Posted by gmharris [72.219.148.98] on Thursday, April 30, 2015 at 18:58:27 :
In Reply to: Re: This brings up a good topic. posted by Dan (NH) [173.9.49.14] on Thursday, April 30, 2015 at 08:39:43 :
I looked into doing rivets, but it just didn't seem to be worth the trouble.
Check out Youtube, there's plenty of video of old timers doing rivets and some modern videos of blacksmith setting rivets.
Rivets are just mild steel and will take a shape easily if the steel is hot enough. The rivets are available online and there is a Youtube video of a guy making them from steel rod.
Two guys, an aceylene torch and the right tools and you are good to go.
Pneumatic hot rivet tools are available on Ebay, but do you want to spend hundreds of dollars on tools for a few rivets? Then you end up with a connection that is weaker than a hardened bolt.
I've set a few hot rivets by peening the end over with a ball peen hammer. I don't know how that compares to the strength of a factory rivet, but I bet it's close. Of course, the finished product doesn't look the same.