Air riveting hammer tooling

[bletchmonster]

I have a large American made riveting hammer (please excuse pic, I cracked the camera lense this morning). You may be able to make out that the rivet set die has boosted. It's my own fault, I ground a portion off one side to work closer up against section sides, this appears to have caused a stress riser where I left a slight ridge. It came as a bit of a shock when over 1 1/2" of tool steel fell in two .
Soooooo, does anyone have any suggestions as to where I could source a replacement in the UK. Its like big riveting gear never existed in this country. Would turn up my own if I could find suitable shock resistant tool steel but I would probably need to have it properly heat treated after.
That rivet set is 30.88mm shank where it fits into the air hammer so it's big stuff.
Thanks, Ed.

 

[Parm]

Off Topic, but that's a beast.

What do you rivet with that?

 

[grim_d]

I've made my own sets before (admittedly for smaller rivet guns) for special one off uses,you could heat treat something like that yourself with enough insulation. You don't want it too hard...for obvious reasons.

Off Topic, but that's a beast.

What do you rivet with that?

Steam Boilers, structural steelwork, ships.

 

[bletchmonster]

Not off topic @parm.I use a lot of 3/8" shank rivets making ornamental steel work, things like the fruit cage frame below, recreating the wrought iron type construction. And a lot of gates etc. I love rivets.

No boilers, my one man riveting techniques would never be up to that type of work.
@grim_d, can I ask what steel you used?

 

[Arc Tourist]

View attachment 226468
I have a large American made riveting hammer …………………………………………..

Those were also used as a small demolition jackhammer. Is it an Ingersol Rand ?

 

[grim_d]

I think it was just EN8, nothing that would be up to rigorous use but I was just making extensions etc for very low use.

 

[Mark 2]

I'd like something like this : I don't go mad for pop rivets.
Daft question incoming
What holds the opposite side, a counter blast of air, something solid?

 

[grim_d]

Depends on the size, generally a "bucking bar" a solid block of cast iron or tungsten.

For big stuff that you want formed heads on both sides you can have someone on the other side with the same gun.

Have a look on YouTube, it's fascinating.

Solid rivets are great, rivet guns are fairly easy to come by, they are not the same as pneumatic hammers though.

 

[Dcal]

Could you modify a CP9 or similar?

 

[bletchmonster]

Those were also used as a small demolition jackhammer. Is it an Ingersol Rand ?

It's a Keeler made in Michigan, USA.
I think the only difference from a jackhammer, rivet buster etc, is tha it has a progressive trigger giving some speed control.

I'd like something like this : I don't go mad for pop rivets.
Daft question incoming
What holds the opposite side, a counter blast of air, something solid?

Something solid!! A backing or bucking bar. As I'm usually on my tod, I use a block of steel, with a depression to take the rivet head, sat on 12mm plate bench which I suspect is a bit springy for the job but it works.

 

[bletchmonster]

Could you modify a CP9 or similar?

Sorry, I don't know what a CP9 is.

 

[Dcal]

Sorry, I don't know what a CP9 is.

Old school air demolition hammer that nobody wants now because of the noise and vibration.
The chisels are bullet proof and you might be able to modify one if you can take the temper out of it and re-harden it.
It bigger brother is the CP14
link is the first think that came up online.

Just a thought.

https://www.sibbons.co.uk/product/cp9-chipping-hammer/

 

[Parm]

Not off topic @parm.I use a lot of 3/8" shank rivets making ornamental steel work, things like the fruit cage frame below, recreating the wrought iron type construction. And a lot of gates etc. I love rivets.
View attachment 226476 No boilers, my one man riveting techniques would never be up to that type of work.
@grim_d, can I ask what steel you used?

That’s lovely work

Reminds me of Victorian steel work

 

[frank horton]

is there nowt around Liverpool,Speake......Camel Airds used a lot o kit......

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Hot riveting is a dying art nowadays, interesting to see someone on it. I’ve got to rivet a loco for a friend and I’m not looking forward to it

 

[Shedendman]

Old school air demolition hammer that nobody wants now because of the noise and vibration.
The chisels are bullet proof and you might be able to modify one if you can take the temper out of it and re-harden it.
It bigger brother is the CP14
link is the first think that came up online.

Just a thought.

https://www.sibbons.co.uk/product/cp9-chipping-hammer/

Cracking tool,used them in demos many moons ago,was also very useful with a clay spade for under pinning,and yer,bloody noisy

 

[Agroshield]

I’ve got to rivet a loco for a friend and I’m not looking forward to it

This might give the OP a lead or some ideas on replacement bits for his. Contact some of the preserved loco. societies and Fred Dibnah types (I think there is a magazine called 'Old Glory' that deals with this).

Does the company in US still exist? Have a look on their website for info. as it may give material specs.

 

[rory1]

There’s a fella in Bristol that deals in rivetting gear can’t recall his name tho.

Il get a name for you off my friendly boilermaker

 

[outofthefire]

If you can wait till I get back to work we might have something, if not I should be able to knock you something up. I've loads of scrap en8 and some scrap pneumatic chisels that would do. Downside, I don't know when my furlough will finish, half of us started back yesterday so might not be long, but who knows.

 

[bletchmonster]

If you can wait till I get back to work we might have something, if not I should be able to knock you something up. I've loads of scrap en8 and some scrap pneumatic chisels that would do. Downside, I don't know when my furlough will finish, half of us started back yesterday so might not be long, but who knows.

That's mighty fine of you to offer! I have old lorry half shafts lying around that I could do my own dirty work with, but I thought I would need the proper steel for the job. I make hand rivet punchs/sets and backing blocks that work fine but the sheer violence of this big air riveter is something else. I am wary of the bit mushrooming in the bore where the piston hits it and ruining the tool.
@rory1 if you know of a UK contact for this stuff that would be great.
I think I can still get one from States but its mighty expensive, but its more that the tool shape is not ideal for me. Hence me buggering this one up.