After using the rivet gun over the weekend I'm not convinced it's the best method for setting solid rivets. Several rivets need to come out and redone (not a fun process and more chance of messing up the piece) as well as setting more rivets could mess up the piece just either more bad rviets being set and needing to be removed or the off chance of the riveter jumping off the rivet hear and galling the spars caps or webs, not to mention setting rivets in the main spar will be even more problematic. After looking at Ron Lendon's modified arbor press and Dave Clays rivet setting jigs not to mention an hour perusing Northern Tools and Harbor Frieght as well as some aircraft tools websites I decided a hydraulic rivet squeezer would be a good bet. However, $750 dollars for a squeezer is not in the budget so I'm going to make one out of some 3 1/2" steel angle, 3/4 by 3" aluminum bar and a couple feet of 2 1/2" by 3 " rectagular steel tubing I had laying around, and a 6 ton hydraulic jack I had in the back of the Suburban.
Set up steel angle for first cut. Taking a 6 inch cut for a base for the jack and some extra width to tie in the aluminum bar for extra support. Should make a sturdy base not prone to warping. The aluminum anlge will be fastened on the inside if the angle with 1/4" bolts (4) that are drilled through the angle and screwed into the aluminum. I'll have to tap the holes in the aluminum to accept the bolts. The set up will be similar to what I have on the large bend brake. Now that I think about it, there's really no need to cut the angle to any specific length as the extra length will provde additional support.
Just did a test rivet through a piece of scrap aluminum bar in the bench mounted vise. Really doesn't take that much force to set a rivet right. If I had a decent rivet cup and hardened flat to press against it would have been perfect. Got it with .020" before I had to add a short piece of pipe to the vise handle to get the rivet set to the correct depth.
