riveting tool

[michael mott]

Here is a simple riveting tool I made to punch small rivet impressions in metal or styrene.

 

 

the punches are made from 1/4 inch drill rod with brass anvils

 

quite complex layouts ate possible by using a marked layout or very straight sets using the fence

 

 

One of the ways in which the spacing of the rivets is accomplished is by setting the anvil up in such a way that there is a set distance from the recess in the anvil and the edge the punched rivet then is registered against the edge before the next rivet is punched.  The Anvils are made of brass and the depression is done with a hardened punch made from the 1/4 inch drill rod. These are all nominal dimensions of course because any combination of nominal sizes will suffice.  

 

A fine ball point pen works well also in soft brass or copper.

 

 

The hardwood dowel would only be useful for a short few rivets a harder anvil of brass or steel would be much better.

 

Wefalk mentioned in Eric's Arabia thread "Somewhere on a railway modeling site I saw someone putting a second hole into the anvil at a distance required between two rivets. This acts as a register for making the distances between rivets equal.

Thin copper, brass, or aluminum sheet can be used as well, but then I would make the anvil from brass or steel, with holes drilled of the rivet diameter."

 

Perhaps there are some other great Ideas regarding this subject that would be helpful.

 

Michael

[wefalck]

I have been able to locate the arcticle I referred to earlier: https://www.proto48.org/p48_art_06.htm

This is the idea for equal spacing from the above article that shows some excellent railway models:

Below is a watchmakers staking tool by Boley. Not mine, which is virtually identical, but more complete, but a picture gleaned from the Internet. They come with a wide variety of punches, pointed, flat, hollow, concave, etc. and anvils.

 

 

And this is my watchmakers jewelling press:

It has a micrometer stop, so you can set the exact depth for punching or the thickness for say squashing wires flat. Some staking sets also come with such lever and depth-stop, btw. I make punching inserts and anvils for the job in hand. Don't have pictures yet, but I just made an anvil and die to shape miniature ventilator-handles for my SMS WESPE-project.

 

 

[kurtvd19]

I have a great tool made by Northwest Shortlines - more costly than Michael's nice shop made tool.  The table allows precise spacing of the "rivets".

Kurt

 

[michael mott]

Eberhard and Kurt, thanks for posting those pictures. That watchmakers staking tool caused me to drool a little.😉

 

Michael