How to remove sheared pop rivet?

Question

A screen door hinge was pinned with a pop rivet. The rivet have sheared: I would like to rivet stubs embedded in the aluminum frame:

There is a second hole in the hinge and I supposed there is nothing that stops me from drilling a third hole.

In the interest of "doing it right", it would be preferable if the rivet stubs can be removed and use four rivets / screws to pin the hinge to the aluminum frame.

It is possible to use screws instead of rivets:

What is the easiest method to remove the rivet stubs without damage the aluminum frame?

I would suppose that it would also be OK to push the stub into the frame, though not as elegant: what prevents hammering it through the aluminum?

I am faced with the decision to drill out the stub or hammer out the stub with a punch pin. Again the goal is to minimize damage to the aluminum.

Answer 1

If the rivet is sheared, then a pin punch and hammer should remove them. Not sheared then a drill.

Pop rivets are used in blind holes, usually too thin of a material, to hold threads well.

Would need to know what is behind the holes to recommend screws. Long enough screws might hit something with more holding power.

Answer 2

• Find a drill bit just smaller than the diameter of the outside of the rivet.
• Drill out the old rivet
• Insert a new pop rivet

Pop rivets are designed to be installed in blind holes like this. When you squeeze them, they expand on both sides of the material to be joined, holding it together. They hold using clamping force.

There's nothing inherently wrong with replacing them with screws, but, with the fairly thin aluminum skin of the door frame, there just isn't a lot of metal for the threads to bite into, and the flexing of the hinge is likely to cause the threads to pull out, destroying the metal around the hole. Once that happens, the only option is a bigger screw. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. I suppose they do make rivets of larger diameters, and you may be able to find some, but that'll take more work effort.