willysmjeeps.com

Hi ,
Any recommendations for a welting rivet installation tool ?
Would like a tight rivet installation without scratching grill paint and or rivet head .
Just thought I’d ask some of the folks that have replaced there grill welting for there experience/ opinion .
Thanks , Brian
M170

Rivets have never been friendly to paint jobs. In the case of Split rivets or bifurcated rivets as they are sometimes called you have very little choice. They by design are to be installed mechanically by pressure, bending and tapping. The best way to prevent or limit marring is to cover contact tooling with hard rubber. You can buy fiber reinforced rubber sheet in many thicknesses. Find a steel bar that can be handled easily with your hand inside the grill area. Glue a layer of hard reinforced rubber sheet say about 1/16 to 1/8" thick to the sides of the bar you intend to allow to contact the rivet and nearby metal. Then use it to support the head of your rivet while you are addressing the spreading and flattening of the split tails.


Split tail or Bifurcated rivets


Padded block/bar


Split rivet die tool

Here's the web site that supplied the photos: https://ohiotravelbag.com/blog/how-to-s ... ar-rivets/

Thanks

Are the m38a1 split rivets black or brass in color ?

You can purchase a tool from Ron Fitzpatrick for approximately $30 (I did) or even fab up one your self with minimal effort and the sacrifice of one of your tools.

With the purchased tool and a small awl it went slick for my grill welting installation and minimal paint damage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffoBjFlpmPc

Thanks rick

If you check your ORD 9 on page 362, 8th item from the top of the page:
ORD # 113454, rivet, split, oval-he, S, ???-enmld, 9/64 x 7/16, 5/16 he dia

There is a plier type tool made for setting those. It rolls the two tangs beautifully. Im trying to find a part number for them. Somewhere is my catalog of all manner of vintage upholstery things. in it those pliers are available, I'll keep looking.

Thanks , let me know if you find the tool . I don’t mind purchasing and sharing with others

Thanks Wes , black enamel ..
kinda forget if bottom of rivet are rolled or flat .. digging around for my old ones to see , but haven’t found them yet .

Try this web site - https://dcmclassics.com/tools-and-acces ... -tool.html

If you want to make your own - http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/tools/ts216.htm

Hope this helps...

That is one of them! Thanks for posting, saved me some digging!

Here's one:

https://walcks4wd.com/rivit-crimp-tool.html

Thanks Ron , now two to choose from . This one and the DCM one . I emailed DCM to see if there’s is made in USA, This one is nice that they are making it themselves .

The Walcks tool appears to be the same as the one I purchased from RFJP. It did work well.