Tricks of the trade

[unkle spike]

Originally Posted by unkle spike

When trying to set a rivet in a tough spot I take a piece of similar stock, drill and lightly countersink a hole in it to seat the head without damage, and clamp it to the head side with a vice grips. Make it long enough to keep it out of the way, and out of the heat. Put the piece in the forge to heat the other end of the rivet to be peened, this way the rivet won't fall out when you have to flip it over on the anvil or rivet set to put the peen on the the top end. If you keep the head end cool it will not deform, a quick squirt of water will help with this. I use heavy enough stock on the "helper" that I can lay that side on the anvil and actually hammer on it. Also prevents the cool head of the rivets from denting the anvil.

I may post some pictures if this seems confusing?

To heat the end to be peened it has to be down in the forge, but you have to flip it over to hammer it. I have dropped so many rivets trying to flip them over on the anvil to hammer them, even harder to position in a rivet set.

Below Pictures:

1. curved piece in vise is the piece needing rivets, the other is the holder with countersunk holes.

2. shows the rig clamped up, the rivet pictured is too long, but notice the head is held tight in the piece. Heat and hammer rivet, move vice grips to other end and hammer that rivet down. The key is position so the rivet head needing smashing heats, not the whole piece.

[CurlyGeorge]

Thanks Jeff. Now it makes sense. Sometimes I'm a little slow. LOL

[arftist]

Hey unkle Spike, great idea.