So, what's the deal with marshall corner rivets?

[Randall]

I am re-tolexing a Marshall head and cab. I have managed to pull out the split rivets with a wood chisel with no damage. But they are spead apart, and they must have damaged the wood prying them out. Looks like I can squeeze them back together enough to put them back in, but will they hold? What is the wisdom on putting the corners, etc back on? Must the holes be filled and pilot holed before re-using?

[J M Fahey]

I would fill the reduced to crumbles hole with a piece of wooden skewer or something before reattaching them, so they can bite and hold on solid wood.

[Randall]

After much consideration I drilled and softwood doweled the holes with intention of using the old rivets. I took the time to dig out the wood that was jammed in the nothches, and attempted to straighten each one. What a waste of time that was. I tapped some in, and found that if the rivet is distorted at all, it will want to go in at an angle and not sit flat when fully driven. I did about 6 and aborted. I had to order a bag of 100 for $26 because I have to also do the head cab, and am not going to futz with trying to get old rivets to look nice after all that work.

So, there it is kids, these rivets are one time use, at least in my experience. I drilled 3/16" holes, and tapped in 1/2" lengths of 3/16" dowel with a little wood glue. The dowels from Home Depot were labeled as 3/16", but in fact were a bit larger, so it made for quite a snug fit. Then I hit all the tops with a coarse wood file to bring them flush. The pine dowels are softer than the pressed board the cab is made of, so I expect the new rivets to tap right in with no trouble.

[The Dude]

Why not just use screws?

[nosaj]

Why not just use screws?

Cause the customer would say how come you used screws I didn't have them before.......
nosaj

[Randall]

"Why not just use screws?"

It's a Marshall thing I guess.

[Jazz P Bass]

I would predrill a small pilot hole before hammering in the new rivets.

[Bill Moore]

Back in the day, building PA cabs, I wanted the look of a road case, but had no clue where to get the rivits. I ended up using carpet nails, (sort of a cross between a nail, and a screw). On those cabs, I had square edges, covered with aluminum angle, and used ball corners. It looks a lot like the rivits, but fasteners were available locally!
I'm about to find out how hard they are to remove, as I plan on repurposing a 13 cu. ft. bass bin into a 3 way full range cab, and will probably have to remove the front trim in the process.
]

[Randall]

"I would predrill a small pilot hole before hammering in the new rivets."

No, that does not work, common misconception I think. If you think about it, the pilot hole would take away the wood in the center that it needs to spread the tangs. I thought that at first as well, but no. Look again at the rivets, sharp at the ends, a with a V shaped notch.

[Jazz P Bass]

Where in the world did you find those rivets?

[Bloomfield]

Spaenaur has some on page 16 of this file: https://spaenaur.com/wp-content/uplo...-Section-E.pdf

Also a few at MSC: https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn/...=1559222767082

[Bill Moore]

https://www.tubesandmore.com/search/node/rivets