tool to make rivets?

Hey rios...

Take a thick walled steel tube and grind a cup shaped depression onthe end with a round gringing bit in a Dremel.  When I make little gizmos like this I cut of the end of an old paint brush handle, drill a hole inthe end and CA the little tube in that.  makes a great handle.  If you don't have a round bit, given the small size, i think you just grind and edge that will give you a circle.

Hi wing.

I don't know where I could find suitable steel tubes. They sell small tubing in hobby stores but those are all brass?

Perhaps I can use a broken drill bit, but what kind of grind bit should I use to dish the end? The metal ones with a ball tip? 

rios wrote:

Hi wing. I don't know where I could find suitable steel tubes. They sell small tubing in hobby stores but those are all brass? Perhaps I can use a broken drill bit, but what kind of grind bit should I use to dish the end? The metal ones with a ball tip?

SmallParts sells stainless steel hypodermic tubing down to 0.004" OD.   They also sell in small quantities

http://www.smallparts.com/products/descriptions/htx.cfm

great find, Ed,
they sell TUBES down to 36 gauge, now that's some rare stuff. 

 I wouldn't be needing your mats Wing, thank you very much for the offer and help. I'll PM you once I've tried grinding them.

Tried those tubing. They are actually a little soft, I think due to the thin wall. The 0.03" tube was just about the right size, takes a little effort to get the dent in though.

I also bought a set of hasegawa scribers, and the TL-13 tool is perfect to making this kind of rivet/boltheads. The deeper you push, bigger a ring it will make. Controlling the size of the ring takes a little effort, but pretty easy as long as it's done slowly. 

Get a beading tool. These are different sized shanks that fit inside a handle and are used for setting beads in jewelry making. I could not find these at the Local arts and craft stores so obtained mine on Ebay. They make great circle depressions but as for the slot you are on your own. My guess is you will have to carve those in no matter how you make the circle.

Max Bryant

mightymax wrote:

Get a beading tool. These are different sized shanks that fit inside a handle and are used for setting beads in jewelry making.

That's what I use- for models AND jewelry making.

Hello rios,

I purchased from Model Design Construction (MDC) both the 1/32 and 1/48 rivet tools they sell. These are great tools for creating the the little dished indent as shown in your picture and real easy to use.

Brett Green has a demo of the tool as well, and the best part they are not expensive at all about $13.00 USD plus shipping and they arrived in a very short time after ordering them.

Each kit contains two punches, a handle, set of guides and instructions.

1/32 tool: Click here

1/48 tool: Click here

Brett Green demo: Click here

hth

Cheers,

Thom

Found thiswhile i was building my U-Boat   http://futchfactor.com/rivettool/prog1.html