There are two kinds of pop rivet tools in general use i.e. the pneumatic pop rivet tool, and the manual rivet gun. Electric rivet guns and heavy duty rivet guns are also used. The former uses compressed air to squeeze the rivet pin into the correct position, while the latter uses a knob to perform a similar job. The rivets in both cases are the same, a small nail-like rivet with a pin-shaped bottom, which is the device that covers the rivet onto the metal. Pneumatic rivet guns are utilized in the large industry from auto engineering to the airline industry, while manual pop rivet guns tend to be utilized by the amateur market, as pop rivets are more appropriate for holding light metals organized. If you have not operated a pop rivet tool before, then here are a few modest tips that can aid you to manage this new tool.
Prepare
Before you do anything else, you should put on your protective gloves and glasses. Rivets are made of light metal, and can occasionally break, so it is a good idea to be fully secured. Next, layout all the sheets of metal. These can be drilled, or you can make tiny holes in them using a drill. Put two sheets of metal side-by-side and overlay holes so that you can fit the rivet.
Load The Rivet
Take your rivet in one hand, and with the other hand, press the trigger, so the holding arm opens. Push the metal rivet into the tool as far as possible, so that the rivet is latent on a chuck at the back of the gun. Your rivet should have the pin facing towards the back of the gun, with the head protracted between the teeth. Release the trigger so that the rivet is held at its place.
Install The Rivet
Push the tiny head of the rivet through the holes in the sheets of metal. Make sure that the rivet comes through both sheets of metal at once (you may look underneath and check), and is not obstructed. Push down, and pull the handle of the rivet gun until you feel a good amount of resistance. Release the handle, and confirm that the tool is tight to the top of the rivet, and then pull the handle once again. Repeat until you hear a popping sound from the end of the gun. This is the breaking of the pin and specifies that the rivet is protected to the metal sheets.
Finish
Once the pin has broken, it means the rivet is fastened. You can then turn the tool around, and watch it come out of the pin. You can then fit another pop rivet in accurately the same way, or you can select to smooth down your rivet, to get rid of any piercing edges caused when the pin broke away. Check that the sheets of metal are linked and that the rivet is safe, and then try again on another portion of the sheet.