Rivet guns are one of those tools that you need around any manufacturing operation for occasionally popping in one or two fasteners from time to time.
But if your work requires doing more than a handful every day, then it can be a tiresome — and sometimes painful — procedure to take on.
Dewalt recently introduced two new rivet tools to its lineup, each powered by a 20-volt MAX XR battery. The brushless rivet tools come in 3/16 and ¼ and can do multiple-size rivets if needed.
I had my friend, Gene, try out the new guns at his shop, which is a sign manufacturing operation that also powder coats and sprays its finishes, and he said they apply upwards of 50-75 rivets per day. They do have another brand of powered rivet guns, but they use an air system that can sometimes get in the way of working on a project.
Ease of Use
“For everything else that’s powered, we pretty much use the battery because of the ease,” Gene says. “To move to a battery-powered rivet system is something we really didn’t think too much about, but it is a smart move.”
The Dewalt rivet tools can be used for fastening aluminum, steel, and stainless-steel blind rivets. They are designed to maximize productivity, and the Dewalty Cordless Rivet Tools are lightweight yet powerful and feature tool-free nose piece changes for ease of use in prefabrication, assembly, HVAC, roofing, and automotive applications.
“They are no heavier than a typical speed drill, but they do feel beefy in your hands,” Gene says. “The grip is a bit larger, but I like that. It doesn’t make you over-squeeze, which can fatigue the hand sometimes.”
Dewalt says the 20V MAX XR brushless and cordless 3/16 in. Rivet Tool’s (DCF403) brushless motor delivers up to 2,100-pound force (lb) of pulling force with a 0.98 in. stroke length. They say it can also tackle up to 800 3/16 in. stainless steel rivets per charge† for efficiency on the job site.
The 1/4-inch Rivet Tool (DCF414) boasts up to 4,500 lbs of pulling force with a 1.18-in. stroke length and fastens up to 300 1/4 in. stainless steel rivets per charge.
Longer-Lasting Batteries
“We always seem to get a longer life out of the Dewalt batteries than others,” Gene says. “I know they have done a lot with engineering these batteries, but the charge is impressive. We can do a lot of work without having to stop and re-charge.”
Gene says his team particularly liked the onboard nose piece storage and a mandrel collector to catch rivets after each shot. Each tool is compatible with multiple-size rivets, including 3/32 in., 1/8 in., 5/32 in., and 3/16 in. rivets. The DCF414 is also compatible with 1/4 in. rivets. Additionally, an LED light helps to illuminate work areas for precision fastening.
“It is a very clean operation, and we like that it catches the rivets after we use it,” Gene said. “That’s a smart move.:
The 20V MAX* XR® Brushless Cordless 3/16 in. (DCF403) and 1/4 in (DCF414) Rivet Tools are now available for presale in kitted and bare (battery and charger sold separately) options.
To learn more about DEWALT products, please visit www.dewalt.com.
*Maximum initial battery voltage (measured without a workload) is 20 volts. The nominal voltage is 18 volts. †For DCF403 using DCB203 battery; For DCF414 using DCPB034 battery
