Bosch recently announced their first 18V cordless rivet tool in Europe, model GRG 18V-16 C.
The new Bosch cordless riveter is designed for setting blind rivets from 3.0mm (~1/8″) to 6.4mm (~1/4″).
From the product images, Bosch intends for their new riveter to be used for all manners of fabrication and repair applications.
Advertisement
Bosch says that the riveter can be used on thick and thin metal sheets for HVAC, structural façade, auto repair, and vehicle construction tasks, among others.
The Bosch rivet tool has automatic and manual riveting modes.
In automatic mode, a brief press of the on/off button (presumably the trigger switrch) activates automatic riveting. In manual mode, users have full control of the rivet-setting process.
It also features built-in Bluetooth connectivity for tracking purposes and maintenance scheduling. The app will inform users when it’s time to clean or change out the jaws. The maintenance cycle can be set to intervals of 500 rivets.
Key Features & Specs
- Works with 3 to 6.4mm blind rivets
- On-board nosepiece and wrench storage
- Up to 16,000 N pulling force (~3600 lbf)
- Mandrel waste canister
- Weighs 1.6 kg (~3.5 lbs) without battery
- 0 – 25mm stroke length
- Brushless motor
- LED worklight
Bosch says that their 18V cordless rivet tool can work with common blind rivets made of aluminum, steel, and stainless steel.
ETA: May 2022 in Europe
Price: €845 for tool-only, €876 for tool-only in L-Boxx, €1,079 for 2x ProCore18V battery kit
Advertisement
The tool comes with 4 nosepiece sizes, a wrench, mandrel collection container, a set of spare jaws, and a removable belt clip.
Note: Bosch has announced the new cordless riveter in Europe. No USA announcements have been made.
Discussion
Although pricey, it’s good to see Bosch expanding their 18V cordless platform.
Unfortunately, there’s no news from Bosch USA about whether any of their recent expansions are coming here.
I checked – what’s the latest from Bosch USA? Their FREAK impact tool is “easier than your 2-in-1 shampoo.”
fred
I guess to compete with Metabo in the EU (and here too) – plus the Milwaukee M12 and M18 tools.
BTW the M18 seems a bit overpriced at $899 (Home Depot etc.) and even at $799 (Great Lakes Power Tools) – compared to the 18V Metabo at $499 (Acme) or compared to the M12 priced at $249 (HD)
James C
Yeah, but the Makita is $1000+. Maybe blue plastic costs more.
Craig Weems
The Makita $1,000 tool is used in automotive and aerospace applications where a calibrated tool meeting exacting specifications is required. The tools are inspected routinely and are calibrated if required similarly as how torque wrenches are. The rivets used with these tools are also made to exacting specifications and their manufacturing lots are traceable. If the Bosch tool met those specifications I’m sure the marketing folk would have mentioned it. I expect getting such tools accepted takes considerable time an money.
Eric
The M12 is only rated to 3/16″ though. So it’s usefulness really depends on if you need it to do 1/4″ rivets.
rob
Metabo stops at 3/16”. It used to be $700 bare tool. So maybe they lowered the price when Milwaukee and Snapon released 1/4” models?
AFAIK, all of these rivet guns are primarily outsourced (maybe not the housing or assembly).
Andrew
It’s an odd little thing to like, but I do like that the mandrel waste can is clear. My M12 sometimes would cycle the rivet, but then the stub would snag in the tool, and it would be a pain to dislodge it.
Brian Puccio
If you don’t need as much power (10kN as opposed to 16kN), the Metabo 18v rivet gun is also an option and sells for a bit less — $500 at Acme Tools at the moment.
I only have to install under a hundred rivets and rivnuts a year so I just use the Astro Pneumatic drill/driver attachment.
Eric
Most of what I do is 1/8″ and 3/16″ rivets. So I have the M12 tool for those. I also have the astro drill attachments so I can do 1/4″ rivets and rivet nuts.
rob
Metabo doesn’t do 1/4”
Brian Puccio
It makes sense that the Metabo having ~60% of the power of the Bosch that the Metabo has less capacity.
Jared
Nice to see some signs of life from Bosch.
No complaints about the tool, but that sure is a lot of coin. There’s a lot of cheaper ways to install rivets, even quickly.
Jim Felt
Every so often Bosch shakes itself to life and that clear rear container might actually be a useful “advance”. But the times I’ve used my M-12 version over simply grabbing a hand driven model is barely a memory.
