Smiley face rivet removal

Any advice for the best way to remove this rivet? I was a bit too tired to be working and slipped with the pnumatic squeezer just as it closed. Trying to get a good center on this one will be difficult.

I’d personally attack that with a long #40 bit in an electric drill so that I can creep and control the speed. I’d wear thin gloves so that I hold the bit between my finger and thumb to carefully steer it. I’d make sure to have plenty of light! Once I had a good start in the center, I’d go a little deeper than the head. The upsize to the pop the head off with a #30. That’s with lots of years of experience and many failed attempts in that many years - practice, practice, practice…..

So before I worked on the actual part, I’d pull out some scrap, drill holes, and try to duplicate that smiley with the squeezer on a few rivets - then practice on those before touching the expensive actual aircraft parts!

That’s a creased head and not considered a defect that requires replacement. The chance of getting a stronger joint by replacing it is small.

if you have a lathe or 3d printer, you can make a little centering tool.
I use a 1/16" 12" bit and made a short brass bushing, with a thru hole and concave end. I hold the concave end of the bushing down on the rivet head and drill the pilot hole.
One of those tools you only need every couple of years, but handy when you do.
Another thing you can do if you have a Dremel is you can grind the head down a bit (or all the way) to get a flat area to center punch for the drill.

Why? Considering the location, I recommend leaving it.

If you absolutely have to try, use a dremel to smooth the head so you can get a good punch and bit won't wander. Then use a long #40 bit as Paul mentions. I forget the spec, but that rivet still holds at least 90% of it's strength.

I would leave it alone as suggested.
However, I have removed hundreds of round and oval heads with this tool. Pick the correct mandrel and undersized bit, set the depth to just short of the head thickness, and pop the head off with a pin punch.
If it’s one or two to remove, I do what Paul does.

Leaving it looks appropriate to me. Rivet removal is best done when you're sure it actually has to be done, as the potential for an inferior outcome is high. Years ago I bought a refurbished dental drill for gunstock carving. These things turn at about 350,000 to 400,000 rpm. Turns out that, armed with an assortment of carbide dental burrs, all manner of interesting uses have presented themselves. One such use at times is to put a nice center depression on a failed rivet in order to give the bit a bite and stay centered. Strictly circumstantial and not always appropriate, but a useful add to the arsenal.

If it has an adequate shop head, I would leave it alone. The odds of egging out the hole are going to be very high. The strength is likely going to be better than the replacement with an enlarged hole.

CaptPausert said:

Any advice for the best way to remove this rivet? I was a bit too tired to be working and slipped with the pnumatic squeezer just as it closed. Trying to get a good center on this one will be difficult.

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Why replace it. It is still acceptable just not pretty?

Norman CYYJ said:

Why replace it. It is still acceptable just not pretty?

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It is fairly deep. I would consider it on the edge of acceptability

CaptPausert said:

It is fairly deep. I would consider it on the edge of acceptability

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You need to be happy with it. While I agree with others that you might do more damage removing it, with proper technique and experience, it’s not that hard to do. Don’t drill deeper than the head is thick and make sure you’re centered. Insert a pin punch or the smooth end of the drill bit and snap the head off.
Set some like rivets in scrap and practice, as Paul suggested earlier.