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62 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S

62 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK BAY SUPPLY A DIVISION OF BAY FASTENING SYSTEMS 30 Banfi Plaza North, Farmingdale, NY 11735 TEL 516-294-4100 FAX 516-294-3448 EMAIL info@baysupply.com WEB www.baysupply.com HOW TO CHOOSE WHICH SOLID RIVET MATERIAL TO USE By Mike Eichinger, COO We write a lot about blind rivets, lockbolts, threaded inserts, and other types of fasteners, but we don’t want to overlook solid rivets. Solid rivets are probably the oldest and most reliable type of fastener and have been used for millennia. The ancient Egyptians used rivets to fix clay pots, and the Vikings used them to secure the planking in longboats. With every new application for solid rivets that emerged, new rivet materials were needed. You may be most familiar with the solid rivets that are used in construction. Large steel rivets are driven into girders to form a lasting joint to support skyscrapers or bridges. You have probably seen videos of construction crews using solid rivets. They insert the rivet into the hole, heat it to soften the material, then flatten it to form the joint using a bucking bar. You must choose the right rivet material to get the best performance out of it. In our construction example, the crew must heat the rivet to soften it to form a lasting joint. Most solid rivet applications don’t require heating, so you must use materials that can create a strong joint when you flatten it. You may also base your choice of rivet material on the material’s conductive characteristics and ability to resist rust and corrosion. The Basics Of Solid Rivets Unlike blind rivets that use a hollow shaft and a mandrel to collapse the rivet on the blind side, solid rivets require you to have access to both sides of the material. The rivet has a solid shaft and a head on one side. To set the rivet, you fit it into the pre-drilled hole and strike the head with a hammer or rivet tool while the opposite side flattens against a bucking bar. When choosing the right type of solid rivet, you want to use a material that is soft enough to be flattened for a secure joint but hard enough to last. Various materials are commonly used for solid rivets; the most common are steel, stainless steel, brass, aluminum, copper, and nickel alloy. The Pros And Cons Of Solid Rivets Solid rivets have many advantages and disadvantages, depending on the application. Solid rivets are very reliable and form a strong, lasting joint, but you need access to both sides of the joint to install them. With shipbuilding and similar installations, you will need two people: one to hold the bucking bar and one to hammer the rivet. Blind rivets were developed to deal with this issue. The blind rivet is hollow with a mandrel that can be pulled from one side of the joint to form the bond. There are applications where blind rivets aren’t practical and you want the added strength of a solid rivet. You don’t need special tools to install solid rivets— all you need is a hammer and a bucking bar. Riveting tools are available to make installation easier, such as for larger construction jobs. Solid rivets are designed for permanent installation and are more difficult to remove than other rivets. Solid rivets have other characteristics that can be invaluable for specific uses. For example, solid rivets are used in shipbuilding because they are waterproof. Choosing a noncorrosive rivet material, such as stainless steel or brass, also helps resist corrosion. TECHNICAL ARTICLE CONTINUED ON PAGE 122