I am having a bitch of a time figuring out what I should be using to do center supports...  Are the rivets for the center support supposed to be smaller in dimeter then the rivets we use for the rear trunion?  If so, what size rivet should I be using and where can I buy a bunch (Bulk of a hundred or many hundred is fine... I am tired of looking).

If you juys are buying steel tubing that will fit over the rivets you use for the rear trunion, where do you buy this and how it is sold?

I have lots of the proper rivets but I am learning that the center supports are a real hastle...  

try here;

http://www.ak-builder.com/ak/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=22

Quoted: try here; http://www.ak-builder.com/ak/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=22

Thanks...  I did buy a couple over the weekend as Curt only had a couple in inventory...  

You can get a metal retaining pin from HD for like a dollar in the same section where you buy the hex head screws in the little baggies. The pin is hollow, so you can run the rivet or screw thru it.

I tried the faily large (1/8-inch?) roll pin and these had too small of a diameter for the rear trunion rivets as well...  I am assuming that the center supports are supposed to use a smaller rivet but I need more info so I can order a bunch...

I wil try to find these tubes like you describe...

I got one last night, i'll try to get a pic or more details of it up later today when i get home from work..

Quoted: I tried the faily large (1/8-inch?) roll pin and these had too small of a diameter for the rear trunion rivets as well...  I am assuming that the center supports are supposed to use a smaller rivet but I need more info so I can order a bunch... I wil try to find these tubes like you describe...

Those roll pins I got were 1/4 inch, IIRC.  The standard AK rivit is roughly 5/16.  

I have been using 1/4" stainless tubing scraps that I get from the pipefitters at work.  They work like a charm.

What I bought from Home Depot was in a small white baggie, and it's called:

Tension Pin

5/16" x 2"
UPC:  0    30699 57248    9
Price: 55 cents


I also got this (just in case)

Tension Pin
1/4" x 2"
UPC: 0   30699   43378  0
Price: 55 cents

They are Steel hollow tubes, zinc plated. I figured I could cut them to whatever size I needed (whichever one fit best).

I am pretty sure the issue isn't so much with the tubing and supports we have...  the problem was with the rivets...  I had someone e-mail me indicating they had six rivets for the center supportthey can donate...  well I hope to trade them something back... After I get a correct size I will try to buy these in bulk.