Rivet Tools

A rivet tool sets blind rivets — the kind you install from one side when you can’t reach the back of a panel. A blind rivet has two parts: the body and the mandrel. The mandrel runs through the body and gets pulled during installation. As the mandrel pulls through, it deforms the back of the body. Once that deformed portion grips against the back of the material, the mandrel snaps off, leaving a clean finished joint. That one-sided install is exactly why it’s called a blind rivet — you use it when you can’t get to the back of the installation.

The single most useful thing to get right: match your tool’s power source and rated pull force to the rivet diameter, the material, and how many rivets you’re setting. A hand riveter handles a few aluminum rivets fine. Stainless steel and bigger diameters need real muscle — lever, battery, or air.

For metal roofing, siding, gutter, and trailer work, that decision matters more in this climate. Rivets hold up well in shear and shrug off vibration. But there’s a catch worth knowing up front.

How Rivets Work and Where They Belong

The mechanical principle is simple. A rivet tool keeps the head of the rivet pressed firmly against the installation surface while pulling the mandrel away from it. The shaft is inserted through pre-drilled holes, then deformed to permanently secure the two pieces. Rivet-type fasteners are excellent in shear loading, have good tensile strength properties, and are nearly immune to vibration loosening.

That vibration resistance is why they show up on anything that shakes — trailers, ductwork, equipment panels.

But know the limits. Rivets should not be used in thick materials or in tensile applications, because their tensile strengths are quite low relative to their shear strengths. The longer the total grip length — the combined thickness of the sheets being joined — the harder it becomes to lock the rivet. Match your rivet’s grip range to the total stack thickness. Longer grips are harder to set, period.

Here’s the one that bites exterior work in Montana: riveted joints are neither airtight nor watertight unless special seals or coatings are used. On metal roofing, siding, and gutters facing freeze-thaw and wind-driven rain, that means sealed or closed-end rivets and corrosion-resistant materials. A plain aluminum rivet in an open joint isn’t going to keep water out on its own.

And for any load-bearing joint, reach for structural-grade rivets — not a standard blind rivet. Some cordless tools accept a dedicated nosepiece for Monobolt structural blind rivets, in 4.8 and 6.4 mm. Use the right grade for the load.

The Four Tool Types and Which One You Need

There’s no single “best” riveter. Each tool has a place, and they perform well when matched to the right situation. Decide what you work with most often and be realistic about what you need the tool to do. The four types break down cleanly by power source.

Tool type	How it’s powered	Best for	The trade-off
Hand rivet gun	Lever + squeeze, manual	Occasional small rivets, light-duty jobs	Hard on hands, wrists, forearms over many rivets
Heavy-duty lever riveter	Manual, more leverage	Wider and larger rivet range	Higher cost than a hand gun; still manual
Cordless battery tool	Battery	Job-site mobility, no air lines	Needs battery management; catch can jam if overfilled
Pneumatic	Compressed air	High-volume production	Tethered to a compressor — limits portability

Hand rivet gun. An excellent choice for the occasional user — a project with just a few rivets. The biggest downside is the squeeze and the time it takes. Used repeatedly, it’s stressful on the hands, wrists, and forearms, making it less than ideal for jobs needing many rivets.

Heavy-duty lever riveter. The step up. These work with a wider range of rivet sizes, tend to be more heavy-duty, and are easier on the user. The larger size and lever action reduce the physical strength required. They also come with a collection bottle that catches the snapped mandrels after installation.

Cordless battery tool. Great for the job site — the versatility of no cord and the ease of pushing a button to install the rivet. Two varieties exist. They function basically the same except for the last step: one type spits the mandrel out the front, the other pulls it into a holder so you don’t deal with them until you empty the catch. The catch version makes installs faster by collecting mandrels for you — but don’t over-fill the catch or the gun may jam. A transparent collector lets you watch the level.

Pneumatic. Powered by compressed air, it’s easily the fastest way to install rivets, with a built-in catch. The downside is the hose to the compressor, which limits portability more than any other tool — but for a large number of rivets, it’s undoubtedly the best tool for the job.

