Forging rivet headers - blacksmithing tools

[@LunchboxNinja]

Every time I start a project, tool build, etc, I always check your page first. "Lemme just check to see if Black Bear has a video before I get started..." NINE HOURS LATER..... project delayed haha

[@brynelequire4158]

Another great video! For the final rounding of the tool, I actually ended up using a ball bearing and a couple good whacks to set it. Worked like a charm, still using it to this day.

[@michaelhayes1678]

Lame joke coming..... This is definitely a way to get "a head" in our riveting game. :D Thanks for the video! Great, great work!

[@adrewdio2694]

Thank you. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for communication, capacity, how to tips, extras. A pleasure to learn from you and I will be creating my own, from hardened stock. Cheers!

[@ArmySoldier1972]

John, I have been scouring the TUBE looking for videos on tools to make, when I finally get my milk barn turned into a shop... This Video is an oldie but goodie. I hope others check it out. I can't wait to make rivet headers of my own. (I have succor rod sitting in the corner) Army SE Oregon

[@freemandavy9868]

You Know you are a real inspiration to us newbes out there I find your videos well explained clear and concise When a mistake crops up you keep calm and move on I have been a welder for 40 years plus But really it is very little help to the art of blacksmithing So many thanks to your desire to share your knowledge/ ability

[@frankgaletzka8477]

Hello John 2 years old but still brand new Very usefull i like it Yours Frank

[@chuckdavis7740]

great vid! i now have to go make some tools! always a good way to spend a sunday. learn in the morning and make in the afternoon

[@Tom-hz9oc]

I’ve got a set from Ken’s Custom Iron that are fantastic! I’ve never thought of making them with different head designs, so I guess I’ve got a new project!

[@nppjbrown]

I moved to an anvil with a 30mm hardy hole and I found some square tube to put a sleeve on the hardy tools to bring them up to 30mm. Worked well for me and would be easy to reverse.

[@josephshaff5194]

Thanks ! Forgot the Formula. Haven't used it in any work. Very Complete vid.

[@billwessels207]

I like the bandaid on your finger. Makes it appear as though you actually work for a living. Not just make videos for profit. Great video. Enjoyed it.

[@BlackBearForge]

I will mention that to the costume designer.

[@billwessels207]

You should thank your costume designer for coming up with that. Keep up the good work Sir.

[@waynelewis881]

Wonderful video, John. Your selection of subjects and your teaching style are great. In fact, in all my years in schools, only one professor in my freshman year in college was as good as you are, and I appreciate you as much as I appreciate him. Thank you!

[@BlackBearForge]

Wow! Thank you

[@billtalkington664]

You taught me something today. Thank you

[@joergwiesmann4261]

....thank YOU very much !!! You evxplain always soooo good !!! kind regards from Switzerland !!!

[@jamesmcmillen4828]

I'll be making a rivet header in the morning. Great refresher!!

[@clydeulmer4484]

You've gotten really good at explaining *process*, John. And this is one of your best -- enjoyed it. Clyde

[@IthBombgard]

Your videos have been very helpful and inspirational for me as a new hobby blacksmith. I hope to see many more to come! Cheers!! :)

[@rustbeltmachine]

Your videos are awesome John. Thanks for all you do.

[@insperatus]

Made a rivet and riveted my first pair of tongs made for round stock tonight - it was quite a pain in the butt without a rivet header! It would certainly have come out much better with one, I'll be making a set of these very soon, thanks for the video!

[@matthewdell4504]

Great job! Enjoyed your video.

[@jackdawg4579]

thanks John, last set I made, I ground the head of a bolt to the shape I wanted the rivet head to be, and used that the same way you used yout ball end punch!

[@standaffern6595]

Just bought 4 used jack hammer bits from my friend for 0$, that my friend got at a swap meet. Ready to forge that Bick. Waiting for video so I can copy procedure without screwing up!

[@BlackBearForge]

I will plan on doing that this week

[@ThomasMcRaeCopland]

Well done Blackbear forge, That will be my next project. I got some coil springs so a few chissles and other punches will be a project for whenever i reciver from my stomache op....

[@bentoombs]

I was waiting till I could get some better tool steel. Like you said they take a beating and I finally found some. Great video John I'm going to have to watch it about three more times probably

[@jacobhutchens277]

I love these videos, so informational. Thank you!

[@R_Arizona]

Thank you John

[@trknust]

I just love your Straight Forward way of discussing things. Funny enough I was Just watching Kens Custom Iron when I noticed this on the follow up recommendations Wish we lived close.

