Does anyone have a big-shot idea for removing pop rivets other than drilling them out. I've got thousands (welllll, maybe not that many) to remove . HELP MEEEEEEE :'(...

                                 skillet

Hey Skillet,

I work in a steel mill, and I have asked 3 of our shift millwrights your question,thinking they might have a really "high profile state of the art" answer,BUT they all said that the only tool they know of is a drill bit.

Go figure :

Sorry but at least I tried

        -John

Actually there are 2 high tech tools for removal of pop-rivets

You have to drill them out or grind off the heads and punch them thur. I think drilling is the cleaner and will do a nicer job. Good Luck

I use a very sharp scraper chisel with a hammer and just cut the heads off of them.  Much quicker and cleaner than a drill bit.

Catt, I got your "high tech" ;D! DADto4 if the millwrights don't know anyother way, there isn't one. I bought an older (real older) aluminum bass boat and was going to have to change out the wood and carpet. Sure hoped there was a better way to remove the pop rivets.  

Catt, I tried following up on the deal of finding who deals with the aluminum freeway signs (for a floor). Thought that was a GREAT idea. The people at the TDOT got tried of me, quick ;D. Traced them down to the salvage yard that has the state contract. Was told they had to ship them to the foundry and couldn't sell to the public . I bet if I knew somebody that knew somebody that had an uncle who....... ;D! Graft and corruption makes the world go round ...

                                      skillet

                                 

Skillet

Have you tried using a pair of electronics cutters (not electrical!) they usually have decent sized blades and you can usually cut the heads off the rivets without too much effort (Aluminium rivets hopefully)- you then just punch out the rivet remains with a hammer and punch.

Good luck!

Drill is the best option because a chisel will elongate the holes; before you drill you must first knock out the pin & ring inside the head of the pop rivet because they are made of harden steel.  

Chisel the heads off.  That's the standard way of removing rivets where I work, ... and we actually do remove thousands!  As far as elongating the holes, depends on the material.  If it's aluminum, maybe.  If its steel, never.

I sure appreciate the help, my friends !!!

                                 skillet

Drill is the best option because a chisel will elongate the holes; before you drill you must first knock out the pin & ring inside the head of the pop rivet because they are made of harden steel.

I disagree! Most aluminum boats use solid rivets that are compressed mechanically or pneumatically to complete the compression bond. Boats generally do not use blind rivets that are a 2 component rivet consisting of a pin and a hollow rivet. Even if they did, you could simply push out the pin with a pin punch and then cut the head of the rivet off with a VERY sharp chisel. I can normally cut the head of an aluminum rivet off with one easy swing of the hammer and cause little or no elongation of the hole. I have found there to be much more distortion of the hole using a hand drill w/a drill bit.

I just thought there may be others out there with similar projects who may need another view point on how to accomplish this task.