a couple extra dollars that's for sure!
Thank you I appreciate the kind words. I’ll look into that. I’m building a shop now to do boat and fishing videos. I hope to have it up and running by October. Again thanks for watching and taking time to comment
Thanks for the video. I have a tracker topper 10/36 that I bought new. Had a few rivets that started leaking. Took it back to the dealership and they had someone weld the rivets that was leaking ( it was still under warranty) . But it really looks like crap. Now I know how to fix it right myself.
Yea they took the easy route. Like you I just don’t like to see that. Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
This video helped keep another Starcraft dry. Thanks.
Lol. I’m glad to hear that. Love my old tin boat
Nice video Jeff. I've only seen a few people that could hammer a rivet that nice, lol. I used to work in aviation in sheetmetal/structures. Ive shot thousands of solid rivets. If you ever need help shooting any give me a hollar. I still have all my rivet guns and sets and other tools.
Thank you. I love the old solids. Wish I still had my old expandable drill jigs.
Just subbed. Bought an old project jon boat. Great info!
Welcome aboard. Thank you
Question on installing solid rivet in a Jon boat. Can you put the buckbar against the head and hammer the other end. That way we could replace the bad rivets with the boat on the trailer.
It’s not recommended. The reason why is the impact force is pushing the head away from the surface instead of toward the flat surface. This can cause a gap. That will cause the pieces to be able to move or get corrosion under the head and will leak again.
Thanks for watching and commenting I hope it helps.
Awesome demonstration. Excellent video. Thanks!
Thank you sir. I appreciate you taking time to watch and comment.
Hello TRTB,
I love me two man aluminum boat and I tried your method.
Seems to me I had to order those CLOSED END REVITS.
I WENT ahead and used the standard revits.
I will do the repair again when they come in.
It is a small boat and the water pressure may not be that great.??
Albert
You will get a little leaking on standard rivets but you can push a little sealer in the open hole and it will last a good while. Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
good luck with your joints if you keep doing these. people who did them in ww2 had bad arthritis for the rest of their lives and could barely pick up a cup.
Yea it can be bad if you do hard rivets.
Than you very much. answered all my questions & given me new knowledge on "sealed/non Seald" thank you buddy
Thank you. I appreciate you watching and commenting. That’s what makes it fun to do.
Keep up the great work
just bought a1975 smoker-craft. I'm sure i will need this info. thanks for sharing.
That’s a awesome hull. I’ve redid a few Smokercraft boats. The hills are as good or better than a Lund. Made just as well. Thanks for watching I appreciate it
I’m redoing a tracker now. Check it out. It was a total basket case lol
I didn’t even know how to Google search this! Thank you
lol. I’m glad you found me. Thanks for watching and commenting i appreciate it
Hello TRTB,
Yes I did that just by common sense.
But I did order some of those Closed End Revits.
Albert
👏👏Excellent excellent excellent,absolutely the best video, thank you sooooooo much 👊🤙
Thank you I appreciate you watching and commenting. You made my day.
@@bowl830 my friend I’ve shared your video at least three times in the last couple of days,I have it saved to my favorites so when someone asks about fixing rivets I send a link to your video,I’m the one thanking you ❤️
Great video. Thank you! I intend to use 3/16 closed pop rivets and 3M 5200 to seal some holes in my smokercraft phantom 170 transom. What length or grip range would you recommend for this application?
You need 1/8-5/16 grip range if possible
Thank you sir for making this video! Rivets underneath where my batteries sit have been leaking for awhile. Do you have a recommendation for paint/primer or epoxy to seal entire inside of the boat after i install new rivets?
I’m not a fan of just painting the inside with epoxies. It’s hard to get a good bond. It can be done. When I do it. I just epoxy seams and rivet lines. Then I use a good quality epoxy etching primer on it. Then just a good paint.
Do you have a link to the fully sealed pound in rivets?
Great vid . What is the stroke length of your air hammer ? Is it better to have a short , medium, or long stroke length ?
The biggest thing is to have a trigger controlled variable speed. It makes it a lot easier. The one in the video is a 3. That’s middle
@@bowl830 thanks ! What about (bpm ) these air hammers seem a lot higher bpm then rivet guns . Is it hard to keep the hammer from drifting and damaging aluminum panels. Do I lower air on compressor or hammer or both ? I appreciate any help . I’m completely new to this !
