Lap rivets

[Wherry Jack]

Its time for me to put in my rivets on the laps of the Rhodes wherry that I am building. I am using 1/4" ply. Do I need to counter sink for them. How do I cut flat counterinks? Do I need to seal them some way? I have epoxy glued the laps. I am going to try to finish it bright but will paint if it needs it. :confused:

[jerry s]

It's not really worth the effort to countersink the rivet heads. I've done it both ways and the look is the same unless you putty over the rivet heads. Besides, getting a good snug rivet thats been countersunk is more work than it is worth.

[Paul Scheuer]

Try a test piece to see how flush you can reasonably set the head by driving. The head is probably not a normal countersink, right ? I'm not familiar with the design but why rivet the glued laps ?

[gdeckebach]

I don't think you need to countersink at all. I'd just let your tapping draw the head of the nail flush with your planking and then varnish as you had planned. There isn't any need to seal a rivet so long as the hole you drilled for it just permits the nail.
As a side note, in 1/4" ply I think I'd space the rivets about 2 1/2" apart.

Good luck

[imported_Steven Bauer]

Are the rivets just for show? You shouldn't need them if you epoxied the laps.

Steven