[Kevin Sevcik]

We're going with rivets on the kit frame as well and wherever I can convince students it's simpler. Oddly, we're using the harbor freight riveter and we aren't having any issues aside from and operator error tonight. I think it's important to make sure you're using the right tip and that the internal spacing is correct since that affects the jaws clamping, releasing, etc.

Our frame feels pretty good, but I was a little concerned in a few places. We've drilled a few extra holes to fill with rivets to add a little strength. I'm mostly concerned with the lack of precision in the kit frame. There's a distressing amount of slop in all the joints, such that only two out of the three sides of joint are being properly clamped. The third side ends up with about a 1/16th gap that the rivet won't clamp up, so rivets on the side aren't going to do much against shear loads. Or much of anything, really.

Also, to Paul, do y'all use the rivet gun in the Pits? If so, are you bring in a compressor/etc. or do you have some other solution?