@@keithm2327 that’s why I only use a trigger variable speed gun. They’re a lot more precise and easy to learn with. As always get you a piece of aluminum to practice on a few then go for it. The key is good straight forward pressure on the gun. Don’t push so hard you might slip off the head. It’s not hard once you get the hang of it
Great video and just what I was looking for. Had aluminum boats all my life and they all eventually leaked. Question for you. I'm cutting a 14" piece out of the center of the center bench seat (a spot where I can walk thru) in a 14ft aluminum V hull boat. I need to remove the support that attaches from the seat to the bottom of the boat. Will a solid rivet just fill the holes where I drill them out? Thanks
Yes sir. I’ve plugged small how’s with them many times. Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
Great video. I have an old 16 foot lund that has some leaky rivets.I have seen 3/16 closed end rivets in 1/4, 3/16,and 1/2. How do you decide the length?
Most times I use 3/16” shaft with a Grip range around 1/2”. Thanks for watching and commenting
Great video! Thank you! I have a question for you. I have a 2003 Polar Kraft 168 Deep V with a significant leak. I did the water test and the leak appears to be coming from one of the strakes that are riveted on. I cannot tell which rivets are leaking though...the water comes out of the strake seam. The bottom of the boat is filled with foam that I would prefer not to cut out. Is it possible to do the sealed pop rivet method you discussed to replace the rivets holding the strake on? If so, what length rivet should I use? Is 1/2" enough? Where is the best place to order these rivets from? Thank you so much! I finally have some hope to fix these leaks!
Thank you for watching and commenting.
I try not to use closed end rivets in anything structural. Now if it’s a rivet here and there or just a temp fix till I. A get to the top and bottom I use them all the time. The strakes act as guides and give the bottom some rigidity. It’s a hard call on that. The length should be good in that 1/2 range
@@bowl830 Thank you!
great vid.....getting ready to do some repair on a 70,s smoker craft canoe.........
Cool never seen a smoker craft canoe. I had a 18 deep v. Good luck. Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
Great instructional video.
Thank you I appreciate it
Thanks for all the great info you saved me tons of time. Closed Rivets works great.
Awesome, glad I could help. Thanks for watching.
JB weld ...wipe off the outside phenomenal stuff..... only thing I would do differently is yo have the buck drilled and dished to round the bucked side makes a very nice finish both sides
Great job, is that a soft aluminum rivet, just seems so easy to squeeze, even using the hammer
Yes. it’s rare that a hard aluminum rivet is used with sheet metal. They’re used for truss and frame connections mostly if at all in marine applications. 99% of the time they’re soft. A hard rivet is extremely difficult to tighten without hydraulics.
@@bowl830 Where can you buy them?
Really cleared up the matter. Easy Peasy . Great video.!
Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
Very good video mate just redoing my Jon boat what are the standard size solid rivet length thamks
3/16 diameter and usually 7/16” is long enough for most hulls. Thank you for watching and commenting
@@bowl830 thanks what length sealed rivets would you use on a small aluminium boat 10/12mm ? Thanks
Pop rivets have a grip range. Usually anything inside that 8-12mm range will work, you just don’t want to be extremely long
@@bowl830 thanks mate what size drill bit do I use for a 3/16-4.8mm revit 4.9mm-5mm
You can get by with 3/16” bit. Just debur It.
Great video. I was wondering about installing the solid rivets.i have a boat that is sealed with window caulking by the previous owner.is there a way i could tell the rivet size without drilling it out where I know what size to order?
95% of the time you can use a 3/16”x1/2. I always have some 1/4” on hand in case I get a rivet that the hole is corroded. I just open it up to 1/4”
Please recommend a size of compressor , recommendations vary greatly. can I use a 1hp unit? Scratching my head on this one. Ty
A impact hammer doesn’t use a lot of volume in short blast. I’ve used a small 1 gallon before and done fine. Just have to take your time.
What type /brand/model air operated rivet gun do you recommend. Also The nematic air hammer or what ever its called that you use to put in solid rivets with. What brand/model do you prefer or recommend.