For remote Montana job sites with no compressor on hand, cordless is the practical answer. Just remember cold-weather battery management — lithium packs don’t love sitting in a frozen truck.

Matching Size, Material, and Pull Force

A tool has to be rated for the rivet diameter and material you actually run. Undersize it and you get failed sets or strained hardware.

Common blind rivet diameters run 3/32”, 1/8”, 5/32”, and 3/16”, up through 1/4” (6.4 mm), with metric sizes from 4.0 to 7.0 mm. Rivets come in various metal alloys — aluminum, low- and high-carbon steel, stainless steel, brass, copper — limited mainly by needing a shaft ductile enough to deform without cracking. Harder rivets, like high-carbon steel, may require heat during installation. Harder material means more pull force, which is exactly where a hand tool runs out of road.

The cordless tools on the market show what that force looks like. One 20V class tool delivers up to 2,100 lbf of pulling force and pulls aluminum, steel, and stainless steel blind rivets up to 3/16”, with capability for 800 rivets per charge. Another 18V unit installs rivets up to 1/4” (6.4 mm), with a brushless motor delivering 20 kN of pulling force and a 30 mm stroke that sets most rivets in one stroke — pulling aluminum, steel, and stainless steel. A heavier-range cordless tool fastens all blind rivets including aluminum, steel, stainless steel and copper from 4.8 mm up to 7.0 mm, with 20,000 N of pulling force and a 30 mm stroke for the larger diameters.

The takeaway: verify the tool’s rated pull force, stroke, and grip-length capacity against the rivet you’ll actually use. Stainless steel and big diameters demand the higher-force tools. Note too that rivet tools are not interchangeable with Rivnut (threaded insert) tools — different mechanism, different job.

Installation Basics

Getting consistent sets comes down to a few fundamentals. Start by choosing the appropriately sized nose piece — tools normally come with several options to fit a range of blind rivets. Match the nose piece to the rivet diameter before you set anything.

Rivets require a pre-drilled set of holes that line up perfectly in both workpieces. Drill clean and slightly oversized so the rivet seats without forcing.

Manage your mandrels. A transparent mandrel collector lets you see when it’s full, avoiding jams and minimizing downtime to clear them. Empty it regularly — overfilling is the most common cause of a jammed tool.

And expect some variation. If you’ve ever worked with pop rivets, you know that whether it’s user error, component variability, or misalignment, there can be significant rivet-to-rivet variability. Consistent technique is what keeps your sets reliable.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is a hand rivet gun enough? For occasional use and small jobs. A hand rivet gun is an excellent choice for the occasional user — if your project has just a few rivets, it’ll do the trick. For anything high-volume, the repeated squeeze wears on your hands and a powered tool earns its keep.

Do I need a powered tool for stainless steel rivets? Stainless and larger diameters take more force than a hand tool comfortably delivers. The cordless tools built for it run high pull force — up to 2,100 lbf, capable of pulling aluminum, steel, and stainless steel blind rivets, with heavier-range tools reaching 20 kN of pulling force. Check the tool’s rating against your rivet material and diameter.

Are riveted joints watertight for exterior metal work? Not on their own. Riveted joints are neither airtight nor watertight unless special seals or coatings are used. For roofing, siding, and gutter joints exposed to weather, that means sealed or closed-end rivets and corrosion-resistant materials.

What’s the difference between a standard and a structural rivet? Structural-grade rivets are made for load-bearing joints; standard blind rivets are not. Some tools accept dedicated nosepieces for Monobolt structural blind rivets in 4.8 and 6.4 mm. Don’t substitute a standard rivet where the joint carries load.

Why does my cordless tool keep jamming? Usually an overfilled mandrel catch. The catch version collects mandrels for you, but be careful not to over-fill the catch or the gun may jam. Empty it regularly — a transparent collector makes it easy to watch the level.

Can I use the same tool for rivets and rivet nuts? No. Rivet tools and Rivnut (threaded insert) tools are mechanically distinct and can’t be used interchangeably.

Western Building Center carries the heavy-duty pro RH200S riveter and the RHT300 twist-style tool for blind rivet work.