Riveting

I was wondering if there is some easy method of getting (small) rivets 3/32" to round shape at both sides? I am shortly going to begin on 2" traction engine wheels. Both sides are of course visible, any help most gratefully received

Practice!

Start with approx 1.4-1.5D of shank sticking out then adjust to suit your snap so you don't have too much or too little metal.

Copper will be adequate and easier to form than steel rivits.

Assuming readers know what a rivet snap is and that you need one on each side in this case. The one linked has two 'holes' because one is for setting the rivet first.

Once you have found the length required as Jason says abovethere are lots of designs in old MEs and online for ways to cut them all to the right length.

Edited By Bazyle on 13/08/2018 17:27:54

David, I made a hand rivet squeezer as described in ME vol 158 issue 3801 (1987). Had to beef up a couple of areas of the design with simple modifications but it works great. I also annealed my steel rivets before riveting to soften them. I am currently building a GWR 57xx 5" gauge Pansy loco and have used the tool to rivet several hundred rivets. If you don't have access to the issue let me know and I will send you a photocopy of what I have.

Alan.

I've recently almost finished riveting my traction engine wheels; two rear wheels to go. For scale the following are 3/16" steel rivets. First you need to practice:

The practice rivets also allowed me to experiment with rivet length. I found that the length was critical to get a nicely formed head, certainly within 10 thou and preferably 5 thou. The actual length will depend on the rivet snaps. I made all my own snaps from silver steel, hardened and tempered. The business ends of the snaps need a slight chamfer so if they're not quite square they don't mark the work. I also made my own riveting jigs. It is important that the snaps are held in line and perpendicular. Here's the front wheel being riveted:

I used a flypress but for 3/32" rivets you'll probably get away with a hammer. Here are the formed heads; for comparison the rivets at the top are the commercially formed heads of the rivets for the steel tyres:

This is the riveting jig and more snaps, plus the setting snap, for the rear wheels:

Riveting the rear wheels, it don't half hurt when you drop the wheel on your foot:

These are the formed heads on the rear wheels, not quite as good as the front wheels. But full size isn't perfect either! The T-ring has bulged slightly as the rivet shank expanded:

And the two rear wheels finished:

Any questions?

Andrew

Edit: Darn speeling errors!

Edited By Andrew Johnston on 13/08/2018 19:45:35

Many thanks to all those who have replied, very helpful advice and I think I have the M.E. issue Alan mentioned I will check this in the morning, thanks especially to Andrew for the pictures

If you can still see the post? Alan, I would really appreciate it if you could send me the article on rivets (riveting) I have spent a good while searching my copies. I have all the years surrounding 1987 (and bound!) but not that year!

My e-mail is -------------------------------

Regards

David

Mod Edit. Pm For E-mail.

Edited By JasonB on 14/08/2018 20:56:44

Lovely job there Andrew.

Andrew,

Tell them the wheel diameter!

Thanks Jon; it ttook a lot of faffing about to get proper rivet heads formed. I spent some time with bigger and bigger hammers before I realised they simply weren't going to cut the mustard. Even then with the flypress I had a few hiccups and had to drill out the rivet and start again.

To answer the "feed" from KWIL the front wheels are 15" diameter and the rear wheels are 24" diameter. That's why it hurts when you drop it on your foot. Thank goodness for the proper safety shoes I purchased shortly before doing the riveting.

Andrew

David Bothwell 1,

Hi,

I refer to your message earlier, giving out your email address for scammers to see.

Try to remember to PM that sort of info to the target person, then it won't show. Hope you don't mind me messaging you like this but I only mean to be helpful in a friendly way. There are more than enough toerags about.

Rgds,

John

Oops, I completely forgot , thanks for the reminder. I don't mind you reminding me, I only realised I could send a pm later last evening,

Regards

David

Nice work there Andrew.