3x vs 4x rivet gun?

[Michael Horowitz]

Looking thru e-bay I see mention of 3x and 4x rivet guns.
What's the difference? - Mike

[Kyle Boatright]

"Michael Horowitz" > wrote in message
...
> Looking thru e-bay I see mention of 3x and 4x rivet guns.
> What's the difference? - Mike

The difference is the size of the gun and the force of it's hammering cycle.
In the experimental community (RV's primarily), people use 2x and 3x guns.
The 2x is good for rivets up to 1/8", and the 3x gives you enough power to
rivet at least one size larger rivet. The 4x would be even bigger. I
suspect a 4x gun is overkill for 99% of the rivets on light aircraft.

Using an over-sized gun for the job at hand requires a lot of expertise to
avoid damaging the structure or skins, and using an under-sized gun requires
too many blows on the rivet, causing excessive work hardening.

[Orval Fairbairn[_2_]]

In article >,
"Kyle Boatright" > wrote:

> "Michael Horowitz" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Looking thru e-bay I see mention of 3x and 4x rivet guns.
> > What's the difference? - Mike
>
> The difference is the size of the gun and the force of it's hammering cycle.
> In the experimental community (RV's primarily), people use 2x and 3x guns.
> The 2x is good for rivets up to 1/8", and the 3x gives you enough power to
> rivet at least one size larger rivet. The 4x would be even bigger. I
> suspect a 4x gun is overkill for 99% of the rivets on light aircraft.
>
> Using an over-sized gun for the job at hand requires a lot of expertise to
> avoid damaging the structure or skins, and using an under-sized gun requires
> too many blows on the rivet, causing excessive work hardening.

It is really very easy to use a 4X gun on AN3 rivets. All you do is
install an adjustable flow restrictor on the gun and set it foe a very
low rate of fire. You can test it on a piece of board, where it should
go Tap--tap--tap, rather than BRRRRRT!

You end up with nicely-driven rivets and easy control of the gun and
bucking bar.

--
Remove _'s from email address to talk to me.

[Anthony W]

Michael Horowitz wrote:
> Looking thru e-bay I see mention of 3x and 4x rivet guns.
> What's the difference? - Mike
>


Harbor Freight has rivet guns? I can't wait to check this out...

Tony

[Orval Fairbairn[_2_]]

In article <1vjuk.72$Af3.25@trnddc06>, Anthony W >
wrote:

> Michael Horowitz wrote:
> > Looking thru e-bay I see mention of 3x and 4x rivet guns.
> > What's the difference? - Mike
> >
>
>
> Harbor Freight has rivet guns? I can't wait to check this out...
>
> Tony

No -- they have air hammers, which have a .401" bore, but make lousy
rivet guns.

--
Remove _'s from email address to talk to me.

[Anthony W]

Orval Fairbairn wrote:
> In article <1vjuk.72$Af3.25@trnddc06>, Anthony W >
> wrote:
>
>> Michael Horowitz wrote:
>>> Looking thru e-bay I see mention of 3x and 4x rivet guns.
>>> What's the difference? - Mike
>>>
>>
>> Harbor Freight has rivet guns? I can't wait to check this out...
>>
>> Tony
>
> No -- they have air hammers, which have a .401" bore, but make lousy
> rivet guns.

As I found out when I searched their site for them. I'm looking into
getting a rivet squeezer from Aircraft Spruce...

Tony