[@prestonfunkhouser1301]

Thank you, Sir. This is exactly what I needed for my current project.

[@coreymerrill3257]

Fordom makes a small drill press station that is angle adjustable for both the work and the tool( handpiece). A 6mm-6.5mm chuck (.244-.248 inches) will allow a vast selection of burs and bits. the tool even allows for wet cutting,so you can cut hardened metal without ruining it , grind and polish glass , gemstones , ect. There is even a gravers tool for decorating like doing inlay and a hammer tip for burnishing ,swaging and peening. ...or work requiring a VERY small jackhammer. Like cleaning up a gold nugget from hard rock matrix . I recently saw a set of dies for cutting inlays , basically it's a flat sheet of tool steel, with the outline of the image secured flush onto wood or soft metal ,or some stones like jade . A set of spring steel cutters are made so they have a flat cutting surface with scooped sides like a flat shovel shape, extends beyond the plate to 1/8th inch or whatever you need, a plain round shank spans the die and a toolstop/ depth gauge rides the die face. The pair are connected at the opposite end and spread about an inch at the cutters, and a shank is made to go into a Jacobs chuck On a drill . Whatever shape the die is , complex with both angular and rounded edges or simple , straight cuts, they will follow it and cut the shape. Obviously the harder the material intended to be cut will require harder cutting surfaces . If anybody that reads this concept has interest, I will point you to the video to show it being made and at work.

[@larryking606]

Great Video ! I have a Project In the next few Weeks . The first one , The first one I Need is the 1/4 " Rivet ! Thank you again for the Knowledge and Inspiration ! Be Safe and Take care ! Keep Hammering

[@AndTheCorrectAnswerIs]

You have great instructional videos. Glad you are preserving and sharing this knowledge with others.

[@wyoblacksmithtools3097]

Good practical video. Thanks for posting. Jerry

[@danbell3827]

I actually just made a few bottom rivet sets this week, before seeing this. I thought I would share a couple of my tricks I came up with. For the bottom sets, I found a bunch of structural connection bolts at work, meant for bolting together red iron in construction. The ones I have are 3/4" by around 2" long, grade 5. I ground the markings off the heads, then drilled a divot into them and rounded it like you suggested. I have an old gear with a 3/4" shaft hole that I use as a "washer" to drop them into, then into the hardy hole so they don't slide around too much. I could probably find 1" bolts, too, but they're less common. My second tip is for making rounded ends for punches or forms. If you make them from round bar small enough to fit a drill chuck, you can use the drill to spin them against a grinder while moving the drill side to side. Essentially using the drill like a lathe. It takes a bit of practice, but works great for shaping round punches, drifts, etc.

[@beni2094]

Another great video. The most comprehensive channel. All the good stuff is right here! John you rock!

[@davidferrett818]

Sweet rivet setter.

[@tylerjenkins91]

This video was really good i couldn’t look away you might say it was.........riveting......

[@adampablodayc]

The more i watch,the more i need.I would join your facebook group but i swore off social media,except you tube.My few rivets i have used in my two pair of tongs could use a heading tool,i am putting it on my list now.Shop addition in full swing,now i have some space to fill with hand made tools.

[@BlackBearForge]

I certainly understand swearing off social media. But I find it to be a highly effective tool for my business.

[@adampablodayc]

Black Bear Forge ,roger that,over.

[@patmiddleton3947]

Great vid,loads of useful info!👍

[@TAS1303]

Nice. VideoWhen I built mine for setting the rivets in my Ken's tongs I drilled a hole in some plate then rounded it out with a rivet. I held mine with some scrolling tongs tho and bent the crap out of the rivet in the process. Had to straighten it out three or four times. Didn't think of building a monkey tool to hold it.

[@richardbryant7972]

Great video as always and very helpful, thank you sir have a blessed day

[@leperejoe1536]

I am going to make some of these. Great video.

[@Resto-Rob]

Thanks. This has been very helpful. Very much appreciated!!! 👍

[@thebabylon2933]

Truly wonderful and useful video

[@brettsayers7768]

Great little tool, will be making one soon.

[@cogpastorc]

Thanks John.

[@PRO_GAMER_SIM]

i need to make some now i see how was gonna use a drill bit to do it

[@yorkshirejoinery2869]

Will be on with making a set of these tomorrow! Great video, thanks for uploading!

