Riveter and rivets help

[jarhead]

I want to make a neutral vane for my HF DC and need to get a rivet gun. I am thinking of ordering a rivet gun and wonder if anyone here owns one of their guns. Since I have never used a riveter, I am asking for assistance in choosing one. There are number of choices:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=7356
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=30769
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=1210
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=94100

Which rivets would I need to order?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=34080
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=42695
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=42529
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=2972

[Thom2]

The first link in your list (7356) should be fine for just about anything you'll need a rivet gun for. The other 3 models are made for setting nut type rivets, which essentially put threads into sheet metal.

The 34080 rivet assortment will give you a nice starter assortment of lengths on hand for whatever you run into. You'll probably need the shortest ones for this project, but it's always nice to have a few different ones on hand.

As far as the nut type rivets go, unless you want to use 1/4" bolts to hold sheet metal parts together, you're not going to have a use for them.

[LarryG]

You may not need to order from HF ... got a Wal-Mart handy? I bought an Arrow brand rivet gun at Lowe's for ~$16-18. A few weeks later I happened to notice the exact same gun, being sold under a different name, at Wal-Mart for about ten bucks.

The 1/8" (3mm) or 3/16" (5mm) rivets are plenty adequate for most work; just choose the length you need. Actually I'm not sure I've ever used anything but 1/8". Both sizes should be readily available locally.

[jarhead]

You may not need to order from HF ... got a Wal-Mart handy? I bought an Arrow brand rivet gun at Lowe's for ~$16-18. A few weeks later I happened to notice the exact same gun, being sold under a different name, at Wal-Mart for about ten bucks.

Larry,
As a matter of fact, one opened up recently about 15 mins driving distance. I'll check it out.

[mikeinkcmo]

My pop rivet gun is probably 45 years old, its an original US Shoe machine company tool. US shoe company was the first to market them, as far as I know.

So I don't have their pop rivet gun but I do have their rivnut gun. The rivnut tool works fine and comes in handy occasionally. you can buy the rivnuts from HF in a variety of sizes starting with 6-32 up to 1/4-20 I believe.

As for rivets, I would recommend you just get the 1/4" long size unless you are a tool junky like me.