Thursday, November 02, 2006

How to Set a Rivet

Choose the setter with a hole diameter slightly larger than the rivet being set.

Push the rivet through the hole, then turn the material over.

Place the burr on the rivet, then use the rivet setting tool's straight hole to drive the burr down tight against the material.

Cut the rivet off close to the burr with nippers (hoof nippers work fine for this). Do not cut off flush with the burr, but leave about 1/16 of an inch above the burr. The hole on the side of the rivet setter can be used to dislodge any waste that is wedged in the tool.

Place the concave recess of the setter on the burr. Hold perpendicular and strike the tool forcefully, turning to the left, then right as you strike. This spreads the end of the rivet over the burr, simultaneously rounding its end.

A few extra blows from the soft faced mallet can be used to flatten the rivet end a bit if desired.

More images...

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