# Pop rivet removal



## Battfisher (Jan 18, 2016)

the rub rail on my old Highsider is fastened with pop rivets. What’s the best way to remove them - drill out the center? Grind off one side?


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

Drill out the front. Back side accessible to remove the rest?


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## Battfisher (Jan 18, 2016)

Capnredfish said:


> Drill out the front. Back side accessible to remove the rest?


Yes. The rubrail on the Gheenoe is actually a cap, so both sides are exposed. Thanks for the assist!


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

Drill out the front and small punch to push the rest through the hole


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

If you have access to un-used rivets of the same size, simply choose a drill bit that is slightly bigger than the barrel of the new rivet -then you’re ready to drill out the head of the old rivet. You don’t want to drill past the head of the old rivet (that way you’re in no danger of enlarging the existing hole). Once the head is off it’s a simple matter to tap out what remains of the old fastener then use a new rivet when you want re-fasten the seam...

I use pop rivets occasionally to fasten an aluminum base plate to the bottom of a bilge pump’s plastic base so I don’t have to permanently mount it...


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## Battfisher (Jan 18, 2016)

lemaymiami said:


> If you have access to un-used rivets of the same size, simply choose a drill bit that is slightly bigger than the barrel of the new rivet -then you’re ready to drill out the head of the old rivet. You don’t want to drill past the head of the old rivet (that way you’re in no danger of enlarging the existing hole). Once the head is off it’s a simple matter to tap out what remains of the old fastener then use a new rivet when you want re-fasten the seam...
> 
> I use pop rivets occasionally to fasten an aluminum base plate to the bottom of a bilge pump’s plastic base so I don’t have to permanently mount it...


Thanks, Bob. I'm trashing the rub rail that was attached by the rivets - I was 16 when my dad bought the Gheenoe on which it resides, and I'm 56 now - so I'll have some margin for error before I get to the fiberglass. This is the old aluminum rub rail which is black vinyl on the more recent vintage Highsiders, so I'll be going back with the newfangled style.


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## krash (Jan 9, 2007)

If going back on with new rivets... make sure you do not enlarge the old holes... use the correct size bit, and when drilling them out do not let them spin if possible.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

I think the general size is 3/16” for the rivet pilot hole and I always use a 3/16” bit to drill them out. Take this from a guy that popped over a thousand rivets in the frame on the last boat he built the frame for and heavily modified the cockpit and transom.


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## Battfisher (Jan 18, 2016)

krash said:


> If going back on with new rivets... make sure you do not enlarge the old holes... use the correct size bit, and when drilling them out do not let them spin if possible.


The rubbrail on the Gheenoes is actually a cap. So the pop rivet goes thru outside leg of the cap, through the fiberglass hull, then through the inside leg of the cap. I won’t drill past the leg of the cap, and then i’m trashing the old cap and putting on the new black vinyl version.


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