The ones I used I. Video are just plain harbor freight tools. I’ve had the rivet gun for 10 years. It’s about wore out. I’ve but in tens of thousands of rivets with lol. The impact air hammer is the more expensive one from Harbor freight. You need a good variable speed to get good results if you’re new to it. Thank you for watching I appreciate it
Wow great demonstration thank you so much for this video.
Could you also use air hammer and set rivet that’s already in boat? Just to tighten it up or is it vest to drill out rivet and put new in? Do you have link to where to purchase solid rivets
If the rivet looks good and the metal doesn’t show signs of corrosion I have just used a hammer to tighten. If I can get to the loose rivet easily I usually just go ahead and replace it just to be sure. But I keep pounds of the rivets on hand lol. They can be a pain to find
This is a wonderful tutorial. Thank you so much!
Thank you I truly appreciate it. I’m going to be redoing a boat soon. And I’m gonna Try to shoot videos during the whole process.
Can you use a pneumatic pop rivet gun or is it frowned upon? Drilling and popping some rivets below the water line. Have some closed head pop rivets.
That’s what I use for all pop rivets
@@bowl830 appreciate it
Approximately how much longer should the grip area of the rivet be than the thickness of the metal? For example if I'm using a 1/8" thick aluminum plate to patch a hole in the floor of my jon boat about what length rivet would you use?
1 1/2 times. You should be around 3 /16 past. 1/4 is fine but to long will give you bad results
I have an old lund aluminum boat with a permanent floor that I don’t want to take off.
Can I use a solid closed end pop rivet due to not having access to both sides of the hole? So long as I use the epoxy.
Yes sir. It’s not a perfect solution but I’ve done it in the past with great results. I’ve got some that’s been repaired that way for over 8 years. Just use aluminum rivets. Thanks for watching and commenting
Where do you get the large pop rivets? Is the mandrel in the aluminum rivet steel, ss, or aluminum. ? Thanks for your help.
I was also wondering if it's better to drill a solid rivet out from the top vs the bottom? Worry i might make the hole bigger. I'll try.
I try to do the dome side. Just take your time and stay close to center. The head will pop off leaving the stem. Then I just tap the stem with a punch to knock it out.
Thanks for the information. I need to replace a rivet on the bottom of my jon boat.
Thank you for watching and taking time to comment I appreciate it
What's the length of these rivets? By the way very helpful video and it's sure gonna help me on my 18 ft boat. It leaks but it doesn't leak so bad. And what type of epoxy do you use? Thank you!
I use Gflex epoxy. Non thickened most times for rivets. Thinner is better for that. 1/2” is usually good. Perfect world you want 5/16” sticking through when using a 3/16 rivet.
Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
Thanks that was exactly what I was looking for. Super helpful!
Thank you for watching and commenting I appreciate it. Glad it helped
Thank you for your video. I have a question for you. I am doing a compleate restoration on an old Grumman aluminum fishing boat. Since we are supposed to use aluminum rivets on aluminum boat, what if I need to use some screws to fastened the new wood floor to the bottom? What do I use?
Stainless is the only way to go. Regular steel will cause corrosion quickly.
@@bowl830 Thanks for your quick resopnse ! :-)
@@TheKanawa Probably too late, but if you have steel in contact with aluminum, it'll eventually corrode. You can put a bit of epoxy on the screws, or you can use a little bit of oil.
May be a stupid question but can you put the head of the rivet through the inside of the boat instead of on the bottom. Basically replace it to look factory or do you absolutely have to do it through the bottom?
You could but the factory puts them in from the outside with the rounded head facing out. Creates a smoother appearance. Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
Why didn't I have you as my teacher while in school. Going to my school in the army was crummy and dry compared to this. I actually want to do my job on aircraft.
Man that made my day. I truly appreciate it. Whats funny I was a Airforce nuclear, biological and chemical warfare (NBC) instructor back in the day. Comments like yours is what keeps me doing these videos. Thank you.
Need a little help, does a closed aluminum rivet with a steel mandrel matter? I can’t Find a closed 1/4 inch aluminum rivet with an aluminum mandrel anywhere, only with a steel mandrel and aluminum closed rivet.
