Hello Fellas,

I'm working on a pair of tongs, and need a rivet to fasten them together. Where can I get some? I've checked the local Lowes, and all they have are rivets for rivet guns. Bah!

Best,
Leo

Make one from rod stock. It's not that hard to make one rivet. 3/8's stock is a good size for medium tongs. The length needed for upsetting the head is one and a half times the thickness of the stock.

I buy mine from McMaster-Carr at McMaster-Carr

I've ordered from McMaster too. Folks I know who use lots of them swear by Jay-Cee Rivets (rivetsinstock.com).

I get mine at Tractor Supply, they are located near the chopper blades for bush hogs.

Any round stock the correct size works. You can even use a bolt and just hammer it like you would a rivet, Make sure you have ground the threads off first though as they will cause the tongs to bind up.

Some projects require more rivets than I am willing to make. Try Jay Cee Sales and Rivet Inc They have many sizes and types.

I also buy mine from Jay-Cee. They are prompt and easy to order from, plus they carry a wide range of sizes. Every blacksmith should have a good selection of solid rivets.

1 sometimes use bolts....

Thats what I save rusted old bolts with long shoulders for. Cut off the threads and use the rest.

(It's not true that the only steel to leave my shop unused is scale and grinder swarf---I'm saving the scale to re-smelt...)

Auto/truck parts stores will have some sizes, used to reline brakes. They used to anyway, I may be dating myself.

Frosty

A local industrial supply house will have them or can order them for you but you have to buy a whole box at a time. The last time I bought I gave $8;00 for 100 1/4x 1in round head rivits

I've ordered from McMaster too. Folks I know who use lots of them swear by Jay-Cee Rivets (rivetsinstock.com).

I'm contacting Jay-Cee Rivets for prices, they don't seem to post them online.

Centaur Forge sells a variety pack that will last a while and meet most needs.
Centaur Forge

Mtforge -- Jay-Cee's definitely not as convenient as McMaster-Carr (I think they have a minimum order, too). But they're supposed to be hard to beat on price and selection. Let us know what you find.

I get mine at Tractor Supply, they are located near the chopper blades for bush hogs.

I'm gonna give Tractor Supply a shot. Thanks for the tip.

I went by Tractor supply ...I found some by the Hay rake springs ...they had hooks for six or seven different packages but only had 3 in stock 1"x1/8" ; 1/2" x1/8" the last looks like 3/16"x 1/2"

Mtforge -- Jay-Cee's definitely not as convenient as McMaster-Carr (I think they have a minimum order, too). But they're supposed to be hard to beat on price and selection. Let us know what you find.

I asked them for prices for 3/16" x 3/8", 1/2" and 5/8" they said $5.00 per 100 for each. McMaster's price is $5.54 for 200 3/8", $5.54 for 175 1/2" and $5.54 for 150 5/8" which is about a pound of each size. And since I buy my bandsaw blades, tool steel and such I wait until I get an order together and save on shipping. With the price of gas and not wanting shop downtime it pays for itself to have it shipped.
Mark

Centaur Forge sells a variety pack that will last a while and meet most needs.
Centaur Forge

Thats where I buy mine..They gave me the wrong size once..They just told me to keep them and then sent me the right size for free..Good service..

LOL, I just recently sold 200 lbs of my bulk rivet supply to another smith.

Jay Cee has a good assortment of steel rivets in various head configurations. They also a full line of non-ferous speciality rivets. They do have a min spec order of 100 units for sizes under .5 in. Prices seem competitive, they have an 800 number , they take plastic and they ship via UPS ground.

Peter