Copper Rivet Domer

[ct701996]

Does anybody here know how to make copper rivet domers, i guess you could just drill out the end of some stock but that wouldnt be very round, i like to make my own stuff so this would be something i could save 30 bucks on

[ramrod]

you might be able to drill the end of some round stock and then use a dremel with the ball sander to round it out.

[celticleather]

I made a doming tool by drilling a very shallow hole - more of a depression than a hole - in a round stock bar. The result was not perfectly round, but I find that by rotating it by a couple of degrees as I hammer the rivet, the result is a perfectly formed dome!

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Rivet sets are fairly common, and you should be able to pick up a used on pretty cheap. I have seen them for a dollar, or two, at the flea markets.

If I was going to make one I would just use a ball endmill in the milling machine.

For a DIY at home, spot drill it, and use a round stone in a Dremel like Ramrod mentioned.

A sheetmetal rivet set will have a hole that will fit over the rivet shank so that you can set (compress) the layers by driving them together. Then the ball end of a ball peen hammer is used to start the mushrooming. Once you get towards the end you use the domed section of the rivet set to make it pretty.

[ct701996]

thank you, i guess i never though of using the dremel

[Billy P]

A lot of people take the largest setter, that was used for the caps of, I think, line 14 or 16 belt and glove snaps. I know that Ron Ross was using one, at one time anyway. They were in the old Tandy set all snaps sets. I hope this might help someone. Billy P

[ramrod]

once i've set the rivet, snipped off the post and domed the remainder, i was able to use a small tack hammer to sort of "massage" the stub. in an al stohlman book, i seem to remember him making it square by tapping it with a hammer. this can be done quite easily as i found out.

i guess what i'm saying is: the domer doesn't have to be perfect because you can touch up the post with a small hammer.

[Randy Cornelius]

Complete instructions for making domers are in the Stohlman book, "leather Tools" on page 80

[lazybum]

won't a domed rivet setter from tandy work?

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/search/searchresults/8084-299.aspx

[seveneves]

I have a pretty good method that works. I dome the rivet before I use it. I have drilled an impression into my anvil, then I put the rivet head into it and slide something slightly larger than the rivet shaft to force the head down into the hole. Works great everytime. Edited April 6, 2011 by seveneves

[andystevens]

I could tell you a way to make one with round stock, drill press and drill vise, cutting torch and a some quenching oil, but the easiest is call Bob Douglas Tools and for $20-$30 you can get a real nice one made of tool steel.

Andy Stevens