Hey not sure if anyone else had found this out but I bought the Harbor Freight long arm pop rivet tool for $18, and it works great!!!!!!!!!! I just pop-ed three Stainless Steel rivets in seconds!!!!!! I don't know how long it will last but it sure beats the $90 ones everyone else sells. Hope this helps, when I re install my tramp tracks and jib tracks next month I will let you all know if it can finish the job.
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Jim
New Orleans
'83 H18 SX mods 2013 -
'65 Lavey Craft 2005 -
'69 Cal 25 1997 - 2001
'80 P16 1980 - 1996
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Pop rivet tool
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Posted: Mar 01, 2012 - 06:15 PM
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Posted: Mar 01, 2012 - 07:53 PM
It will likely last as long as you own your boat. I have hundreds of rivets on mine. I think every sailor who has used a standard rivet gun now knows about the $18 harbor frieght wishbone riveter. Or at least they should! ;)
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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Posted: Mar 01, 2012 - 08:08 PM
on my list of things to pick up tomorrow. Drummer's post on OptiKid's question directed me to the Harbor freight website for the compressor driven one, but I don't own a compressor so for $18 I'll give it a shot.
Also found $7 hog ring pliers for the trap shock cord.
Edited by bobcatnj on Mar 01, 2012 - 09:11 PM.
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Bob Miller
1983 P16 Sail # 7312
"Miller Time" A work in progress; out of the water for 16 years
Barnegat Bay NJ
Beach Cat Lesson #1 - A free cat isn't
Find more Prindles on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/173120656090532/
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Posted: Mar 02, 2012 - 03:22 AM
I have the pnuematic gun from HF. It works well for me.
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Greenville SC
Offering sails and other go fast parts for A-class catamarans
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Posted: Mar 02, 2012 - 06:40 AM
dittos
i have one as well and it works great.
marc -
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Posted: Mar 02, 2012 - 09:31 AM
And if you have a grinder, I use a metal cutting wheel on a 4.5 inch angle grinder, you can grind flats on your 3/16 inch pop rivet nozzle and it will fit down inside the tracks for your traveler. Cheap that way. -
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Posted: Mar 02, 2012 - 09:44 AM
glad the $20 HF tool works for folks... I've gone through 2 after about 10 rivets each (monel rivets)... brought the first tool back, they replaced and marked my receipt... took the second one... did about a dozen or whatever rivets, now it won't pull 'em... maybe they both came from the same batch w/soft teeth or something... always wind up using a buddies' $90 one that he got from murrays...
Edited by robpatt on Mar 02, 2012 - 09:45 AM. -
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Posted: Mar 05, 2012 - 09:48 PM
i bought the harbor freight tool after using the traditional 'hand-squeeze' models and not being able to pop a stainless steel rivets. i love this HF tool. i've only done about 8 s.s. rivets so far but it's working great and pops 'em off without a problem. i used the 20% off coupon and it came to $15 w/ tax. lol. and i love the collection container which holds the stems.....what a pain digging around on the ground/floor looking for the stems. three thumbs up!
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Aquacat 12 (sold)...'87 Nacra 5.8 (sold)...'03 Nacra Inter18 (sold)
Venture 15 (sold)....'89 Nacra 5.8 (sold)...'91 Nacra 5.8NA (sold)
'99 Nacra Inter20 (sold)
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