Aluminum work - riveting?

[KC8QVO]

I am contemplating building a new console for one of my boats - its an 18ft Lund, not sure the model but it is a bench seat camp boat. The console is too awkward - angled and too low for the bench seat, let alone clamping on a high back seat.

I made up a console for a 16ft boat of the same style (the boat I run) and used screws/nuts instead of rivets. It was time consuming. I suppose with rivets I will still have to drill all the holes...

Is there a method that would be better than others to do this? The rivets on the boat don't look like the nail style - it looks like they are pressed. I am thinking the nail style rivets with the right tool are probably the way I will need to go.

Who has experience with this that can comment?

For what it is worth, I have shop air. If a pneumatic riveter is a viable option air won't be an issue, but I want to see what suggestions there are and go from there. I haven't really done any rivet work before.

 

[strokendiesel002]

I haven't done exactly what you're doing, but I did switch out a wood floor to aluminum sheet, using 3/16" blind rivets. to attach the seats and other items, I used stainless, 1/4-20 Rivnuts.

Is your question about nail style... I assume blind rivets being the way to go for the construction of the console or attaching said console to the boat?

For construction, Rivet's get my vote. For attaching, either rivets or rivnuts will work. Just depends upon how easily you want to be able to remove it.

Post some pics?

 

[KC8QVO]

Thanks for the reply. I don't have any pictures right off hand. The boat is 800 miles from me on a trailer in the woods somewhere collecting pine needles. LOL

In the mean time I did a bit of research and sealed pop rivets are recommended for near/below waterline as the regular pop rivets (the nail style I referred to before) are not waterproof. I suppose this makes sense. Though, for a console above deck waterproof is irrelevant.

The rivets on the boat are flat head solid - not pop rivets with the remnants of a nail in the center. It appears these would take an air hammer and appropriate attachments/anvil for the process. Though I could work that out, it would be a lot of extra hassle to do it so I am not sure it would be worth it. That brings me back to pop rivets.

What are some good rivet tools? It looks like all the videos I've seen of people doing rivet work on boats use the large handle style where the nail is inline with the handle, not perpendicular. I assume there is a pretty good reason that style is preferred.

 

[strokendiesel002]

Yes - Sealed rivets that need to be "bucked" are going to be more water tight than unsealed rivets that can be "popped"

I suppose I assumed at 18' this boat has a floor in place that you'd be attaching the bottom section of your console to, rather than through the hull, and again on the side, I assumed that you'd be attaching to the gunwale, rather than side of the hull.

If you're riveting through your hull, you should absolutely be using sealed rivets, with 3m 5200 sealant as a back up. I would only use these rivets to attach the built console to the boat.

For construction of the console, 3/16" aluminum pop rivets should be just fine. how many you'll need and the spacing will depend upon your design. probably spaced no further than 6" apart though.

The large handle style just give you more leverage than the smaller style and are less fatiguing to use, but you may have to use the smaller hand held style once in a while because of space restraints.

Waterman has a thread - "well traveled V5" I think it is where he did some wonderful documenting of "bucking" the rivets in his hull needed replacing. It's pretty much a 2 man job - one to hold the back and one to do bucking (hammering). you can buy dedicated "buckers" or you can use an air hammer with a bucking attachment.