[TheForge] Rivet Vendor?

[Paul Novorolsky]

I tried that ball bearing method once. First I had to find an 
appropriate sized ball bearing, then keeping the tool adequately 
centered on it was unsatisfactory, at least for my skills. Not to 
mention that I had to stop once or twice to go find the ball bearing 
that made an escape.

Take II involved taking a piece of an old crowbar, drawing it down and 
rounding the end, then dressing it to a hemisphere with a rasp into a 
"bob" or "bobbing" punch. Then use the punch to make the recess in the 
rivet header that is held firmly in the vise.

This method gave me more visibility over the work in progress, plus I 
now have 2 tools. The punch could probably be made from mild steel, but 
since I wanted to keep it, I used the tougher crowbar steel.

**Paul

On 9/1/11 12:48 AM, peter fels wrote:
> They are easy to fake.
>
> Heat the end of a tool steel bar,
> And drive it down on the appropriate sized ball bearing,
> over a sacrifice plate.
> Then heat treat and dress.
>
> They are made for pneumatic riveting hammers
> and commercially available in all sizes, or were in the recent past.
> For smaller sizes i've been buying from  "The Yard"
> which sells light aircraft mfg supplies, often used, at good prices.
>
> On Aug 31, 2011, at 8:33 PM, Kim George wrote:
>
>> Does anyone know if they still sell rivet heading tools?
>>
>> --
>> Kim George
>>
>> "Why for you try to bury me in cold,cold ground?"
>>      Taz
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