Replacing headlight bumper on a kirby?

[kenc184]

I notice the headlamp bumper on my Kirby D50 is secured with solid head rivets. I have pop rivets by the pound but no ability to do tidy solid rivets. Seems like pop rivets would be kinda ugly?

I guess I could turn down the head of a screw on my lathe and use it with a thin nut on the inside?

What do people do when swapping out a tired bumper for a new one which I need to do?

 

[tylerhawkins84]

Rivet Squeezers

To do a factory correct job you would need to buy a rivet squeezer tool with the correct dies for the size and style of rivet used. You would also need tubular rivets in the correct length. You may be able to find a seller that specializes in vintage Kirby parts that has the original rivets used by Kirby. This method is not cheap, the tool and dies would be around $200 and rivets may be over $1 a piece if you get OEM Kirby ones but your results would be basically identical to the original.

 

[superocd]

This is what works for me

I heat up the trim in a bowl of water in the microwave (not boiling). As soon as it is cool enough to handle, I massage the holes around and over the rivets, using my thumb and, if necessary, a small flathead screwdriver. This is so much easier than taking out the old rivets (which, in my case, I've never run across rivets that needed to be replaced).

This method has worked for me for bumper trim as well.

 

[kenc184]

Thank you both.
For the headlight trim heating it up would work, but for the nozzle bumper trim there is a large clip which is secured over the trim with the rivet so it wouldn't work there. Luckily, my nozzle bumpers are not terrible on the D50.

 

[repairman]

I use pop rivets while reusing the clips for the 500 series bumpers. For the headlight bumpers and later nozzle bumpers, I use the same method of stretching it around the existing rivet. I've broken only 2 this way, but it's a lot cheaper than buying the tool.

As my old boss used to say, "patience is a virtue".

 

[vacmadman]

rivet

I don't know if Kirby still sells these. You might be able to find some through the Tandy leather company.

 

[kenc184]

I managed to get the trim on, the holes look a little elongated - a little too much heat perhaps?