# Riveting Options



## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

Hey all, 

I am starting to do some product research for my upcoming project of turning a ruby into a porter/mine loco. I would lilke to build a rounded saddle tank out of brass and would like to rivet it together. I am just looking for different companies that may stock such small rivets, along with riveting tools. Any help would be great!

Matt


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## Grimm (Oct 5, 2009)

Hi Matt, 

Here is one online store I found that had some, very small rivets and other hardware. I don't think that they have much in the way of riveting tools. You might have to make your own. 

http://www.microfasteners.com/index.cfm 

Jason


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Scale Hardware have some nice looking ones: (I haven't tried them yet!) 

*http://www.scalehardware.com/miniat...58967728b8*


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## chrisb (Jan 3, 2008)

I have trien to use escution pins but the head is some what big and not truly flat on the shaft face. How would you peen these small rivets?


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I make my own from brass rods, that's the cheap part. 
The tool I use is expensive and requires a foot operarted Foredom flex shaft hand tool. I use a #15 Hammer handpiece. As rthe name implies it turns rotary power into a hammer. Using a pair of pliers to hold a section of rod on a steel block, I flare one end with the hammer and insert where needed, file down the length until there's just enough left for the head and then while prssed against a backing block flare the outer face of the rod making a tight connection. For boiler work I'd use a round planishing stake inside the boiiler. You need enough mass so that the head flares instead of the rivet backing out of the hole.... 
My hammer cost $129.00 in 2001, they're up $10 now..., you could do the same with a small ball pein hammer, but with less control and a larger strike area. 
I started this post before thinking of adding a pic, I'll reply with the pic... 

For your saddle tanks, it makes more sense to sloder it up and then add an outer wrapper with the rivets attached to it. This way you could solder the rivets to the wrapper, grind them flush on the back and wrap. 

John


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

An anvil tip screws into the end. 3 come with, one I shaped for 'tight quarters' rivets, full round in tight spaces...
.

Foredom #15 hammer handpiece.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

Matt, 
if you want to go cheap, you might try simple taylor's pins.


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

I looked into various options for simulating rivets in largescale, specifically for a flatcar kitbash. There are a few methods, like glue drops, pin heads, scale rivets, and even decal rivets. I liked the idea of using decal rivets, meaning a sheet of plastic rivet heads on a carrier sheet. But I had trouble finding any large enough for my needs (1mm diameter head). So I ended up using Scale Hardware rivets. 


Using Scale Hardware rivets is not an quick method. But the end results are worth the effort. I drilled tiny holes with a #76 drill bit I think, although I can't remember exactly what size drill bit was used. Then place the rivet into the hole with some glue. The final step is to cut off the excess of the pin that goes through the hole. With lots of rivets that is a lot of tiny holes to drill and make sure they are lined up properly. And I hand drilled all of the holes. I went through many drill bits too as they break easily.


But they do look nice when finished. Here's a picture of the flatcar showing the rivet detail:











Of course these are merely for show and are not mechanical fasteners in any way. But I hope it gives you an idea on what is out there.


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By kormsen on 02 Dec 2009 04:02 PM 
Matt, 
if you want to go cheap, you might try simple taylor's pins. 












I second Korm's recommendation for using regular sewing pins. The head is the right size. The body diameter is a challenge. As I recall it takes a #66 drill which is really small. It can still be done, sharp bit, highest speed on the drill.


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## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

Hey guys thanks for all of the advice! I am definitely looking for rivets to be used functionally, so are some of these small hardware rivets tapered keeping them in place once they are pushed in? I did a project for the gunnison plow a long time ago and riveted all the brass sheeting together, but can't seem to remember what I used or where the hardware came from.


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## Jack - Freshwater Models (Feb 17, 2008)

Mat, 

Riveting a smoke box should be a major challenge. The rivets that you are modeling are called "snap rivets". How to pein them inside a smoke box is my question. I would opt for using embossed rivets using my press and then hard soldering the smoke box together. If you use both a punch and die to emboss rivets they look pretty good. If you do go the real rivet route you might be able to drill holes smaller and produce an interference fit to hold them in place but in sizes that small it would be tough. Good luck!!!! 

Jack


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