Aluminum rivet alloy

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ibmike182

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Just picked up my first boat a 14' Starcraft. It is in need of a lot of work. All of the wood is rotted out. The transom is toast. While it looks bad it did pass a leak test and the hull is straight with no dings or dents. I pulled up the carpet that was glued to the inside of the hull and still have to get all the carpet glue removed. Thankfully there is only some very light localized corrosion so not a lot of metalwork to repair.

My question to the group concerns aluminum solid rivets. I need to drill out some pop rivets that were used and replace them with solid aluminum rivets. Does it matter what the aluminum alloy of the rivets is? I would think aluminum is aluminum and that it wouldn't matter. If that is not the case does anyone know what type of aluminum was used on these boats? Maybe a dumb question but I'd rather ask it now then hear I should have asked it but didn't.
Thanks in advance
Mike
 
I can only say that I've never heard of any sort of problem/interaction for connecting 2 different allows of aluminum together by rivet to metal, welding, or any other situation.
 
Did you know there is a closed end pop rivet out there that are aluminum body /aluminum mandrel.Here is one supplier https://afi.thomasnet-navigator.com/viewitems/closed-end-pop-rivets/uminum-body-aluminum-mandrel-closed-end-pop-rivets ... I am with jmichael if theres a problem i never heard..Some more info https://wolffsmarine.com/Bull_Frog.html (has video) There are lotsa rivets on Ebay..Just some options you may not have thought of....cva34
 
The pop rivets I want to replace are hollow but above the waterline with very easy access to both sides of the rivet. They should have been solid rivets and who ever did it did some very poor work. I have the tools to replace them (rivet gun, bucking bars, compressor). I have the experience from my airframe mechanic days. I also have the pop rivet tools so if I couldn't get on the back side with a bucking bar I'd use pop rivets. Hollow or solid depending on the location. My question was more about the make up of the rivets and the type of aluminum used to manufacture these boats. While looking for 3/16 and 1/4 rivets I see rivets with various alloys so it made me think that it might become a problem with the dissimilar metals between the aluminum boat and the aluminum alloy rivets. Galvanic corrosion can be tuff to repair once it takes hold on the metal. Not something I would want to have to fix at a later date. The more I think about it the more I believe that the different alloys pertain more to the tensile strength of the rivets and the applications for which the rivets are being used. The alloy rivets should then have no effect when used so long as its aluminum to aluminum contact. Looks like I'm over analyzing the issue again which I tend to do...
Mike
 
I dont think it matters. Never heard or seen where aluminum reacts with other aluminum. As far as I know they all have the same basic elements just add or subtract other elements to make different alloys and strengths,( but I could be wrong on that).

Steve
 
I believe the galvanic corrosion you speak of is worse in saltwater where bare aluminum is exposed. I could be wrong but you should be able to dab some sealant on there and POP away.
 
I think you're correct. The corrosion that I normally saw and repaired was usually on the bottom of helicopters doing low level hovering and such over open ocean water. The saltwater overtime really did a number on the belly of the aircraft. Mute point now already ordered the aluminum solid rivets off eBay. Funny to be metal working again just traded one craft for another :D
 
ibmike182 said:
The corrosion that I normally saw and repaired was usually on the bottom of helicopters doing low level hovering and such over open ocean water.
Sounds like an AMS if I ever heard one.
 
Naval Helicopter Crewchief, Search and Rescue Swimer, AMS to AD and finally to 7341. You were in or knew someone who was...
 

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