I like the Bosch 12v and 18v tools I have but come on import more already. I’m tired of direct purchasing from Europe and Asia. Criminy.
fred
I use pop rivets infrequently – so my go to tool is a Craftsman 9-7477 hand riveter that is hydraulic actuated. I bought it in the early ’90s to replace a Richline manual gun. It is strong enough for pulling up any rivet that I have ever used. It was discontinued (possibly recalled) as being unsafe. And I can see how that might be. The instruction manual was very emphatic that you needed to keep fingers or skin clear of the mechanism when you pressed the release lever and the hydraulic cylinder returned the nosepiece assembly back home. I could easily see how that could break a pinky or crush some flesh.
In our fabrication shop – many of our clients specified Cherry brand blind fasteners and we had some of their hydraulic/pneumatic tools – plus others from Huck. The Cherry hand hydraulic rivet gun costs quite a few shekels more than my old Craftsman:
https://www.yardstore.com/cherry-g800cmr-installation-kit
rob
I’m holding out for the Nuron version from Hilti. I use the m12 unit constantly.
Flotsam
the prices on these are crazy. Milwaukee has an M12 version out there.
Astro Pneumatic makes a drill attachment that can put in rivets as well. Less than $100.
https://www.amazon.com/Astro-Pneumatic-Tool-ADN38-Adapter/dp/B01JBHWBR2/
Xrh07
M12 is quite slow, 2 trigger pulls for steel 3/16″, slow travel and slow reset. AP does not collect the nails. And neither can do 1/4″
Neither are really adequate for a production environment, but have their place for more intermittent users. The 18V 1/4″ rated cost a lot for a good reason. That’s just how specialized tools are.
Xrh07
The AP is also a rivnut tool. Not for pop rivets. Still a good tool for intermittent users, but not adequate for high production.
Kent Hanson
Where I feel in love with the M12 is doing number plates on stadium seating. A pallet full of 3/32″ rivets and two number plates per seat and no hoses, no cords and no blown out forearm muscles. Absolute delight. I also use it for lockers assembly as well.
IronWood
I can’t believe the cost on these cordless riveters. Guess I’ll stick with pneumatic where there’s room and my old hand riveter in tight spots. Of course riveting is not a daily thing for me and I use 3/16 or smaller. $1000 for a cordless unit?!? That seems crazy.
Jorn
As someone who is rebuilding an old airstream trailer this would be awesome to have.
*checks the price*
I think I’ll stick with my Hazard Fraught pneumatic riveter that cost me $50 for now…
Julian Tracy
I’ve got the M12 version and couldn’t be happier. No issues with timing, and one trigger pull does it for me, even using 3/16” stainless steel rivets.
The “nail” sticks in the nose piece usually, but only need to push it back into the nose piece a skinch to allow the next rivet to be inserted.
Considering they have deals selling the rivet tool with battery and charger for around $190, I don’t why you’d buy the larger $1K tools unless you routinely do 1/4”
Roy
Just wanted to thank you for not calling this a “rivet gun,” which is a totally different sort of tool.
fred
You are correct! Mea Culpa – as I often use the term interchangeably. At home – I have pop rivet tools and some rivet sets (used with a hammer and an anvil for things like leatherwork) – but no tools properly called “rivet guns”
In our fabrication shop – we had pneumatic tools for pulling up pop rivets – plus tools that are more properly called “rivet guns” (used with bucking bars) for setting aluminum rivets.
All this said, when I Google “rivet gun” – what I see are pop rivet tools.
Stuart
Thank you!
Bosch calls this a rivet gun, but I don’t like the language.
And, as you suggest, the motion is all wrong. “Gun” implies projectile or forward motion, while the mechanism here squeezes and pulls.
Some manual tools are also called rivet guns, but I hoped readers would still understand and find the post if I avoided the inaccurate terminology.
Basically, it was a difficult deliberate decision, and I appreciate that you noticed!
fred
I guess that I can cut Bosch some slack for imprecise English and the nuances about what you call something that maybe looks a bit the same as what we call an “impact gun” or a “pistol-grip drill”. Anyway, there are: Pop-Riveters, Rivet Guns, Rivet Punches, Rivet Setters, Rivet Squeezers and Rivet Back-Setters – just to name a few rivet tools