Aluminum Blind Rivets

Blind rivets, which are often called pop rivets, are mostly in applications where there is no access to the rear (blind side) of the joint. These rivets come in two parts: one part is the body, also called the shell or hat, and the other part is the stem, also known as the mandrel. Both parts are put together ahead of time and ready for use right out of the box. To install them, you use a riveting tool to pull on the mandrel. This makes the body expand and squeeze tightly against the joint. Once it reaches the right clamping force, the mandrel breaks off and gets thrown away. One cool thing about blind rivets is that they don't care what materials you're joining. They can hold together two different kinds of materials just as easily as the same ones.

To use a blind rivet, you first drill a hole and then place the rivet into it. Next, you use a tool to pull the mandrel up against the head of the rivet. The back of the mandrel either has a bulge or is attached to the head in some way, which makes the edges of the head spread out and grip the material. Once the head expands enough to press against the material and create pressure, the mandrel reaches its breaking point and snaps off. This leaves you with a properly installed rivet.