Swapping out the old pneumatic rivet gun for a cordless one changed my workflow big time

I used to use a pneumatic rivet gun for everything on the line at my shop in Phoenix, but last month I switched to a cordless Milwaukee M12 rivet gun for smaller jobs. The difference is huge for me since I don't have to drag hoses around when I'm working on tight spots inside the fuselage. Anyone else made the switch and found it worth it for just panel work?

3 comments

3 Comments

emery_black22d ago

Wait, you're using the M12 for actual rivet gun work? I didn't think those little things had the power for anything bigger than 1/8 inch rivets in thin sheet metal. I tried one a few years back and it barely set a 3/16 rivet in 6061 aluminum. Did they upgrade the motor or something, or are you just doing really light gauge stuff where it works fine?

the_anthony21d ago

Fair enough @emery_black, but I gotta push back a little here. I've been running the newer M12 rivet gun for over a year now on a bunch of trailer repair jobs and it handles 3/16 stainless rivets in 1/8 inch steel just fine. Maybe you had an old version or a dud battery, because mine hasn't choked once. It's not gonna replace a pneumatic gun for a full day of production work, but for quick jobs and mobile stuff it's way more than just a toy. I think the motor got a real upgrade around 2020 or 2021, because the one I tried back in 2018 was junk too. If you haven't looked at the latest model, it's worth another shot, especially with a 4.0 or 6.0 battery behind it.

the_emery21d ago

Nah man, my buddy @emery_black had the same problem with that M12.