For a couple of afternoons this week I practicing several different riveting techniques. I used 18 gauge, solid brass escutcheon pins as "rivets" with two 26 gauge sheets of copper. For all of the techniques I either used a 2/32nds Inch nail set (when striking the 18ga wire) or a 3/32nd Inch nail set (when striking the dome of the 18 gauge Escutcheon pins), to leave a rounded button end instead of using a riveting hammer directly on the rivet's head. Using a nail set ensured there was much less chance of damaging or marking up the surface of the piece/sheet.
The first afternoon I used the Escutcheon Pins as they came from my supplier, work hardened, most likely half-hard. I found that it took many more hammer blows than I thought I'd need especially for brass. This had me thinking about the hardness of the pins so I decided to test out my theory by annealing a dozen plus pins as an experiment on my second afternoon. I had much better results with my annealed escutcheon pins.
The three riveting techniques I tried, all using annealed solid brass escutcheon pins (18ga/1mm) and a nail set:
- pin dome on the bottom, touching the anvil (hidden from sight inside/underside of the piece)
- pin dome on the top, struck by the nail set (seen from the outside of the piece)
- just the wire section of the pin, the dome was removed with end-cutters
I cut the wire using end-cutters so that the top surface of the cutters were held firmly against the surface of the copper sheet and the butt end of the wire or the dome was pushed up flush against the bottom of the sheets I am riveting.
All work and look good though give a different look on both sides. I will be using the method that works best for the strength of the section I'm riveting, #1 or #3 mainly.
1B: The bottom row of rivets and the two rivets on the top left corner are the solid brass escutcheon pin that have the domed heads left on the back/bottom/inside of the piece. The closing of the rivet is done on the front/outside using a 2/32nds Inch nail set. The pins were annealed before hand.
The other rivets...are the leftover lengths from using the end with the dome as a rivet. I flattened the cut end using a snap-on sanding disk to grind/sand it flat. This removed the V left by the end-cutters and I found that this extra step gave me better success and a better looking rivet. They look flat and just about flush with the sheet's surface.
The flattened circles are the squashed pin heads/domes that are the anvil's surface when the wire is hammered from the top. The force of the hammering flattened the dome a bit.
TOOLS:
- Solid Brass Escutcheon Pins at least 3/8" or longer. Choose the Gauge/diameter you prefer.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/hardware/page.aspx?p=40385&cat=3,41306,41325
OR use wire of the Gauge/diameter and metal type that you prefer
- Center Punch, to make a dimple for the drill bit
https://www.riogrande.com/product/european-fine-center-punch/113329
- Drill Bits, the same Gauge/diameter as the Escutcheon Pins or wire. It is vital that the wire fits snugly in the hole and that it doesn't have wiggle room. The better the fit, the better your results.
- (optional) Round Bur, 2-3 times wider than the drill bit's diameter, to debur the drilled holes
https://www.riogrande.com/product/lynx-round-burs/344338gp
- Nail Set, 2/32nd Inch (when striking the wire) and 3/32nd Inch (when striking the dome) of 18 gauge Escutcheon pins. You might need different sizes based on your wire gauge choices, experiment to find the correct match.
- Anvil
- (optional) Rubber Bench Block, larger than the anvil
- End-Cutters
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/maximum-high-leverage-end-cutter-8-in-0584311p.html#srp
- Hammer, I used a 8 oz. Stubby Ball Pein Hammer, Pittsburgh
https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/hammers/8-oz-stubby-ball-pein-hammer-95930.html
- a torch and proper set up for heating/soldering metal for safety due to heated pins. I didn't pickle or polish them before riveting, they will get polished once I do a final touch up polish on the whole piece.
For filing the wire ends you have a choice between using a file OR
- medium or course, E.C. Moore Brass-Center Snap-On Snap-Off Paper-Backed Aluminum Oxide Sanding Discs
https://www.riogrande.com/product/e-c-moore-brass-center-snap-on-snap-off-paper-backed-aluminum-oxide-sanding-discs/337823gp
- Snap-On Mandrel for the sanding discs
https://www.riogrande.com/product/snap-on-mandrel/333127
