!OST #14_rev - O scale trains

Thoughts on Rivet Making and the latest news on Proto48Rivet MakingMaking rivet impressions in variousmaterials is one of those essential skillsneeded if you want to scratch buildinglocomotives or rolling stock. You will findthat even detailing kit or ready to runmodels may need the added touch of rivetsin the right place. You don’t have to bea “rivet counter” to find an application foradding rivet detail to brass or styrene.Over the years, I have seen a number ofideas and products offered to do this basictask. This issue I will devote most of thecolumn to show you a range of tools andtechniques for adding rivet detail.Simple MethodsThe most basic tools for doing rivetsrange from the use of a pounce wheel(used in sewing), a blunt needle held in apin vise, a center punch, and even theapplication of individual styrene rivets likethose made by Grandt Line and TichyTrain Group or the brass rivets like thosesold by Galtran. This last method comes inhandy where you can’t impress a rivetsuch as with a thick material or a casting.The first photo shows a Lackawannaproduce uneven results either in spacingor shape. These methods are not ideal buta credible model can be built using thesesimple and inexpensive tools.Rivet Making MachinesThe next step up if you want to makebetter rivets is to make a press, modify anexisting machine of some type or buy one.There are several commercial machinesavailable for making rivets. NWSL offers amachine that features a moving table tospace the rivets out. They offer several differentdie sizes as well. I have seen a numberof very fine models built with thisdevice. You can see the machine at theirwebsite or your local dealer.Jerry Snow, of Accurate O Scale, hasbuilt a manual press with an indexingtable. Snow’s machine has gotten a numberof favorable comments. InternationalModels is selling a press made in England.It is a simple device with a stop for positioningthematerial andan adjustmentfor the depth ofthe impression.They sell threedifferent sizedrivet dies sizedfor OO, 7mmand G-gauge. Ipurchased thepress with the7mm sized die.the press has shown good results. I amable to press sharp rivets in 0.015" brasswithout any problem.Another approach to making rivets is touse a tried and tested method first devisedby Jerry White; convert an old cast ironsewing machine into a press. It takes someeffort but it will do a fine job of pressingrivets and providing fairly accurate spacing.The machine shown in the photo wasconverted about 40 years ago by PaulJansen for me. Paul had seen one of JerryWhite’s machines during a visit to his shop.A number of the Proto48 guys in Renohave converted modern Brothers machinesin a similar fashion. It is a simple conver-caboose under construction using Tichyrivets for detailing the side sills and centersill. I use this often when making patterns.In this instance, the materials didn’t lendthemselves to embossing techniques.Drilling all of those holes takes time butthe results are worth it. Pounce wheelscan, and other manual devices tend to,It produces a rivet head approximately.020" to .030" depending upon the setupand the material thickness. I am going toorder an OO sized die for smaller rivets ontenders and such. The initial testing with52 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’04