Squeezer Rivet Punch

Drill the head, snap it off, and punch out the tail. If you dont support the back side of the part, you might end up deforming it.

The standard approach to removing AD rivets starts with drilling no more than the depth of the head, snapping the head off with the butt end of the drill bit, and then punching out the rivet shank. The punch step always works best with a bucking bar backup, but it is a classic “three hands” problem … one to hold the hammer, one to hold the punch, and one to hold the bucking bar. In addition, space constraints can be a problem, and thin structures may be deformed in the process.

Here is an easily fabricated addition for your toolbox. Round up two surplus tall flush sets. Chuck them in the lathe and machine one as a punch and one as a socket. Make the punch about 0.085-inch diameter, and the hole in the socket a bit more than 3/16 inch, large enough to fit over the shop head of a -3 or -4 rivet. Cut down the outer diameter too, so they will snuggle up on narrow flanges. When placed in a small squeezer, you’ll be able to gently ease the rivet shanks out of the structure with minimal fuss.

The squeezer-mounted punch set removes the need for a third hand.

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