I try to do a quarter inch solid aluminum rivets that was a quarter inch long and with two people could not hit the river close like you did with a hammer and something solid on the other end, do I need a longer rivet? Thanks for your help great video
Yea I would use a longer solid rivet. You want plenty of meat on the back side. As for the steel mandrel. I got my closed end with aluminum mandrel from amazon. The only issue with a steel mandrel is if it gets wet it will cause corrosion in the rivet.
Search The rivet Gallery on Amazon. They have what you need
Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
Team Reelin The Blues would you go a 1/2 or 3/8 for the solid 1/4 in diameter rivet? To add I can find everything with a aluminum mandrel in Amazon, but 1/4 in. Thanks for your help and quick response. Your video helped a ton.
I would shoot for that 3/8-1/2
So the bottom of my transom is leaking around the rivets.. There is epoxy/caulking along the rivets which i pressure washed away... Once i prep and clean the rest of it, my plan would be, after watching your video, would be to drill out each rivet one at a time and insert a closed in pop rivet rolled in g flex epoxy. There is alot of rivets.... I know you suggested a solid rivet but i dont have the help. I know you said you have done this before and its lasted 7 years ect.. Will this fix work? Or be worse... Or should i just seal where the leaks are with marine caulking and flex seal like most of youtube comments say.....
Closed end rivets Are a far better than flex seal and caulk. But if the rivets are part of your support or there’s a lot in one area I would go back with solid. Even if it means temporarily putting more caulk on till you can find help. Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
Very informative video! Thank you sir
Thank you.
i have a jonboat is there anything i can do to the rivets that dont leak to prevent them from leaking in the future? like epoxy or somthing just to make sure they dont ever leak ? thanks a bunch love your channel
A good bottom paint helps a lot. I’ve seen people have good success with gluvit on the inside. Thanks for watching
@@bowl830 ok thanks a bunch
1st class show and tell. Tks.
Thank you I appreciate that. It’s people like you that make it worth it. Thank you for watching and commenting
I just bought a 1954 Arkansas Traveler. In my mind I imagined that there would be some sealant between the sheets of Aluminum but your saying... it's just rivets and I can find the leaky ones and redo them? That sounds awesome if so. I was literally going to drill them ALL out and re-buck rivet the whole thing. So no sealant? just find leaky ones and replace with some epoxy and solid rivet? Eh? Thanks
They use a sealant kind of. But it just don’t break down usually. I had 1 seam on my Starcraft about 3 “ that still had a small leak after rebuking. It was a little warped from a impact. I used a torch and GFlex to seal it. Hasn’t leaked a drop since. Been 8 years of hard use too. You can’t even see where I used it either.
Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
Great video--very helpful!
Thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it.
What style solid aluminum rivet head should I use on my aluminum boat ? Brazier head or round head?
I use Brazier soft style rivets. The head is flatter
On the closed pop rivet, do you still need a washer on inside?
No sir. The interior metal is plenty.
I have a 97 tracker pro 17 that takes on about 3 gal of water over a 3-4 hr period on the water ...Leak tested it the other day leveled the boat and added 5 gal water.. the keel seam leaked on one side around 7 rivets in a row . Due to the decking, I"m unable to access the inside, so solid rivets are out of the equation..question is? Are 7 closed end pop rivets
wise to installed in a row? And strong enough as a replacement? The area in question is just before the rocker starts on the bow ... realizing this area takes most of the stress on choppy days...Your input will be greatly appreciated.. Thank You Jeff for your expertise
That’s unusual to have that many in a row without damage or a crack. But I’ve seen it before. I don’t like having that many pop rivets in a row. They’re not structural.
@@bowl830 doing every other one might be the ticket if I go with 1/4 in rivet with steel mandrel for increased strength? and a good seam sealer for the keel . Also if there is a crack its under the keel no way of knowing till keel seams are sealed with only the hole in stern end of keel can take on any water...Thanx for getting back so promptly Jeff
@@johnvanengelen2329 I’d use aluminum with aluminum. The steel doesn’t really add much if any strength. But it will cause it to be more likely to corrode because of dissimilar metal reaction when wet. GFlex is great for seams.
@@bowl830 Thanks Jeff will take your advise to the bank
Best marine rivet install video on RUclips. Cheers!
