Vans toolbox kit question

[papakeith]

The past month or two all I've managed to do is to almost finish the Vans practice toolbox.

I was cruising right along but I'm kinda stuck here and hope you all can help me out.

I'm trying to attach the hinge to the body of the toolbox.
The rivets called for are 426 4-4.
The hinge rivet holes are pre-countersunk.

When I place the proper rivet (I checked with a digital caliper just to make sure ) in the hinge rivet hole there is a shelf above the rivet head. The result is that if I try to squeeze the rivet I end up with a bunch of play because the squeezer is tight against the hinge, not the rivet head.

Do I:

1. Drill the hole to the next rivet size up and countersink it until the new size sits flush?
2. Sand one side or the other of the hinge bracket to bring the rivet head flush with the hinge bracket?
3. machine a new squeezer die that will fit on the head of the rivet only?

Here's a picture to help you visualize. Any suggestions?

[cjensen]

Hmm. Well, you should have a tiny halo around the rivet head, but not that much. I'd say the machine got a little carried away when it c-sunk that hole. I would drill to a 5/32 rivet if you have any, then slowly countersink for that size. If not, it's a practice kit, and you've identified the problem. Squeeze it anyway, unless you want it a little more aesthetically pleasing.

[Womack2005]

You could also just shim it when you set it. put a temp shim between the rivet and the set when you set the rivet. This keeps it all the way down in the c/s.

[dons]

I don't remember having that issue with my toolbox latch rivets, so my guess is that somebody countersunk that one in the picture on the left a wee too much. The one on the right doesn't seem to have had anything done to it. I would likely just try it and see what happens, if it really does stay loose, drill it out and try something else like a small metal disk that fills the space between the surface and head of the rivet, or like you said, use a larger rivet if you have some, I don't have anything bigger than the 426 4 types, but than I'm not scratch building either. After all, this is a practice kit, I used mine to practice things, including drilling out a few rivets and doing them again.

Dang clients keep wanting attention, took me almost an hour to get the above type in.

[Wicked Stick]

Papa,

Will's idea should work fine, make the shim and squeeze away.

This is the very reason why they have practice kits to teach what not to do when countersinking .

I used to set up my countersink cage well shy of the correct depth, and then step it down a notch or two and try again until it gets to where it should be, now that I know where it should be set, I scribed a mark on the side to help get me back and fourth between bit sizes.

Let me know when you plan to stop by for a visit. Looking forward to it.

[papakeith]

Dave,

I can swing by tomorrow afternoon if you are going to be around.

I'm going to try shimming up the head for now. If nothing else, like you say, it's good practice for working a problem.

[Womack2005]

Dave, great idea to skribe the countersink cage! Never thought of that

[Wicked Stick]

Dave, great idea to skribe the countersink cage! Never thought of that

Yeah, I have two marks... one for the -3's and one for the -4's.
Every now and then though, I find I'm maybe one or two notches back from the original mark I made on it.

I just use them as a reference points to get me close.