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Steel Rivets Forged in a Nail Header
A rivet is a short rod with a head on one end; set through a hole, its tail is hammered into a second head, and it holds the parts together for good. Solid rivets go back to the Bronze Age. They are forged the way nails are, headed in a nail header, only the shank is cut off square instead of drawn to a point.
The picture: riggers setting red-hot rivets on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, 1930–31 (Sam Hood).
Intermediate
An afternoon for a few dozen
Instructions
1
1
Heat the rod end
Heat the rod end
Heat the end of a mild steel rod of the rivet's diameter in the forge to a bright orange.
Materials for this step:
Mild Steel Rod1 m
Charcoal1 as requiredTools needed:
Blacksmith Forge
Blacksmith Tongs
Welding Gloves
Safety Glasses2
2
Nick at length
Nick at length
Nick the rod nearly through on the hot cut hardy at the rivet's length plus enough for the head (see the notebook).
Tools needed:
Anvil
Hot Cut Hardy
Cross Peen HammerWelding GlovesSafety Glasses3
3
Head it
Head it
Drop the end into the nail header over the anvil's pritchel hole, with the head stock standing proud, and spread it with three to five quick blows, as for a nail head. Snap it free at the nick.
Tools needed:
Nail HeaderAnvilCross Peen HammerWelding GlovesSafety Glasses4
4
Cool and check
Cool and check
Let the rivets cool (do not harden them: the tail must spread cold or hot when set). Check the shank with a caliper; file off any burr so it slips into its hole.
Tools needed:
Quench Bucket
Digital Caliper 6-Inch5
5
Rod for each rivet
Rod for each rivet
Loading Jupyter Notebook...
Tools Required
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