Thank you. I appreciate you saying that.
Great instructional video. I feel confident getting these leaky rivets taken care of. Do you have an online source for the rivets. I plan on using 3/16 x 1/8-1/4 grip domed aluminum/aluminum closed rivets. I can't seem to locate them locally, and everything online seems to be a large quantity (500 minimum) I only need about 30 right now. Thanks for any direction you can send me in....
Thanks for watching. I had the same problem. I got lucky and found a store going out of business and got mine years ago. I have seen them on amazon in small quantities. Good luck. If I come across a source I’ll post it here in messages. Again thanks for watching and commenting
@@bowl830 I think Grainger might have them. I got some for a radiator shell on a vintage truck.
I need to replace my transom on my flat boat but it has 2 braces I'll have to take off what would be the best thing to use
That’s really hard to say. I’d try to go back with the same size or on size bigger. Probably 3/16 now. I used solid 1/4” diameter on mine. Thanks for watching
very awesome presentation thank you sir
Thank you. I appreciate you watching and taking time to respond
Great Video. Any thoughts on using 5200 rather than GFlex?
5200 isn’t solid when cured. It will allow the pieces to still flex a little and just isn’t as durable. Now if I’m putting a temp pop rivet in I do use it.
@@bowl830 You're the first person I've ever heard complain about 5200 not being durable enough, usually, it's more along the lines of how do I get this damn (and that's being polite) stuff off ;) Does take a while to set up though.
It’s durable as in it sticks good but it’s just flexible. Any flex in a solid rivet isn’t a good thing.
I should have said not rigid enough
I've seen some people use some sort of sealant to put around the rivet or on the rivet before installing. some said "marine grade". you use anything like that? would 100% waterproof sealant work or does it have to be "marine grade"? I am using these rivets on a step van roof too not boat. Oh I see you used epoxy.
I rarely use a sealant on mine if the hole is good and not eat up. About any thing will work. The biggest draw back is if you get it between the head and the surface it can prevent a good tight contact between it and the skin. I usually will put a dab on the back side of skin and just spin the rivet a little to get it spread out on back.
Thanks for watching and commenting
@@bowl830 if u rarely use a sealant then u use epoxy like in the vid?
@@eedom69 yes
Excellent video! Thanks for the information.
Thanks for watching I appreciate it
Great video my friend what size long you recommend
Thank you sir. I usually try to use 3/16-1/4” for most applications. Length is determined by the thickness of what your joining. Most the stuff on my Starcraft was 7/16+
Rule of thumb
The optimum length for a solid rivet will be equal to the thickness of the material to be joined, plus an exposed tail equal to the rivet diameter times 1.5. For example, a 1/8-inch rivet should have an exposed tail of 1.5 x . 125 inch
I truly appreciate the kind words and you taking time to watch and comment
I’m replacing my transom on my 67 Starcraft fiberglass boat. The metal cap that fits over top of the transom. Can I use stainless steel bolt and nut instead of rivets?
Yes sir.
I have a boat that needs a whole seam re riveted. Is there any sealing agents that can be applied in that small space? And what hardness of solid rivet do you use?
If it were me. I’d use that same epoxy. Apply it to the seam and use a heat gun to heat the surface. That stufff will get super thin and flow into seam. Then use regular solid rivets. The Hard rivets are so hard they are almost impossible to flatten without applying a lot of heat to them. Good luck. And thanks for watching
Team Reelin The Blues ok thanks do you perhaps have a hardness number of your rivets? I am looking at an470 or 2117 from aircraft suppliers.
I would go with 470. It’s the soft version.
Team Reelin The Blues thanks again
I have a lund WC-14 . How long of brazier head solid rivot should I buy for the sides of the boat? 3/8? or 1/2" ?
You need about 5/16” more than the thickness you’re fastening. Otherwise when you put the river in the hole. There should be 5/16 sticking through if using 3/16 rivet
This is what I'm currently working on. The rivets I have are so tough, I can barely beat them to death before the smash. They're aluminum 3/16 X 3/8. What brand are you using, or where to purchase? I've searched everything I can.
Sound like you have hardened rivets. If it has a dimple in the top that’s what it is. You need soft solid rivets. Aircraft supply has them.