Whether for a license plate, fabric, or concrete, rivets are perfect for fastening things together. Albeit, they are a bit outdated. With durability and strength on their side, people once used these little fasteners to hold together heavy-duty bridges, airplanes, ships, and even skyscrapers! But as amazing as they were, with new advancements come new products. Nowadays, welding and bolts are all the rage. So if you want to remove rivets from old projects but don’t know how, keep reading this blog to find out.
What are Rivets?
Rivets are long plugs with dome-shaped heads. The best way to identify a rivet is by its body and how it resembles a bullet. In fact, the main part of a rivet is its mushroom top. After all, that is what is used to attach two steel plates together.
However, when it comes to their usage, you can’t just screw them in with a screwdriver or smack them with a hammer. Back in the day, you had to heat the head of the rivet until it was glowing red. Then, you poked it through the holes of the objects while applying pressure to the tip. Once it went through, people would peen at its protruding tail with a hammer to flatten or bend the surface.
Although, that is an outdated method. These days, all you need is a rivet tool. All it takes is to grab the two ends of the gun-like device, press the levers, and tada! The objects will be secured in an instant.
Types of Rivets
Surprisingly enough, there are quite a few different types of rivets. Where once rivets used to be long and thick, they have now shortened in size, becoming more lightweight. The rivets of today are used to adjoin delicate items together. This includes plastic, aluminum, copper, leather, and the like. Moreover, each rivet type varies according to its purpose and structural design. Here are some of the common types of rivets:
- Pop Rivet
- Tubular Rivets
- Solid Rivets
- Split Rivets
- Blind Rivets
How to Remove Rivets
If you don’t know how to remove rivets, don’t worry. We’ll tell you all the tips and tricks to get rid of the tiny metal fasteners.
- How to Remove Rivets With a Drill
If you own a drill, this method will be the easiest. All you have to do is position the nozzle on its mushroom-shaped head before drilling apart the two pieces. - How to Remove Rivets With a Plier
You’ll need to put in more energy and strength to remove rivets with only a plier. Get a thin-nose plier so it can shuffle under the lip of the clip. Once done, wiggle it around and use a hammer to pop the mandrel off. - How to Remove Rivets With Basic Tools
If you don’t have a drill or pliers, you can use any blunt-edged tool, like a flat screwdriver or a chisel. Just make sure the flat tip slides under the edge of the rivet before starting to hit on the other end with a hammer. This will cause the two pieces to separate, allowing you to remove them completely.
Conclusion
To summarize, if you were stuck on a project and wanted to know how to remove rivets, hopefully, by now, you know. Nonetheless, if you’re still encountering problems of any kind, reach out to TX Home Worx for experienced professionals to help you out. Our expert carpenters are here to guide and help you through whatever you need. For more information, dial (281) 841-6146 to contact us today. You can even visit us at our office at 27619 Decker Prairie-Rosehill Rd, Magnolia, TX 77355, which is a mere five-minute walk from Decker Prairie Elementary School.