Small rivet guns

[rationull]

I just replaced a broken inside door handle on our Suburban with a new aftermarket one. Everything fits fine, but the only problem is how the assembly attaches to the door. The handle slides into place and is held to the door with built-in plastic tabs, but there's a hard attach point in the form of a single 3/16" rivet.

I don't have a rivet gun. I don't mind buying one except that I can't think of anything else I'll ever use it for.

The drive to buy a new tool instead of making something like a screw work is strong but I need justification!

What maintenance activities is a small rivet gun good for?

 

[punisher]

Attaching sheetmetal together (rain gutters, patch panels, air ducts), and Suburban door handles.

Reattaching the starter rope housing on B&S horizontal engines when the owner (me) is too lazy to take the whole edger apart to get the upper cover off.

Modding computer cases!

Use as a hand/forearm exerciser instead of those coil spring thingys.

Attaching brake shields to caliper supports.

For 1/4" rivets/riveters.......window regulators on just about everything.

 

[expat]

Is there none you can borrow one from?

 

[eljefino]

You can get cheap rivet guns from big lots and probably harbor freight for under $10.

They are also great for giving jerk teenage kids early onset carpal tunnel syndrome.

You could also restore a school bus, they have lots of rivets in there.

My short-lived cavalier got this:

 

[JustinH]

Just had to use one to put a window regulator and motor into our 03 pontiac.

Its a little annoying tool that you won't use too often, but you will need it once in a while.

If you have harbor freight, I would get one there.

Get the large one that looks like it has handles as long as garden shears, not the little hand one that takes a lot of force to get it to pop.

 

[rationull]

OK you guys convinced me. No harbor freight around here but I picked one up at AutoZone that came with a bunch of rivets.

Got the door handle on just like new -- I didn't know how these worked before but it's pretty cool!

 

[Rick in PA]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
You can get cheap rivet guns from big lots and probably harbor freight for under $10.

They are also great for giving jerk teenage kids early onset carpal tunnel syndrome.

You could also restore a school bus, they have lots of rivets in there.

My short-lived cavalier got this:

Hey, I had a '68 International Scout I repaired like that!

Wife's van gonna' need repairing soon, I offered to repair it like that, wife not enthused.

 

[sciphi]

There are rust panels that can be riveted in. Have I done that? Yes...

The any-angle riveter is handy. About $20, and the head swivels in a circle. Gets into places a fixed-head riveter won't.

 

[NYEngineer]

I have that riveter that the head spins around on so it fits just about anywhere. Nice tool. Price varies depending whose name is on it. I have Blue Point, but I've also seen Craftsman and Stanley.

 

[JT1]

Nothing rusts quite like a chevy! My caprice is gonna be in need of some backyard bodywork, just so's my trunk isn't getting filled with snow.