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MG MGB Technical - Hints for riveting catches and plates

Any helpful hints out there to minimize the risk of damaging my brand new paint job while riveting the tonneau socket plates and side moulding trim catches. Any additional hints or things to watch out for when reinstalling all the trim pieces (wiper boxes, headlight trim, lights, windshield, etc.)
Frank

yes use auto body tape on the new paint job, then drill your hole through it and pop rivet it on, afterwards you can cut it off with a light scoring of a razor blade.
CJD Dark

You'll never get the tape off from under the pop rivetted fitting. Use the masking tape to pencil mark through from the fittings and then drill through the tape. Now remove it and put some waxoyl on the surface. Grit your teeth and rivet the fittings on or alternatively put on some more tape on the surrounding paint but NOT where the fitting goes.
Iain MacKintosh

Ian- CJD's idea provides a built in gasket lessening the metal-metal chaffing. Sounds like the better mousetrap to me. Vic
vem myers

Use a poprivet gun that is operated two handedly. The one that is operated by two handles with an interconnection between. By using a larger two handed rivet gun, you are able to apply an even force with a greater amount of control. The single handed type is dangerous to paintwork as it has a tendency to repulse and whip forward again. I know first hand, on new paintwork :(

Cheers
Erik
Erik

Maybe but it also retains the damp. In addition it is also difficult to remove the remaining with a blade without marking the paint. If its riveted properly there will be no metal to metal movement.
Iain MacKintosh

Use two hands on the rivet gun - one to operate it and the other to grip the nose of the gun between finger and thumb, resting the other side of your fist on the new paint.

This way you have control of the gun and it cannot damage the paint.
Chris at Octarine Services

If the nose of your rivit gun will not allow the rivit to fully seat in the snap try using a short piece of steel brake pipe over the rivit stem. This will extend the nose of the gun to fully seat the rivit.
Bill Young

Much like the gasket ideas expressed above, place a little rtv silicon on the end of each rivet before install. Its also a good idea to prime and touch up paint each drilled hole before commencing.

After the pop rivet begins to grip, pull backwards slightly on the gun and continue to squeeze. Now, when the rivet pops, the gun will recoil towards you like a firing pistol. I've done it this way with great success but have to admit, Chris's technique is pure common sense. Thanks Chris, might try it your way next time!
Paul Hanley

If you've got a compressor, the pnuematic type rivet guns work fine. You get a nice straight pull, consistant results and good control. They're not all that expensive and you'd be surprised how handy they can be. Just make sure you get a good quality unit--remember, you get what you pay for.
R. L Carleen

In the process myself...

Grind down the nose of the rivet gun and
file nice and flat - Using nuts and such tend
to leave their impression on the face of the rivet

Trim rivets: Use mylar washers twixt body &rivet

Cover & protect: a piece of cardboard with
an appropriate hole has saved me many foopa's

Use SS rivets and BACKERS - when your expanding
the rivet they occasionally expand into the
metal cracking the paint! My door waist
required backers since the holes were so big.

As everyone states it's the recoil at the pop
that get's ya. Good rivets will suck up into
the gun but cheapo's will not making the gun
a scratch waiting to happen with the stem
still protruding from the tip.

Don't get too confident!
HowY

The two handed way is the correct way, I wasn't going to mention it here but there is no chance of damage. I suggested masking around just to give a little confidence.
Iain MacKintosh

As stated several times already - watch out for the kickback when the rivet pops. The gun WILL want to bounce off the paint once the rivet pops, so using both hands is a must. The tape idea will be excellent protection!
Jeff Schlemmer

I work for Toyota and we attach the gas doors with rivit guns. The pnumatic guns are truely the best as stated above. But when we have to do the door off line, we use manual guns. to protect the new paint, we cover the gun with a glove finger. Put the rivit gun nose into the finger of a cotton glove and push the rivit through the glove. Protects the paint from scratches. However, if you are not careful, you can still dent the metal.
Cris DeYoung

Or get someone to help you like I did - they hold the nose of the rivet gun in place and prevent it from moving.
The only damage I had was when I tried to do it myself - the protruding rivet "shaft" caused the damage!
John
John Minchin

This thread was discussed between 03/12/2004 and 06/12/2004

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