Bob Sigmon
10-20-2002, 05:07 PM
This is being posted for Tim Watson
I am including the photos of the tool I made up. I know some may not have the equipment to make these and I will include another method also. This works very well as the rivets are round and the head is perfectly shaped to match a 82 degree countersink just like a flathead screw. (When I get my shop going, which will be probably in the spring I will offer these or any other tools anyone might need.)
I take two pieces of tool steel, any kind it does not really make that much difference and make them a standard size ie; .375 x .75 x 1 1/2" then place them in a square collet and turn the diameter down to .625 with the head you see.
http://www.fototime.com/354825048126C66/standard.jpg
It also bottoms out on a shoulder in the bottom of the ring that holds them. I then drill whatever sized hole is appropriate for the wire. This particular one is .057. I then countersink the face of the two blocks which being held in the square collet will act like it is one piece. I polish the hole and countersink to 600 grit. Just regular auto body sandpaper. The ring is then made and the fit between the two should be held to a very tight slip fit like a dowel pin.
http://www.fototime.com/10977983D2FE919/standard.jpg
I drill a .375 hole all the way through the ring to use to remove the two halves after I swage the wire into the form. It will be tight as the wire moves out as well as down. As you can see in the photos the rivet is perfectly shaped. I am taking a .051 (16 ga.) wire up to the
.057 diameter and forming the head as well. the amount of wire above the die is about right to take the head diameter to about .125 after filing flush. I have made this die long enough for all of my scales you can see there is a lot sticking up on this particular one but I have thicker scales too and I did not want to make two dies as I am pressed for time as it is. Too many pots on the fire so to speak. For those who do not have a lathe you can get two pieces of tool steel, scraps from a knife will work, or you can order it from MSC or any of the industrial supply companies. It will need to be at least a 1/4" thick and thicker would be better. Take the two plates, align them so the top and bottom are even and dowel the two plates together. Then drill between the plates with the drill. If you take file and LIGHTLY file an even chamfer on the two plates the drill will go right down the middle if you take a little bit of care, use a little cutting fluid too.( For those who do not have cutting fluid you might take note that plain old Crisco shortening works very well for drill AND tapping.) One advantage of doing it this way is that you can put several different sized holes in it, the disadvantage is that you will need a very good vise to keep the metal from forcing the plates apart and giving you an oval pin. The way I have made the ring it can be used for many different sizes also just by making the two halves. Make sure that it is properly heat treated and above 56 Rockwell or better or it will deform the die if you use it a lot. If you are using the two plates make sure you dowel them together as it will keep the plates from shifting and it is a lot easier than trying to line up the sides every time.
http://www.fototime.com/2785E22A2EE49FF/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/FA91B105E0AE6DD/standard.jpg
Hope some of you can use this.
Tim P. Watson
I am including the photos of the tool I made up. I know some may not have the equipment to make these and I will include another method also. This works very well as the rivets are round and the head is perfectly shaped to match a 82 degree countersink just like a flathead screw. (When I get my shop going, which will be probably in the spring I will offer these or any other tools anyone might need.)
I take two pieces of tool steel, any kind it does not really make that much difference and make them a standard size ie; .375 x .75 x 1 1/2" then place them in a square collet and turn the diameter down to .625 with the head you see.
http://www.fototime.com/354825048126C66/standard.jpg
It also bottoms out on a shoulder in the bottom of the ring that holds them. I then drill whatever sized hole is appropriate for the wire. This particular one is .057. I then countersink the face of the two blocks which being held in the square collet will act like it is one piece. I polish the hole and countersink to 600 grit. Just regular auto body sandpaper. The ring is then made and the fit between the two should be held to a very tight slip fit like a dowel pin.
http://www.fototime.com/10977983D2FE919/standard.jpg
I drill a .375 hole all the way through the ring to use to remove the two halves after I swage the wire into the form. It will be tight as the wire moves out as well as down. As you can see in the photos the rivet is perfectly shaped. I am taking a .051 (16 ga.) wire up to the
.057 diameter and forming the head as well. the amount of wire above the die is about right to take the head diameter to about .125 after filing flush. I have made this die long enough for all of my scales you can see there is a lot sticking up on this particular one but I have thicker scales too and I did not want to make two dies as I am pressed for time as it is. Too many pots on the fire so to speak. For those who do not have a lathe you can get two pieces of tool steel, scraps from a knife will work, or you can order it from MSC or any of the industrial supply companies. It will need to be at least a 1/4" thick and thicker would be better. Take the two plates, align them so the top and bottom are even and dowel the two plates together. Then drill between the plates with the drill. If you take file and LIGHTLY file an even chamfer on the two plates the drill will go right down the middle if you take a little bit of care, use a little cutting fluid too.( For those who do not have cutting fluid you might take note that plain old Crisco shortening works very well for drill AND tapping.) One advantage of doing it this way is that you can put several different sized holes in it, the disadvantage is that you will need a very good vise to keep the metal from forcing the plates apart and giving you an oval pin. The way I have made the ring it can be used for many different sizes also just by making the two halves. Make sure that it is properly heat treated and above 56 Rockwell or better or it will deform the die if you use it a lot. If you are using the two plates make sure you dowel them together as it will keep the plates from shifting and it is a lot easier than trying to line up the sides every time.
http://www.fototime.com/2785E22A2EE49FF/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/FA91B105E0AE6DD/standard.jpg
Hope some of you can use this.
Tim P. Watson