I always thought they were like socks in a dryer and just disappeared forever.

I used a length of wood dowel;  it's about 1/8 inch/3mm, but I sanded it to *just* fit through the rivet.  Don't sand too much or the  pin will not do its job. I think I cut them to about 15mm and make the end pointed.  If you take care when removing, you can re-use the rivets, and a 1m length of dowel  was about $1.

A dulled #4 penny nail works too.

I've used 11g. fence ties cut to the proper length. alum. or galv. steel.

I've been looking for alternatives to the push-pin rivets used on the interior panels.

 

So far I found some rivets like those used to fasten the bumper covers on automobiles.  they have a center 'button' that you lift to disengage the rivet, and you can push it to re-use it again, until it gets brittle.  I found them with a 4mm shank, 12mm shank length, and the head is about 17mm.  I didn't have one from the car, so I had to go from memory.

 

Otherwise, the closest thing was some click-lock shank rivets from McMaster-Carr.   

Edited June 16, 201511 yr by TomoHawk