Bic Rivet Gun

nevadablue

nevadablue

Registered
So, it is snowing, I'm bored. I took an idea I saw on the net and built a rivet gun with a ball point pen, some wood and a file handle.

rivetgun1.jpg


rivetgun2.jpg


I can't remember where I saw this so I can't give credit, sorry.

I'm working on a tank for this flat car. A bit of newspaper printing aluminum becomes a riveted part. Glue and paint will make it look real. The flat car is rough boards I cut on my bandsaw and the base is an old New Bright caboose deck and trucks.

tank1.jpg
 
Very clever.... so how long before you're flogging them on eBay???
 
LOL! I just made it into the MKII version by adding a second dimple beside the main one... come to think of it, I need one on the other side. The second dimple indexes the just-made rivet for even spacing. I also added a removable guide to keep the line straight.
 
Good idea - and your modifications to the design make it a very useful tool indeed!
 
Very good.... very much cheaper than the metalsmiths one I brought. ......
And I presume you could change the bic for a nail for punching into brass......
 
I like this. There is great potential .... EG use 2 .5mm steel balls set ate your desired pitch and you could run a row of rivets using the first one to align and ensure your pitch stays equal or any configuration 3 .5mm balls would give to rows of offset rivets..... damned site easier than my method of drilling .4mm holes and glueing in plastic rivets....
 
Here's how the MKII version looks. I added the extra dimples for spacing and a guide for alignment. The guide is removable and can be shimmed (I used thin wire for a shim) to allow exact distance of rivet dimple from the edge.

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The tank is a water tank for supplying the lumber camp. It will be lifted on and off of the flat car by crane. The plastic bottle material is SLICK! Nothing sticks to it very well. I used epoxy to mount the dome (twice!) and am experimenting with superglue for the end rivet bands. I'm hoping that the paint will hold everything together. Even roughing the surface of the plastic doesn't help sticking much.

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Now to design some hinges and latches for the dome cover.

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Some of the stockholders came to review the new tank today. They are pale from the long winter... :o Snowing here today, but nice and warm in the 'hobby shop'. :D The tank isn't quite complete, but the guys can get the idea anyway.

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Well everything seems to be coming along nicely!

I don't know exactly how many types of plastic there are in the wide world, but if somebody came out with a glue that would stick anything permanently, I reckon they would become a millionaire in a few seconds!
 
trammayo said:
Well everything seems to be coming along nicely!

I don't know exactly how many types of plastic there are in the wide world, but if somebody came out with a glue that would stick anything permanently, I reckon they would become a millionaire in a few seconds!
Click to expand...
This stuff does what it claims, I used it to glue marble stones to Polyethylene flower pots and they have stayed stuck over summer with great thermal expansion differences;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZlKvxBRNsA
 
Hi Trev. The problem with Loctite (and I have some) is that they do particular glues for particular plastics!

ME? I haven't a clue what some plastics are!
 
A couple more details:

carinspection.jpg


I've been trying to figure out a way to make LARGE nuts for the tie rods on the car. Today I found a plastic coat hanger... they have a tiny hole through the cross section! That made it easy! Round piece for a washer and a section sanded square for a nut! A bit of black paint and Voila!

largenut.jpg
 
Looking good,
Always on the look-out for ideas worth pinching borrowing.
Thanks

Rik
 
ge_rik said:
Looking good,
Always on the look-out for ideas worth pinching borrowing.
Thanks

Rik
Click to expand...
;D and you can bet you're bippy that some smooth Chinaman has his eyes on it too....
 
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