Rivet Gun question

[Wrench]

Newbie to riveting... please excuse my ignorance. Referencing the attached picture. Brand new CP 2X gun. Cleveland mushroom set. When I use the CP retaining spring the gun won't " rap "..... just blows air. Picture shows the spring not snapped in place but I was just taking it apart when I took the picture. Take the spring off... works fine... but that's just not safe.... have a CP 3X as well... same thing...

Is there a different spring I should be using for the mushroom set ?

Thanks !

 

[lr172]

Newbie to riveting... please excuse my ignorance. Referencing the attached picture. Brand new CP 2X gun. Cleveland mushroom set. When I use the CP retaining spring the gun won't " rap "..... just blows air. Picture shows the spring not snapped in place but I was just taking it apart when I took the picture. Take the spring off... works fine... but that's just not safe.... have a CP 3X as well... same thing...

Is there a different spring I should be using for the mushroom set ?

Thanks !

looks like the spring is a poor fit with the set and are side loading the shaft.

 

[Desert Rat]

Those springs come in several styles. For most mushroom sets, the 1/2 circle that goes in the groove on the set is a bigger radius than it would be for a skinny set intended for a pan head rivet.

So yeah, you probably have the wrong spring and it's side loading the set.

As far as "dangerous". If you use that gun without the spring, it's not going to shoot the set out like a harpoon. What can happen is that the set can fall out at an inopportune time and damage what you're working on. You can also damage the gun if you hit the trigger with no set in there.

 

[Tommy123]

Do you have the set against something? They don't do anything when the set is not against something. And that spring is the wrong size.

 

[planenutz]

Do you have the set against something? They don't do anything when the set is not against something. And that spring is the wrong size.

Yep, what Tommy and the others have said.

That spring is far too long and its holding the set out of the gun. For the 2X gun the spring should be about half that size so that when the set is in place its sitting snuggly in the gun barrel.

Three things will stop the gun from working and instead just blow air -

1. Insufficient air pressure (if you have the regulator wound back too far)
2. A lack of internal lubrication of the gun... if its been sitting for too long unused.
3. If the set is not fully engaged in the gun, all the way aft.

The gun relies on the set pushing back on the internal mechanisum to help the next cycle. And if the gun is new and perhaps has some factory lubrication (for example LPS3 or some protective lubrication that is high in wax) it might take a few trigger pulls to get it working properly. Do not pull the trigger if the gun is not against something solid (like your workbench) and don't hold the set against the palm of your hand and pull the trigger. Or your stomach. Yeah... don't bother asking me how I know. If you have to pull the trigger and have nothing to put the set against, hold the set by wrapping your fingers around the outside like you 're holding a screwdriver handle and gently pull the trigger.

I enjoy riveting - its the best part of the building process aside from being able to sit back and enjoying the results.

 

[Wrench]

Folks,

Thanks for all the quick and informative replies !

Both guns work fine without the spring. I did some more research and found a retaining spring on Clevelands website that looks like the ticket !

Thanks again ...

 

[AlphaCharlieBravo]

Thats the one!

Arnie