Is there any advantage of using a cheap (Under $100) air riveter vs a good hand riverter.?

Answer 1

Yes, I use hundreds of rivets a day with a pneumatic riveter. It saves an enormous amount of time, and hand cramps.
I use a cheap one from Harbor Freight, and it has worked for two years on a daily basis. Ive never even oiled it.

Answer 2

First of all any air powered tool (usually at 60 PSI or higher) has a lot more driving power than a hand operated same type tool...IE: Hand Staple Gun, versus Air powered.

I recently bought an electric brad/staple nailer. A good one, but obviously limited for finish work, which is why I wanted it. The list price was $60. A week later, while at Home Depot, I saw a small air compressor (not pancake) for $79. It not only included the hose, but all the appropriate fittings, as well as an brad/staple gun. Certainly not a high end item, but I use tools selectively, and installed paneling that same day, with the air gun, not having the issue of the nail sticking out some, as happened with the electric, and certainly would be the case with a squeeze trigger, spring action, hand tool. The only other solution for me would be a hammer and nail set, or hammer "dimples" in the stock.

Do you mean "POP RIVETS"? I suspect the example is the same as what I offered above, beyond the fact that with the air POP RIVET gun, the operator has greater control. I haven't used Pop Rivets in years, and haven't followed any of the technology but still have my hand held, squeeze together, manual, one shot at a time tool.

Steven Wolf

In large measure your NEED has to balance against any cost. If this is for a trades job; your employment, consider that TIME is money. At less than $100 almost any tool is worth the price, even if you only use it once.