Rivet help

[sk8er4life]

Hey guys. I am in the process of building my westerfield hem. But i am not to sure how to rivet the things. I know theres a how to but it doesnt say exactly how to put a rivet on the back and make it stay in place. If anyone has put together one can you tell me what rivets to buy and how tp make it go on it? That would be a big help! And i need visor help but that comes later on...

 

[DogWizard]

Hey guys. I am in the process of building my westerfield hem. But i am not to sure how to rivet the things. I know theres a how to but it doesnt say exactly how to put a rivet on the back and make it stay in place. If anyone has put together one can you tell me what rivets to buy and how tp make it go on it? That would be a big help! And i need visor help but that comes later on...

I'ver never done a Westerfield piece but I have years of leatherworking experience and it looks like they use the Tandy (or equivalent) "rapid-rivets". They are a two piece rivet - a "post" piece and a "cap" piece. They come in small (shortest), medium, and large which denotes the length of the "post" - my guess is that they use the small. They can be purchased from Tandy leather (local store or internet) and can also probably be found at a decent craft store.

Just sandwich the two plastic pieces together and insert the post piece through the holes, then press the cap piece onto the post. You should ideally have a rapid-rivet setter (it's a cheap concave tool) that allows you to "set" the rivet without deforming the cap but you may be able to squeak by without one. After that it's just a question of a couple of quick/light taps witha hammer and you're done. Be sure that you have a solid base piece (or anvil) to brace the rivet post piece against - it should be flat, heavy, and flush against the post before you set the rivet. The rivets are dirt cheap and I would recommend trying a few test pieces just to get the feel for how they work. It shouldn't cost more then $8-$10 for a prepackaged kit with the rivets and setting tool...

When I was considering using Westerfield pieces I thought about just using an epoxy to attach the pieces and the using a more traditional filler (bondo, etc.) to fill in the seams and clean up the overall look. Just a suggestion...

Good Luck!

 

[sk8er4life]

It came with tabs..so i just poke hole and put them together like a button? Thanks that helps alot. Mabey i should whip up a tut on building one...might be help ful when another noob like me comes around with the same question. If you guys want me to i will make a tut.

 

[AoBfrost]

Buy a rivet gun, you need one or else rivets wont work.

I dont think you will need to rivet them either, you might, but like sean bradley's helmet kit that comes in pieces, I dont think you rivet his, I'd try some other method of putting it together, rivets on a nice painted helmet look odd.

 

[sk8er4life]

whah if i rivet them from the insde? Then there with be barley visible dots here and there. If i knew sean sold kits i would of got him. But i didnt do i got a westerfields.

 

[AoBfrost]

The rivets wouldnt hold on then, the little silver dot is what holds the piece locked. You need a rivet gun, plus you dont need to write a tutorial, westerfields already has a tutorial step by step with pictures for the helmet.

 

[sk8er4life]

But it isnt very helpful. I can take pics. And i will get a rivet gun. But how do I use it? Do i just use it to punch the rivet in place? And my tut will be a little more understanable. Like rivet this piece and this piece. The...blah blah blah. But it would kinda tell you what to rivet togeter and ho to rivet it. Do you think home depot has rivet guns and rivets?

(i didint get siulver dots..i got black tabs.) Do i buy the silver dots? And which ones are the right ones for this?

 

[AoBfrost]

I'm looking at their tutorial, and only using rivets once, it looks understandable to me if I had a kit.

 

[sk8er4life]

No. Then why do you punch holes in the corner... and you would have to to get the two side chins. Look at a pic of a finished one. The have a 2 dots just above your ear and 1 dot below your ear. Thats what i dont understand. I dont get how to put these together. I get the first step i dont know how to connect the holes that he said to punch/drill. Do i use silver dots or what?

 

[AoBfrost]

Omg this is the same thing as the other thread about pepakura.

Look at the pictures, after punching out the 2 holes, match them up, then rivet them, thats riveting, you drill/punch two holes, match them in in the same area, then rivet them, the rivet keeps them in place.

 

[Durlaburban]

if you cant rivet then just use apoxy and good ol bondo

 

[AoBfrost]

Bondo kinda takes away the point of buying a molded helmet because it already is so smooth.

 

[DogWizard]

You DO NOT need a rivet gun for the type of rivets that are being used. They are simple compression rivets. I think that there may even be instructions on the package the rivet-set tool comes with. They really are extremely intuitive and easy to use...

As far as epoxy and bondo - the point is to use the bondo to smooth the overlapping edges so the helmet doesn't appear to be made up of multiple layers of plastic...

 

[AoBfrost]

If you dont need a rivet gun, then just place the holes ontop of one another like the helmet would go, match the holes, rivet them.

 

[sk8er4life]

I got this tool. And rivets to go with it. Is that right?

 

[BenStreeper]

might be easier for you to use hit glue to put it together if you are not really good with rivets.

 

[sk8er4life]

Will it stay together properly?

 

[BenStreeper]

yes sir, you can also fiberglass the inside to create a tight bond/ bondo the outside to smooth the gaps

 

[sk8er4life]

Oh thanks i might just do that.

 

[DogWizard]

I got this tool. And rivets to go with it. Is that right?

That is actually a "pop-rivet" gun. It can technically work but keep the following things in mind:

-Drill your holes "EXACTLY" to the diameter of the rivet shaft that you are using. Pop rivets have notoriously small "heads" and "caps". If you drill the hole too large the rivets will be loose and can work out. You may need to use washers on the front if the holes are already drilled too large for your available rivets. You will definately need to use washers on the back side to give the rivet something to bite on.

-When using pop-rivets be sure to rivet from the finished side of the piece as they leave a very visible and uncomfortable "nub" on the backside when riveted.

Good Luck!