Bought a new Weaver Rivet Press

[Colt W Knight]

I make GPS tracking collars for livestock as part a part of my research interests ( I am a livestock specialist for the University of Maine). When I was a PhD student, I developed a way to make inexpensive GPS tracking collars for cattle, and that project has snowballed quit a bit, and now multiple Universities are using my collars. I got so many requests to build collars, I setup a Grazing Behavior Lab on campus where I can manufacture and sell tracking collars to other institutions. This provides my lab with some income to help further my research and work related travel expenses. One of the largest time sinks was actually punching holes in the Biothane and riveting buckles on with #8 copper rivets by hand. Plus it was killing my hands ( I have essential tremors), and making a ton of noise. I searched around, and called Weaver leather and they recommended their new steel construction Press with their autofeed rivet hopper. Man, this thing works great. I was able to attach 40 buckles in less than an hour. Something, that I would probably have taken me 12 or more hours with the hole punching and rivet setting. The biggest plus, no banging, cutting, or peening, and the tube rivets are corrosion resistant, Stainless Steel.

 

 

 

 

[Gregspitz]

looks like an old machine gun...show a video of it in action!

[bikermutt07]

That is really cool. I'm glad to hear it's saving time and your hands. Mine hurt all the time.

And it's auto feed. Do you still have to punch a hole?

[JaspaJami]

Selling those collars? Last summer i was trying to find some gps collar for the cattle (and for horses) because our field is quite far away from home.

[Colt W Knight]

 

That is really cool. I'm glad to hear it's saving time and your hands. Mine hurt all the time.

And it's auto feed. Do you still have to punch a hole?

No, it punches the hole and sets the rivet in one action. 

 

 

Selling those collars? Last summer i was trying to find some gps collar for the cattle (and for horses) because our field is quite far away from home.

Yes, the collars are available through the University of Maine. However, these collars just store data, they are not real time tracking. 

 

looks like an old machine gun...show a video of it in action!

I'll, try to get that done

[bikermutt07]

Awesomeness

[Trox]

Nice machine. But nobody makes a autofeed machine for those good old copper rivets.  

[Mark842]

Yep, hands down one of the best time savers we ever purchased for our shop. What used to take 2-3 hours a day for two people is now done in less than one hour for the entire week.

[JaspaJami]

 

Yes, the collars are available through the University of Maine. However, these collars just store data, they are not real time tracking. 

Ok. I need real time one. Also one that is automatically alarming if limit border is breached.

 

[Colt W Knight]

 

Ok. I need real time one. Also one that is automatically alarming if limit border is breached.

 

There are some RFID tag systems that will do that, but they are expensive. Real time GPS trackers require monthly subscriptions that make them unaffordable for research.