[@lenblacksmith8559]

Liked that john, have made one for myself but still picked up some good points.

[@lonnywalsh]

Very handy, thank you!

[@edwarnock4534]

I have rounded a drill in a pinch and was careful to grind a bevel similar to the original drill angle. It worked pretty good and in the drill press did not chatter as I had relieved most of the material from the cut. If you are going to cut rather than forge, a ball cutter is the best as it's geometry is made for both plunge cuts and milling cuts. I also have made elliptical and tear drop depressions that were used to form sterling silver for riveting to fancy horse bit cheeks. Essentially by doing exactly what you did for the rivet set then cleaning the recess with a creep tool and crates point, followed by felt point with polish compound.

[@Smallathe]

Lovely demo!!!

[@GarageKnight]

Thank you, this was nice and useful video

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@DavidGrassSr]

NIce video, as usual ,love those tongs, hope your finger gets better,saw where you changed the bandage couple times.you always get cut , mashed finger,burned.its part of the job, See Ya

[@stephenmcfadyen1385]

Hi John, a great presentation once again, I have gotten a series of ball bearings in differing sizes an I drive that into center punch hole. Bearing suppliers charge cents for the balls or one can smash apart old ball bearings wrapped in a cloth in the vice so you don't lose the bearings

[@BlackBearForge]

I was comparing the bearing one suppliers had with the rivet head sizes and they didn't quite match, but they would come very close.

[@standaffern6595]

Love the tool making videos. Videos on tools for making art type work, as in eyes, veining, and punches for dragons heads, rams heads etc. Would be nice too.

[@JustinTopp]

Been looking to make a rivet header this is just the video that helped me! Thanks

[@caseyoutdoors3897]

Thank you I'm just starting out God bless

[@adambrown3634]

Great video. Thanks

[@doylerabjohn3435]

Great video

[@divernon2672]

Fabulous !!! Very, very, very helpful, thank you !

[@michelrodrigue3739]

very good video sir thank you.

[@dingodog5677]

Thanks again John. I’ve been wondering how to make these for the last few weeks. I don’t have any bought rivets, so I was wondering how to get the right depression in the punch. I’ll just make a round punch to punch the header punch and bottom. Natmat

[@bj20715]

Great video. I was going to ask about rivet length just as you started to cover it at the end of the video.

[@bogomir67]

riveting tools - somehow I saw THAT one coming! ;-)Good idea, though - I need to make at least one set for tongs, and I need to make a wrench for my angle grinders. I believe in English they are called "adjustable face spanners" (?).

[@paulorchard7960]

Thomas Bögel If its the tool i’m thing of I call them multi grips!

[@gamernick1533]

I have what looks like a little rivet set in the end of my bick already. I figure that is what it would probably be for but its right at the end of my flat bick in a fairly awkward spot! :D

[@wallstreetcrash1]

Thank you KCB 👍 (Carpenter) aka wannabe “cooper” UK🇬🇧

[@rolliekelly6783]

Another good example of things riveted together is the Titanic.......er maybe not too good. Could steel balls be used in conjunction with a press?

[@grandadz_forge]

Been looking forward to this video! Loved it.

[@PaulFontaniniArtist]

Riveting video mate. 😜

[@kengamble8595]

Thanks for sharing and take care. 👍

[@WildBoreWoodWind]

Another great video 👍

[@SirFuseable]

You mentioned grinding a drill bit and wondering how well it would drill. When grinding the round end the trick is to have no "dead" spot in the centre of the bit by grinding just slightly asymmetrically. Also drill at slower revs than what would normally be recommended for that size drill and material. In another life I used the same principles to sharpen tungsten carbide drills, as used for masonry, for drilling into hardened tool steel for those times when a toolmaker forgot to dill a hole before sending the tool for hardening. It's slow work but a lot faster than annealing and re-hardening.

[@BlackBearForge]

Thanks, I will need to try that

[@JarlSeamus]

I have a 7/8 hardy in my anvil. I'd be delighted to adopt that bick.... ;) In all honesty, my rivet headers started out just drilled. When the heads came out a bit conical, just tap the tip down with a hammer. Over time, they softened (mild steel) so by now they're pretty much round.

[@BlackBearForge]

That should work. You know I don't actually use that bick anymore since it doesn't fit.

[@JarlSeamus]

What would you like for it?

[@BlackBearForge]

How about $10 for the bick, just to see it go where it can be used. It's nothing special.

