Wire Rivets
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A riveting hammer has one flat face and one thin edged face or cross peen which is used to start and expand the rivet head.
A small ball peen hammer also has one smooth flat face; the other side is a ball. Choose the smallest ball peen you can find. Personally I’ve only used the ball peen hammer for setting rivets, though I do understand how the riveting hammer can be an asset.
- The first step is to measure the total thickness of the materials you want to join together.
- Now you need to figure out how much wire you need to make your rivet. There are a number of different opinions on just how much wire should be sticking out on either side of your materials. Some say a length equal to the thickness of the wire, others say less than 1 mm, and still others suggest up to 1.5 mm. Everyone agrees though; if you cut it too short, you won’t have enough to make a secure head. If you leave it too long, the rivet may buckle or you may end up with a messy head that requires a lot of clean up. Personally, I find that leaving about 1 mm sticking out each side works well. As you gain experience, you can play with the length and see what works for you. File both ends of the wire flat.
TIP | Tape a couple of playing cards together, or find a piece of scrap the right thickness. Punch or drill a small hole in it. Put one of these handy little guides on each side of the materials you want to rivet. Put your wire through this sandwich and cut it flush on both sides. Voila! Consistent and equal length for your rivets! |
The other way is to use the cross peen face of a riveting hammer to hit the face of the wire, then once more 90 degrees from the first hit.
Is the rivet solid and secure?
The rivet is really considered to be secure when there is enough metal overlapping the hole so that it won’t pull through or fall out. You also don’t want to see a lot of back and forth movement in the rivet as a general rule. The pieces may swivel on the rivet, but that is normal.
The appearance of the rivet head is really up to you. Here are some tips to achieve some different looks.
Once the rivet is set, focus the hammering along the perimeter of the head to flatten the sides. Be careful not to strike the main body of the piece. If you can run your finger across the rivet and you don’t feel any ridges or sharp edges, you’re done hammering. You can clean it up with some sandpaper and/or buffing compound, but don’t overdo it! You’ll undo all your hard hammering work.
Straight edge Head
Set the rivet and then clean it up. The only problem with this shape is that it tends to catch on clothing and what not.
Simulated Screw Head
This look is easy to achieve with either the domed or straight edge heads. Using a jeweller’s saw, or a small triangular file, cut a groove across the centre of the head. This is a great look for steampunk pieces.
Also called a “disappearing rivet”, this type has to be thought out a little beforehand. If you want the surface of our piece to be perfectly smooth and flat, you can’t just sand down the rivet head or you’ll just end up removing it. Instead, you have to make a small space below the surface of the material that will be filled by the rivet. There are special countersinking bits available, but a larger drill bit will work just as well. I suggest doing this by hand or with a pin vise as a drill or flex shaft may work too fast and you’ll just end up with a bigger hole.