Reading the part number
Where to buy| Number | How it reads | Source |
|---|---|---|
| MS14218 / NASM14218 | MS14218 + material (D, AD, B, E, T) + diameter dash in 1/32 in + coating (- anodized, C chemical film) + length dash in 1/16 in + optional R (+0.031 in) | MS14218C sheet 3, par. 9 |
| MS14218AD10-12R | 2117-T4, 10/32 = 5/16 in, anodized, 12/16 = 3/4 in long, R: 0.031 in longer | MS14218C, the example of par. 9 |
| BRFZ | BRFZ + diameter dash in 1/32 in + material (AD, DD, E, T) + length dash in 1/16 in + optional -5 (+1/32 in, the MS R) + optional A | FLIS records of BRFZ items |
| BRFZ5E6-5A | 5/32 in, 7050 (E), 6/16 = 3/8 in long, -5: 1/32 in longer; the same item as MS14218E5-6R | FLIS, NSN 5320-01-311-6330 |
Coatings: - is anodize to MIL-A-8625 Type II Class 1, C chemical film to MIL-C-5541 Class 1A (MS14218C). The A at the end of some Allfast BRFZ numbers has no public meaning: cross those items by NSN.
Alloys and their marks
| Code | Alloy | Mark on the shank end | Shear, undriven, psi | Design shear, MIL-HDBK-5J |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | 2017-T4 (QQ-A-430) | No mark | 33,000–39,000 | — |
| AD | 2117-T4 (QQ-A-430) | Dot | 26,000 min | Fsu 30 ksi, MS14218AD (Table 8.1.2.2(o)) |
| B | 5056-H32 (QQ-A-430) | Cross | 24,000 min | — |
| E | 7050-T73 (driven 7050-T731) | Ring | 41,000–46,000 | Fsu 43 ksi, MS14218E (Table 8.1.2.2(m)) |
| T | Titanium-columbium 45Cb (AMS 4982) | Diamond | 50,000–56,000 | — |
The mark is indented on the END of the shank, not on the head (MS14218C sheet 2, par. 5.1). Undriven shear from MS14218C Table II. DD (2024-T31) appears in BRFZ numbers but is not a material of MS14218C.
Head sizes, MS14218C Table I
| Dash | Diameter | Head Ø A, in | Head height B (ref), in | Crown C, in | Head with crown, in | Shank D, in | Length dashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -3 | 3/32 in | .123 | .022 | .004–.008 | .026–.030 | .094 | 2 to 12 |
| -4 | 1/8 in | .162 | .027 | .004–.008 | .031–.035 | .125 | 3 to 16 |
| -5 | 5/32 in | .210 | .035 | .005–.009 | .040–.044 | .156 | 3 to 24 |
| -6 | 3/16 in | .258 | .044 | .005–.009 | .049–.053 | .187 | 4 to 28 |
| -7 | 7/32 in | .312 | .053 | .006–.010 | .059–.063 | .222 | 5 to 28 |
| -8 | 1/4 in | .358 | .061 | .006–.011 | .067–.072 | .250 | 5 to 32 |
| -9 | 9/32 in | .405 | .069 | .007–.012 | .076–.081 | .283 | 6 to 32 |
| -10 | 5/16 in | .454 | .077 | .007–.012 | .084–.089 | .310 | 7 to 32 |
A +.000/−.002 and D +.002/−.001 in (MS14218C Table I). Head with crown = B + C; FLIS gives 0.040–0.044 in for the -5 (NSN 5320-01-542-3382). Length dashes in 1/16 in; R adds 0.031 in (Table III). D of -7, -9 and -10 is as MS14218C prints it.
The hole
| Rivet | Nominal hole, in | Drill of that size | Test hole, in | Knife-edge sheet, in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/32 in | 0.096 | Fig. 4-90 gives #40 (0.098) | 0.098 (#40) | 0.020 (AD) |
| 1/8 in | 0.1285 | #30 | 0.1285 | 0.025 |
| 5/32 in | 0.159 | #21 | 0.161 (#20) | 0.032 |
| 3/16 in | 0.191 | #11 | 0.1935 (#10) | 0.040 |
| 7/32 in | 0.228 | #1 | 0.228 | 0.050 |
| 1/4 in | 0.257 | F | 0.257 | 0.050 (AD) |
| 9/32 in | 0.290 | L | 0.290 | 0.063 (E) |
| 5/16 in | 0.323 | P | 0.316 (O) | 0.071 (E) |
None of these sources gives an installation drill table of its own for MS14218 or BRFZ. Nominal holes from MIL-HDBK-5J Tables 8.1.2.2(m) (MS14218E) and (o) (MS14218AD); from 1/8 to 1/4 in they are the final drills of FAA-H-8083-31B Fig. 4-90. Every nominal hole is larger than the shank D: the shank goes in with clearance. The allowables were tested in the test holes, +0.0005/−0.001 in. Knife-edge: countersunk clad 2024-T3 of that thickness, a condition MIL-HDBK-5J calls undesirable (E and AD alike unless marked).
Countersink and driving
Countersink at 120°. The head is 120° ±1.5° (MS14218C); the FLIS record of NSN 5320-01-542-3382 gives 118.5° to 121.5°. FAA-H-8083-31B (p. 4-41) lists 120° among the countersink angles in use, names the microstop countersink as the preferred tool and puts its pilot about 0.002 in under the hole.
Special cutters. Cutters are sold for MS14218, BRFZ and BACR15FV holes, for example Brown Tool CC14218-6S for 3/16 in. Their pilot size is not published.
The crown makes the interference. The crown C on top of the head is flattened when the rivet is driven, and the head fills the 120° countersink to finish flush; the shank upsets like that of any solid rivet.
