riveting

[blackreichswehr]

told myself -- no more m53 builds but, just had to do one more. i never liked the threaded expander type system,bolt heads drilled for seating--you get the picture. i made something that works so much easier,especial if your doing more than one build. i was going to do the rivets in this build tonight but, stopped,i was thinking about my friends here. tommorrow i'll take some photos of how it's made and how to use it-- wish i'd thought of this a long time back. give me a day or two and i'll post in this thread.

[tomcatshaas]

looking forward to it.

I made this

[42rocker]

Topcat
nice set up. I like how you can replace the rivet setting head.

Later 42rocker

[blackreichswehr]

Use 5/8 x 1/2 bar stock
Mill out for tabs in rails and drill holes for button head rivets to seat. Install rivets and bar stock on both sides and c-clamp in place - measure at 4 points between the bar stock, use nuts milled to noticably tight at locations between bar stock - use bolts with washers and thread into milled nuts, this will hold them solid in place, now you can do all the rivets at once without movement.

[42rocker]

Now thats another interesting way to do things.
Have several thoughts and questions on this one. I thought that the German builders just put the rail in and then drilled it and did the rivet job. No major jig to locate the rivets in the same spot everytime.. And if thats true getting a great line up everytime could be a problem with that jig due to the holes being slightly different everytime. However have also heard folks talk about welding all of the rivet holes shut and starting over in which case that new jig would be great.
Things to think about..

Later 42rocker

[tomcatshaas]

yeah, seems like a lot of work to achieve the same results. I like simple. If you use draw cleco's to hold the rail in place, the rails won't move. Yeah, I rivet one at a time and then turn around the rivet jig and do the other side. But it's still simple and no need to mill anything.

TC

[blackreichswehr]

the time to make this was'nt time consuming, i said,i didnt like the bolt type system and never did. working between the rails with fingers and a wrench does'nt cut it with me. this worked well for me, you don't need to mill, use a grinding wheeling on the nuts or a dremal tool on the tab spots. did'nt mean to rattle the cage door, with something in the past , i thought sucked. i hand hammer my rivets, AK47 and MG builds, i like the look and it works. this made for a soild platform to rivet,clekos are good for aircraft work, not for me. sorry for sharing my ideal , from now on i won't.

[Bil]

I don't think anyone was saying your idea was no good,or disparaging it in any way. We are always open for new ideas and ways to do something. What works for one may not for another. ---bil

[blackreichswehr]

YEAH.

[42rocker]

blackreichswehr
First thing that I thought of when I saw your jig set up was I think that I need to make one of those to use on my builds because I also don't like the idea of screw rivet unscrew rescrew etc etc.
But as I stated in my post I'm worried about the rivet head needing to be in the same spot everytime to use your style jig. I was hopeing to hear from you and others about this. I even thought about using your jig idea but cutting the jig and using several pieces rather than one long piece again worried about my receiever rivet holes not beening perfectly in place. Because in thinking about the receiver pieces that I have some seem like the rivet hole is low high some to the left others to the right position in the rivet recess area.
Did you weld shut the rivet holes and redrill? Or on the receiver's that you used, did the holes (rivet heads) line up on everyone? If they all lined up, I'm making one of your jigs and going to use it. If your going to be building several mg42/m53's then a jig like yours sounds great and I don't think would be that hard to make.

For myself, I THANK you for sharing your idea. I need as many ideas as I can get, as I get older I seem to find fewer and fewer starting in my own head so I like to see other folks ideas. LOL.

LOOK, I SAY THANKS TO EVERYBODY FOR SHARING YOUR IDEAS PHOTOS ETC....

Ok, no more photos of DA in a kilt, thats just to much... LOL...

Later 42rocker

[salt6]

I hand hammer my rivits. More control but I don't have access to a mill. So I have to try something else. I use some wedge bucking bars for
My 1019 builds.

[blackreichswehr]

42rock, no i did'nt weld the holes and start over-- this is blankfrom WLA , i got this from them about 6 years ago, bought a few just to have around. it was just the two sides, nothing marked , i did all the cut outs myself and welded it together.used brand new rails which were not drilled as well. you can use this ideal any way you please, the short sections you mentioned, what ever works for you. in my photos, it does'nt show the two shorter bolts i used at the rear, which came in from the top side, my fault for going to fast taking it apart. i think you'll get the ideal on that one.

[METALSMITTY45]

Somthing I noticed that I'm not sure about my build still has the rails held by grade eight hex screws but I do plan to rivet soon. Most people seem to be using the 5/32'' ( .156'') solid rivets ,but this is smaller than original which are( .170'' )shaft size and is a non standard size.

I'm wondering if this looseness using the smaller size will contribute to loose rails down the road? I was thinking of having Hanson rivet company make the correct size .

[Bil]

If you really want the original rivet size,just get the metric one.I have been handing out the 5/32 because that is as close as I can get easily,and they work! Metric is availlagle,just not as readily.I am often traveling,and if I get some requests for rivets,I just go to the nearest Graingers and get them. ---bil