Any tips for removing solid rivets?

Anyone have any tips for removing solid rivets? Have drilled several above the waterline and twice missed the center, making the hole larger than 1/4" (and in one case missing entirely). Tried drilling a pilot hole but that didn't really help. Ended up using a hammer and a painter's knife as a chisel to shear the head, but that is not something I want to do 100+ times, especially now that I am moving to the keel.

Thanks!

Having just done HUNDREDS for my complete transom removal, this worked for me!

1) Put DOT in center of each rivet with Sharpie marker

2) Use prick punch (60-degree point) to mark the center

3) Follow-up w/ center punch (90-degree point) strikin it hard for a good CENTERED dimple where you'll start the drill

4) Drill in 1/16" or so w/ small bit

5) Go in with bit sized just UNDER the rivet diameter, but NOT past the skin the rivet is through

6) Use squared edge chisel or similar to 'knock' the river head off ...

Worked for me!

Thanks Dale, that is very helpful. Just to clarify, do you draw the dot on the rounded head or the tail (i.e., where the hammer hit it)?

Like Dale said - - - drill it out.
also, some of the more smaller and softer rivets can be easily
knocked off with a regular (sharp) carpenters chisel and hammer.

but, with my short patience level, and when the rivet starts to spin in the hole,
I resort to the little more aggressive methods.


But seriously, I did the same as you . . . over a hundred 1/4" rivets.
the 4" angle grinder worked the best and quickest with the thin 1/16" cut-off blade.
After a few cuts, you figure out how not to scar the boat hull up too bad LOL.








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I marked and drilled through the head (wider part), not the tail. By doing so on 95% of them I didn't scar or deform the hole the rivet was through.

FYI, as a former machinist, I stress the use of both the prick AND center punch, as even if/when you go to punch with the center punch, if you realize your mark from the prick punch is somewhat 'not centered', you can "tip" the center punch a little towards the direction you need to favor - to be truly centered.

Lesson ... there IS a valid reason why various tools exist in the shape they are designed and sequence in which they should be used for best results.

"FYI, as a former machinist"
I am also and your post is spot on.

and I am a Shade Tree Metalsmith - with very little patience and
a LOT of power tools !!! :LMFAO:

Sometimes duct tape rules............... :shock:

Thanks again for the assist. Found the best way was to drill into the center of the button with a 1/8" bit no more than 1/8" to 3/16" to create a divot and then using an old painter's knife as a narrow chisel get between the button and the work. Two whacks with a hammer and the button would go flying. Then drill out a little more of the rivet using the 1/8" bit to separate the rib from the hull. Pry off the rib with a wonder bar and then work out the tails from there with vice grips, using slightly larger drill bits as necessary. Patience was the key.

On a separate note ... I'm using a $15 air hammer from HF as a rivet gun. First, the gun needed at least 90 lbs of air pressure and ideally 120 lbs to set the rivet - less than ideal with a pancake air compressor. Second, the HF gun "spit" oil out of the front onto the hull. At first the oil was very dark, then it became light and clear. I had put a little oil in the air connection as I was taught and decided it was just the hydraulic oil working its way through the gun -- is this just normal?

yeap, normal. There is a special "air tool oil" that is to be used
by squirting a few drops into the air inlet. And yes, it is annoying
to have oil on your work. I have no idea as to how long you can
run an air tool without oil. Never tried it.
There are ways to get around it if it is a problem. Wrap a rag lightly
around the exhaust and tape it in place. Just make sure it can exhale.

I just bought a Pneumatic Straight Line Air Sander from HF and this is a copy
of the oil information . . . .