Use. MS14218C calls for installation per MIL-STD-1515, Requirement 206. The drawing or the SRM sets the countersink and the hole.
Partner numbers: the same rivet by NSN
| BRFZ number | Same item (FLIS) | NSN |
|---|---|---|
| BRFZ5E6-5A | MS14218E5-6R; 3M1321E5-6-5 | 5320-01-311-6330 |
| BRFZ5E10-5A | MS14218E5-10R; NASM14218 | 5320-01-542-3382 |
| BRFZ5AD5 | MS14218AD5-10; BACR15FV5AD5; VRFZ-5AD5 | 5320-01-206-5086 |
| BRFZ6E16 | BACR15FV6E16; VRFZ-6E16; 3M1022E6-16 | 5320-01-155-4409 |
| BRFZ4E7 | MS14218E4-7; 3M1022E4-7 | 5320-01-249-7905 |
| BRFZ4E6 | MS14218E4-6; BACR15FV4KE6; VRFZ-4E6; 3M1022E4-6 | 5320-01-264-9419 |
Pairs read on the FLIS records of each NSN. In 7050 (E) the rule BRFZ5E6-5A = MS14218E5-6R holds on every record read; the AD 5/32 in items do not follow it (BRFZ5AD5 is MS14218AD5-10), so cross those by NSN only. The meaning of KE against E in BACR15FV numbers is not public.
Not equivalent
| Rivet | Why | Source |
|---|---|---|
| MS20426, NAS1097 | 100° heads: the countersink angle is not the 120° of MS14218 | MS14218C; MIL-HDBK-5J |
| MS14219 | 120° flush tension head, a different rivet | MIL-HDBK-5J Table 8.1.2.2(p) |
| BRFS | Older Briles 120° head, lower: 0.023 against 0.027 in at 1/8 in. Some items share an NSN: cross by NSN, never by rule | MIL-HDBK-5J Tables 8.1.2.2(j), (m) |
Against the 100° MS20426 the 120° head is shallower: 0.027 against 0.042 in at 1/8 in, 0.061 against 0.095 in at 1/4 in (MIL-HDBK-5J Table 8.1.2.2(g)).
No oversize
MS14218C, MIL-HDBK-5J and the FLIS records give no oversize series for MS14218 or BRFZ. NAS1241 and NAS1242 are repair rivets of the 100° and universal heads, not of the 120° head. A damaged hole goes back to the drawing or the SRM.
Questions people actually ask
Is BRFZ the same rivet as MS14218?
Item by item, yes: FLIS records give the same NSN to the BRFZ and the MS14218 number, for example BRFZ5E6-5A and MS14218E5-6R (NSN 5320-01-311-6330). Cross them by NSN: the AD 5/32 in items do not follow the length rule.
Can an MS20426 or NAS1097 go in a 120° countersink?
No. Those heads are 100°; the MS14218 head is 120° ±1.5°. The head and the countersink would not match.
What drill does a 5/32 in MS14218 take?
No public installation table gives one. The nominal hole of MIL-HDBK-5J for 5/32 in is 0.159 in, the #21; its allowables were tested in a 0.161 in hole, the #20. The drawing or the SRM sets the hole.
Is the 120° head deeper than an MS20426 head?
No. At 1/8 in the 120° head is 0.027 in high (reference) against 0.042 in for the 100° MS20426 (MIL-HDBK-5J). With its crown it stands 0.031 to 0.035 in before driving (MS14218C Table I).
Limits of this guide
What the sources support, and no further.
- The A suffix. Some Allfast BRFZ numbers end in A (BRFZ5E6-5A, BRFZ5E4A) and no public source defines it. In the FLIS records, 9 of the 10 A items that carry a Boeing number are Boeing 3M1321 items, so the A most likely marks an item made to 3M1321: an inference with medium confidence, not a definition. In those records the A changes neither the diameter, the head, the alloy nor the temper. Cross those items by NSN.
- Countersink depth. No public table gives the diameter or the depth of the 120° countersink, or of the counterbore, by size, and the pilot sizes of the special cutters are not published.
- NASM14218 not read. The current NASM14218 is not public; this guide reads MS14218C. It may differ: MS14218E5-10R exists while Table III of the C issue stops at 9R, and the shank D of -7, -9 and -10 is as the C issue prints it.
- No installation drill table. The holes above are the nominal and test holes of MIL-HDBK-5J, not an installation table.
- The SRM governs. The structural repair manual, the drawing or the approved repair data governs over every figure in this guide.
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Sources
- MS14218C, Rivet, Solid, 120° Flush Interference Shear Head — Purpose (par. 1.1), materials and marks (par. 3.1, 5.1), Table I dimensions, Table II mechanical properties, Table III lengths, the part number example (par. 9) and the use per MIL-STD-1515 Requirement 206.
- MIL-HDBK-5J, Tables 8.1.2.2(g), (j), (m), (o) and (p) — MS14218E and MS14218AD: nominal and test holes, head height, knife-edge sheet and design shear; the BRFS, MS20426 and MS14219 heads.
- FAA-H-8083-31B, AMT Handbook — Airframe, Chapter 4 — p. 4-39, Fig. 4-90, final drills; p. 4-41, countersinking tools: 120° cutters, the microstop and its pilot.
- FLIS (DLA) records — NSN 5320-01-311-6330, -542-3382, -206-5086, -155-4409, -249-7905 and -264-9419: the partner numbers, the -5 head and its 118.5° to 121.5° angle.
- Brown Tool, CC14218-6S countersink cutter — A special 120° cutter for MS14218, BRFZ and BACR15FV holes.