Getting Attached: A Rivet Making Intensive
Learn one of the most versatile and strong connection methods and leave
that glue in your drawer! Whatever the materials used, hand-made rivets
can often be employed to strengthen and enhance your assemblage work
or jewelry. Recommended for anyone
interested in attaching objects securely. Get it together and keep
it together...
REQUIRED TOOLS:
The tools below are things you will beusing in the workshop, and to avoid having to wait for a communal tool to become available, you should plan on getting them for the class (NOTE- Many of these tools are linked to Amazon, so you can save on shipping to order several things through them):
• Hand drill. A cordless, variable-speed hand drill is perfect
and will be one of the most useful tools in your home, trust me! Here is one for $30 that fits the bill. Be sure to charge up the battery before getting to the class! For those
who don't want to get the electric drill, Fiskars
makes a good and very inexpensive one (like under $15!), found here. It isn't as versatile, but it works well.
• Two 1/16" drill bits
• Piece of scrap wood to drill into
•
Small ball-pein hammer. Available here, or in many hardware stores - just make sure it's a small one, about 4 ounces is perfect.
• Roll of 're-bar tie wire' Available here, or at many hardware stores near the cinder block and chain-link fencing. If you are travelling light, snip off about
six feet of wire which should be plenty. No need to bring the whole
roll. If you're going to look for it but you don't know what it looks like, be sure to click on the link to see it. NO GALVANIZED WIRE! It should be grey-black.
• Bar clamps Here's a great value - a medium and small one for $10.
• Spring-loaded, or 'automatic' center punch. Available here, or I'll have some available to buy in class.
• 4" Vise-Grip locking pliers Available here. If you've got a larger Vise-Grip already, you can bring that, however these tiny ones are perfect for the job.
• Flush-cutter. Available here. However, if you want the best, an
absolutely brilliant pair of cutters can be found here Mention my name and she'll give you 10% off! If
you cut wire with any frequency, these are more than worth the money.
I covet my pair, which I paid way too much for ($70!), but even so,
I wouldn't give them up for anything.
• small steel bench block. Available here.
• Jeweler's saw. Available here.
• Jeweler's saw blades. 2/0 size. Available here.
• Tubing - copper or brass. You'll only need one 12" length of 1/8" tubing, so you can get single segments of tubing at hobby shops. Otherwise, you'll have to order a pack of 10 here.
• An awl - Available here or in the bottom of toolboxes the world over!
• Sharpie marker (fine point)
• A handful of found objects to rivet together, with a concentration on metal objects.....anything from large coins to sheet metal (a small sampler pack of brass sheet can be bought on Amazon here) will do. You can also bring non-metal items for riveting, like seed pods, books...just bring a bunch of things and you'll have plenty of options.
OPTIONAL TOOLS:
• Pin drill Available here. For drilling tiny holes - if you want to try some tiny rivets, get one of these and the two items following.
• Mini drill bits Available here. For drilling tiny holes with the pin drill, above. This is the cheapest I've found these bits.
• 19 gauge dark annealed steel wire Available here. This can also be found in many hardware stores.
Please email me with any questions you might have that this page didn't address.
See you there! Keith
