Riveting beads with a wire rivet

lunesse · #1 2014-04-18, 1:16pm

Sometimes I see beads stacked on copper, or just riveted onto a ring shank, or a piece of copper for an earring.

I wanna do that! But I would think flaring out a rivet wire would crack, chip, shatter a glass beads so easily! Yet people do use wire rivets with glass, just like riveting metals together. Is it just really tapping really, really gently a million times? Do you make the flare against the metal plate or shank or whatever you are doing....or solder a wire to a shank....then put the bead on and gently flare just the same as metal? What protects the glass? Am I overthinking?

HOW? Help! Please?

=)

losthelm · #2 2014-04-18, 5:18pm

What type of glass? Boro takes a lot more abuse. If the wire ends are annealed copper, brass, aluminum, or sterling its fairly easy just time consuming with a small hammer and nail set. If your worried about scratching or chipping the hole a piece of gasket may be used for the first few taps.
A screw or arbor press can also be used but they can be exepencive.

Take your time support the work and gently pien the wire.
the same technique was used for old pocket watches to hold those small delicate gears in place.

lunesse · #3 2014-04-18, 5:44pm

mostly soft glass, but I can certainly use boro as well if it stands up to the whap whap better. =)

A piece of gasket? Can you elaborate?

Thank you!

mewkittie · #4 2014-04-18, 9:37pm

It's easier to do as with a tube rivet as it can still be done with some coring devices such as the Jim Moore one. With a wire rivet, I ball up one end of the wire so I can make that side into a rivet easier. This ends up being on the bottom of the piece when it's done. I thread the copper or whatever onto the rivet, then the bead. The bead hole has to be the same size as the wire, meaning it doesn't have any play in it when it's on the wire. It's easier to do if a bead cap is added, as it helps just in case of hammer slippage. And it's easier to get the bead cap hole the same size as the wire than with a bead hole. Tap gently with a riveting hammer. Keep going around the edges of the wire until it flares. Then I use a rubber/leather mallet to tamp down the rivet more.

Hope this helps!!

Mina · #5 2014-04-20, 7:01am

Any pictures that could help explain this for visual learners?

mewkittie · #6 2014-04-20, 8:24am

Here's an example of wire rivets....

I balled up one side of the wire and used the ball on the front of the piece. The back is where I used my riveting hammer to flare the wire. I'll have to see if I can find the pieces to get a picture of the back side.

caliente · #7 2014-04-20, 8:41am

Those look fantastic Susan! Are they pendants?

mewkittie · #8 2014-04-20, 9:13am

Thanks!! Yes, kinda. It's part of my modern talisman charm line that I'm working on. I'm making a bunch of different components that people can pick and choose from to string on a chain. This is one that I strung up:

Quote:

Originally Posted by caliente

Those look fantastic Susan! Are they pendants?

caliente · #9 2014-04-20, 12:42pm

Very nice. They are great!

mewkittie · #10 2014-04-20, 1:11pm

Thanks!! They are fun to make and come up with different ideas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by caliente

Very nice. They are great!

losthelm · #11 2014-04-20, 1:19pm

Another trick you can try is putting a divot into a block of wood or hockey puck.
The small diviot should support the balled end as you tap the stem of the rivit.

theglasszone · #12 2014-04-20, 9:02pm

Loving this thread!

lunesse · #13 2014-04-21, 10:31am

Wow Susan, thanks. So you have the piece flipped over and the ball and bead protected in a divot/level somehow, then you flare the back? Oh, wait, you aren't the divot person/ How do you protect the glass bead to hammer from the u..... ah. The ball itself would protect it, wouldn't it. But it has to be held level somehow, in a vise or some such. I am new to riveting in general and rarely do it with anything with depth that has to be accounted for...

mewkittie · #14 2014-04-21, 10:52am

I sometimes use the divot method but usually not. I don't use a vise either. I just thread everything onto the wire, and balance the ball on my steel block. I clip the wire so there is only a tiny stub, file it flat, then carefully flare the edges of the wire while balancing it on my steel block. The ball does protect the bead and it's just taps with a hammer, not that hard to avoid smashing the ball.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lunesse

Wow Susan, thanks. So you have the piece flipped over and the ball and bead protected in a divot/level somehow, then you flare the back? Oh, wait, you aren't the divot person/ How do you protect the glass bead to hammer from the u..... ah. The ball itself would protect it, wouldn't it. But it has to be held level somehow, in a vise or some such. I am new to riveting in general and rarely do it with anything with depth that has to be accounted for...

lunesse · #15 2014-04-21, 1:52pm

Thanks, everyone for this. And those pendants are terrific, Susan! So creative! I will give it a shot once my riveting hammer comes in. =)

mewkittie · #16 2014-04-21, 5:07pm

Thanks!! I sometimes use a small ball peen hammer. One of the cheapy ones that are small and light. I seem to have more control with it than my riveting hammer sometimes. Can't wait to see what you make.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lunesse

Thanks, everyone for this. And those pendants are terrific, Susan! So creative! I will give it a shot once my riveting hammer comes in. =)