AegisDei 2 Posted February 24, 2007 Report Share Posted February 24, 2007 I'm trying to finish the install of my TG and I can't get the rivets to buck! I have a set of Tapco rivets and crossmembers made for the AK. I've heated them with a pencil torch and went nuts with a 9lbs mini-sledge and I've not succeeded at deforming them in the slightest. I don't have a bucking bar, but I've been using steel bolts instead. Any suggestions? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 You need bucking plates and a rivit set. You need to buy these if you do not have the skills to fabricate them . You also need a stout vice bolted to something heavy. Rivits need to be backed solidly to form the head. Heat is not generally needed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Caspian 32 Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 you'd be much better off using a 12 or 20 ton press. if you can find someone who has one. you can make a jig pretty easily with some angle iron and drill bits to hold the rivets. caspian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
6500rpm 670 Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 (edited) AegisDei, here's a picture of some of the tools I use on AK builds. The tool that looks like a "T" with two legs and the bucking bars around them are the tools I use for the trigger guards. I use mine with a 12 ton HF press, but a large hammer would also work. (you can get the press w/ press plates for around $75 on sale/cupon and it doesn't take up much room. If your going to be messing with projects for awhile it's well worth the cost. I think I've got about $15 in material in the tool and diviots for head were made w/ a 5/16 ball endmill. Man, with this set up rivits squish like butter and are perfect in shape and uniformity. I like the rivits from AK-Builder.com the best. Heating trigger guard rivits is o.k., but don't do it on the trunion rivits if you ever do a flat build. If you get the press and make a jig it's not a problem anyway. Edited February 25, 2007 by 6500rpm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AegisDei 2 Posted February 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 AegisDei, here's a picture of some of the tools I use on AK builds. The tool that looks like a "T" with two legs and the bucking bars around them are the tools I use for the trigger guards. I use mine with a 12 ton HF press, but a large hammer would also work. (you can get the press w/ press plates for around $75 on sale/cupon and it doesn't take up much room. If your going to be messing with projects for awhile it's well worth the cost. I think I've got about $15 in material in the tool and diviots for head were made w/ a 5/16 ball endmill.Man, with this set up rivits squish like butter and are perfect in shape and uniformity. I like the rivits from AK-Builder.com the best. Heating trigger guard rivits is o.k., but don't do it on the trunion rivits if you ever do a flat build. If you get the press and make a jig it's not a problem anyway. Well damn...looks like I'm going back to the drawing board...thanks for the info! I have a few options left before I throw in the towel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shaneman153a 39 Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 AegisDei, here's a picture of some of the tools I use on AK builds. The tool that looks like a "T" with two legs and the bucking bars around them are the tools I use for the trigger guards. I use mine with a 12 ton HF press, but a large hammer would also work. (you can get the press w/ press plates for around $75 on sale/cupon and it doesn't take up much room. If your going to be messing with projects for awhile it's well worth the cost. I think I've got about $15 in material in the tool and diviots for head were made w/ a 5/16 ball endmill.Man, with this set up rivits squish like butter and are perfect in shape and uniformity. I like the rivits from AK-Builder.com the best. Heating trigger guard rivits is o.k., but don't do it on the trunion rivits if you ever do a flat build. If you get the press and make a jig it's not a problem anyway. Well damn...looks like I'm going back to the drawing board...thanks for the info! I have a few options left before I throw in the towel. Hey Aeigis, I had the same problem, and I was using heat, a piece of bar stock, and a 5lb hammer and I couldn't get them to do crap. Turns out the reason it didn't work is because my vise is mounted on a 3/4" plywood workbench. When I would smack it, the table would shake just enough to kick up the sawdust. This small amount of flex was just enough to make it not buck. I had to call a friend to hold the receiver up and I put it on the concrete ground, they smashed like butta! Good luck. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
6500rpm 670 Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 +1 on Shanemans comment. For the trigger guard only on my S12 I used a meathod described by Shannon where I made a diviot in the center of a bolt to buck against the round head of the rivit and set it against the concrete floor. From there, you can smash all but the 2 closest to the front with a wide punch (ground slightly on one side)and the single in the rear. I made a bucking bar fom 1/4" flat stock to get the 2 front rivits, but its a honeymoon fit. Here's the deal, if you have a buddy to help you out it's much easier otherwise it becomes a bit of a balancing act. It will also help because your going to want to push down on the receiver to hold the trigger guard tight against it, if not you can get some seperation (gap) and it looks kind of crappy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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