How To Rivet Copper Sheets

Both pieces are inserted into a hole and a special tool appropriately called a riveter is placed over the mandrel.

How to rivet copper sheets.

Install rivets one by one. If the top sheet is aluminum use the copper rivet. Drill a 1 8 inch hole through one or more sheets of metal that need to be riveted up to 1 2 inch thick. Steps and tools for simple planishing of copper.

For articulating rivets use a holes a little larger than the rivet use a washer under the end you are peening and peen it over a rivet spacer. A rivet spacer is just a piece of pallet banding or something similar with a slot cut into the end. Place them into the rivet holes they should fit snugly and position a hard object under the rivet anvil hammer etc. Insert the rivet through its hole and hold it in place with the tip of the cup set.

Slide the rivet into the hole using your hand. Before rivets were available commercially they were made by the coppersmith from offcuts of copper folded and hammered to a round shape to fit the holes. Easily remove hammer or mallet marks from a formed copper bowl. Do not smash the rivet flat.

Realign the two pieces being riveted and push a rivet through the hole. Place the rivet stem into the riveting tool. Afterwards hold the rivet gun so it is horizontal with the top side of the metal. Careful hammering ensured that a very neat joint was produced.

Hit the rivet until it expands just enough to hold the boiler lap together. Make sure there are no burrs or debris under the rivet head or between the sheets. Traditionally handles were fixed to the body of a vessel by riveting using copper rivets to give a good strong joint. The tip of the cup set is the polished area that attaches to the shaft inserted into the gun.

Follow the same process for the remaining rivets. If the mandrel breaks off of the completed rivet the rivet has been installed correctly. Hammer the rivet until it is secure. The same techniques can be used for any copp.

If the top sheet is copper use the aluminum rivet. Hold the pieces as close to their final position as you can.