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Favorite Rivet Cutter?

J

JMyers1

Member
I bought too many long rivets, and rather than waste them I'd like to cut them to size. Two questions: 1. What cutter do you use? and 2. Any downside to cutting rivets other than the extra time it takes? I believe they are corrosion protected and I assume some of that protection is lost when cutting... but then you smash it anyways, so maybe not?

ATS has one, also this one on Amazon that is a little more expensive (also sold on Aircraft Spruce): https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Rivet-...1701729483&sprefix=rivet+cutte,aps,128&sr=8-9

Here is a cheap one that has bad reviews: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/12-00200.php?clickkey=9758
 
JMyers1 said:
I bought too many long rivets, and rather than waste them I'd like to cut them to size. Two questions: 1. What cutter do you use? and 2. Any downside to cutting rivets other than the extra time it takes? I believe they are corrosion protected and I assume some of that protection is lost when cutting... but then you smash it anyways, so maybe not?

ATS has one, also this one on Amazon that is a little more expensive (also sold on Aircraft Spruce): https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Rivet-...1701729483&sprefix=rivet+cutte,aps,128&sr=8-9

Here is a cheap one that has bad reviews: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/12-00200.php?clickkey=9758
Click to expand...

Personal opinion - rivets are relatively cheap and your time is valuable - so just buy new rivets. I only used a rivet cutter on rare occasions - when I needed an oddball size, for example. The cut rivets aren’t as nice on the cut end and I found them a little more difficult to buck cleanly.

Not saying you shouldn’t own a rivet cutter, but I wouldn’t cut down a whole bag of rivets. Again, just one opinion.
 
KatanaPilot said:
Personal opinion - rivets are relatively cheap and your time is valuable - so just buy new rivets. I only used a rivet cutter on rare occasions - when I needed an oddball size, for example. The cut rivets aren’t as nice on the cut end and I found them a little more difficult to buck cleanly.

Not saying you shouldn’t own a rivet cutter, but I wouldn’t cut down a whole bag of rivets. Again, just one opinion.
Click to expand...

Doing the math, it is actually cheaper to just order new rivets. The downside to that is I would not get to buy a new tool...
 
The Amazon/ACS one is worth having, for the relatively few times you need to cut a rivet.

However, I found that it won't cut a universal head rivet any shorter than -4, or a flush head rivet any shorter than about -4.5. Since the majority of the rivet callouts in an RV seem to be -4 or -3.5, this can limit its usefulness. To help with this, I ground a dish on one side of one of the -3 diameter holes to reduce the minimum cut length.
 
470 rivets

Mine is similar to the first one.
I cut quite a few 470s. None of the rivets supplied in the "bags" are 1/2 size.
426 are common in 1/2 size so I just buy them.
I do see some 470s are available 1/2 size so I would buy them.
 
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For the few I needed, took some scrap stock of the thickness I needed, wood, metal, whatever I had, drilled a hole, put rivet in hole, cut off flush with abrasive wheel, polish cut end with Scotchbrite wheel.
Takes a few seconds.
 
On some odd places on an RV8 fuselage where a person inside is bucking you will go mad if you try to keep separate 3/16” rivets in separate sacks. If in doubt I shoved a long one in the hole, he marked it and I cut it off with the Vans recommended 8” flush cutters. I practiced on samples and didn’t see much difference in the appearance of the shop head bucked or squeezed using the rivet as cut. I was amazed that they always fit in a properly sized hole. It saved a lot of helper time.
Somebody that’s setup to rivet try it and send a pic!
 
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Rivet cutter.....

lipper03 said:
Ats has one that does half sizes (1/32 vs 1/16), many of them don’t do half, at least in my research. I’ve only used it once though, so can’t really comment on long term quality.
https://www.aircraft-tool.com/Detail?id=130
Click to expand...

I bought one with my initial stash of tools and have used it frequently. It's one of those tools that sits around doing nothing until you need it. Put the rivet in the hole: too long; put the next size down: to short. Rivet cutter: SNAP :easy fix! It takes seconds.....

The cutter from Aircraft Tool is probably the only tool I purchased from them decades ago that I haven't replaced. Am I allowed to say that? I think the quality of their tools must have improved over the years as they are still around......

The one from Amazon looks better than the cheap one from ACS. If you get one, get one that cuts the rivets cleanly and maintains the length you want as you probably will cut more than one rivet. That's what those metal plates do: maintain the length of the rivet that you just cut so you can cut another one.... Doesn't everyone need another tool? It isn't hoarding if it's tools.....:p
 
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