Hi,
I have taken on a business venture which uses a rivet
machine to assemble shelf brackets. I know nothing, (much),
about riveters, but I am learning fast. I really need to have
a couple of questions answered about rivets. The Chicago
Rivet company has been great, but they sell parts, they
don't really use them.

Question 1: if a rivet rotates in a completed assembly, is
that bad?

Question 2: the clinch is not fully formed and is off center
sometimes. Is that bad? The parts cannot be pulled apart.

Question 3: any help on air pressure requirements?

Thank-you for any help, tips or leads!
Vaughn.

__________________
VR
1967 250SL

I've had my hands kind of full this morning.(finally have a real project to do at work )
But anyway, I'm not going to be of a whole lot of help here. I haven't used much by way of riviting equipment other than a pop-rivit gun.
Would seem to me it's going to depend on size of the rivit, size of what it's going into, and how much weight it needs to hold. I've seen alot of things rivited together that looked like they wouldn't hold a thing, but do just fine.
To bad my dad isn't still around. He was a structural engineer at Boeing, and taught classes for years on fasteners. He could have snowed you under with info.
Good luck on your venture! Let us know how it goes

__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)

You need an old Blacksmith....

Or , you need to check with the " experimental Aircraft" people .... they HAVE to be into rivits....

And the " aircraft tool supply co" at http://www.aircraft-tool.com/ has a drooling good catalog on this type stuff...

but in general...

`1. No , there is no problem with a properly set rivet rotating... in fact, on chainsaw chains they are Required to rotate... and there is a tool which rotates it as it is installed..

2. If the parts can not be pulled apart on even the offset crimps... then you are ok.. what you have done is " destructive testing" and found they worked ok,,, so you answered your own question...

3. Enough to do the job... it all depends on if you are using air hammer, air over hydraulic... etc.... this will often have to be determined by trial an error... if you are in a " buying decision" phase with that question... go over and you can always find other air tools you want to utilize the extra capacity you have...