[@JarlSeamus]

Just emailed you

[@bxb590]

Thank You, well done.

[@kensmapleleafretirement]

Thanks for the info and lessons...

[@kensmapleleafretirement]

Good Fun, thank you for sharing.....

[@arthurdibbartistblacksmith6096]

Excellent video... Any chance you could make a video on how to make an anvil horn rivet set for riveting scrolls and hard to reach places?

[@BlackBearForge]

Great suggestion!

[@MrCubflyer]

A rivet driver for a rivet gun would work well also they are very hard

[@charlesbrasil2837]

Thank you very much !!

[@JesusisLord-7A]

I'm hoping to see a new hammer in your shop soon.

[@BlackBearForge]

Sounds like I better go and watch

[@donrobinson1856]

ball nose endmill works for me

[@christopherconkright1317]

I bought steel balls I plan to heat up what i am making the tool from and using the steel ball to make the half dome

[@steffenmeyer2416]

Hi, I live in South Africa, I have been watching your video's and enjoying it so much that i want to start my own blacksmith home shop. Is it possible to give the mesurements in metric as well as I dont ( as many ) dont understand imperial. Thanks Steffen

[@ЯнаШарикаева]

Спасибо очень нужное видео!

[@BrianDaleNeeley]

The Titanic was built with rivets too! So rivets should work fine, as least so long as you don't have to deal with icebergs.... 😝

[@BlackBearForge]

True, but so were lots of other ships.

[@DogGuy19]

Good video as always I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. I noticed you had stock sitting right on the screw box of your vise & hit it with a hammer. I'd think that would not be healthy for the vise?

[@twsdlbh]

Is the header tool an easy to make tool? I've been using a piece of leaf spring to do the same thing but don't have the top part for making the other end of the revit.

[@BlackBearForge]

Harder than making a punch, but not bad

[@d.pretorius453]

Very nice . What about aluminium rivets ? Show me to make aluminium rivets please .

[@christopherconkright1317]

Could you not weld a piece of round bar to the small piece so it fits in the anvil doesn’t roll away

[@dariussutherland4247]

The that's still a little hot so I'm going set it back down had my sides splitting 😂😂

[@xxxclampgodxxx5511]

When the rivet is done correctly is it water proof. Will it seal the hole completely or do u need something in there to seal it

[@stanervin7581]

@ 12:40 like I say "don't take long to look at"

[@jetblackstar]

Sorry to ask a dumb question. But I'm presuming you don't need to hardening the rivit setting tools? Since you didn't cover it here. Thanks. Great video, I kept wondering how to make these. Surprisingly simple.

[@yoerim360]

any link to formula so i cancalculate how long the rivet needs to be for a perfect dome? had some info on it 2 years back but seems it is unfindable

[@BlackBearForge]

1 1/2 times the diameter of the rivet sticking out of the hole for each head. Thats just a starting point and should be tested and fine tuned.

[@herrero4270]

Me again. Thank you for the video. What diameter does the rivet head must have in relation with the diameter of the rivet itself? Here I can't find rivets of the hardware stores. Thank you for your answer.

[@BlackBearForge]

rivetsinstock.com/rivets/solid-rivets/small-solid-rivets/round-head-solid-rivets.html

[@herrero4270]

Of no use in my country, unless you have money to spare, thank you.

[@BlackBearForge]

Your question was regarding head sizes for rivets. The link provided was for a chart showing standard rivet sizes with their corresponding head sizes.

[@herrero4270]

Oh, I am sorry, I misunderstood your intention, I thought you were providing me with a link to purchase. Thank you very much for the information!! I will make a search over there.

[@wolfsforge1]

I have a question. Can I make a riveting tools from coil spring that I have? The coil spring I have has never been put on a car.

[@BlackBearForge]

Yes, that should work

[@wolfsforge1]

@@BlackBearForge Thank you

[@dennisw7350]

1/4 inch carriage bolt? to form header.

[@brownpaul476]

what about welding a ball barring onto a rod to make rivet tools

[@BlackBearForge]

You can, although ball bearings don't actually come in the exact sizes for commercial rivet heads. But if you don't need an exact match.

[@daffeogbillan]

Hey I am gone make some tongs what size on the rivet should i go for ? lenght and size ?

[@BlackBearForge]

5/16 - 3/8. length 1 1/2 times the diameter longer than needed to go through the hole

[@daffeogbillan]

@@BlackBearForge Thank you for the answer