RivetAssist was founded to design specialized tools to assist in the solid riveting process while assembling an aluminum kit aircraft.

In the coarse of very slowly building a Vans Aircraft RV-7A starting in 2006, it was discovered a number of single person riveting tasks were difficult and did not produce the level of quality desired. Most people simply seek out a helper to assist with the riveting when they feel doing it solo is a bit too difficult or risky. This builder set out to create a set of tools to allow single person riveting in all situations. There are two facets to accomplishing this, the first is improving the control of the rivet gun in awkward situations which is the first tool being introduced here. The second is associated with the control of the bucking bar which requires slightly more involved solutions. This particular RV builder has devoted an excessive number hours in this pursuit of designing specialized tools, and as of 2016 has completed the aluminum portions of the empennage, wings, and the lower portions of the fuselage kit, all without ever enlisting the assistance of another human helper for any rivet. It started as a necessity, and has become a challenge and some would call obsession.

Any tool presented here is not for everyone, many experienced builders will say it is not needed, and they would be correct. Many tools we have are not "required" to build an aluminum aircraft. For example, a pneumatic squeezer, a band saw, or a fuselage rotisserie are not a necessity, but they sure can make the building process more enjoyable and easier on the hands and back. The list of tools we "require" in this endeavor to build an aircraft is a very personal choice. While this builder is definitely biased, if it wasn't felt this was worthwhile to others, you wouldn't be seeing the results of hundreds of hours of work behind the scenes prototyping many different versions of just this one tool. Is some of the work over the top and beyond what is necessary, absolutely, but so is building a aircraft.