My grandpa's old rivet trick after he saw my repair job

Last week my grandpa watched me patch a fender on my '54 Ford and just shook his head, then grabbed the rivet gun and showed me how to dimple the metal first so the head sits flush without cracking. He said my way worked but it'd fail within 2 years of Michigan winters, and honestly he's right because I've redone the same spot twice already. Anyone else got a relative's 50s-era shop trick that made you feel kind of dumb in the best way?

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faithjones15d agoTop Commenter

Buddy of mine had the same thing happen with his grandpa and a lawnmower carburetor. He was fussing with the float level for an hour, and the old man came out, flipped the bowl upside down, and pointed at a tiny brass washer that was backwards. Said his way would run fine for a season then flood every time it got hot. My buddy had rebuilt that carb three times already and never once thought to check which way the washer sat.