Dummy rivet heads

[Gerry]

Any ideas for a cheap source or a cheap way of making dummy rivet heads?

I need a lot abot 1½"" diameter.

Cheers

Gerry

[jamessmith2k]

How about ping pong balls or golf balls chopped in half and glued on and spray painted

 

Golf balls give a dimpled 'hammered' look

 

Thanks

 

James

[Neil Hampson]

Flints do them, but at 15-23p a go (depending on qty) I wouldn't put them in the 'cheap' category. But it would be much easier than chopping up golf balls.

 

Catalogue page

[Stagemaster]

Any ideas for a cheap source or a cheap way of making dummy rivet heads?

I need a lot abot 1½"" diameter.

Cheers

Gerry

 

I had a similar requirement a while ago. If you have one of the larger hobby stores (like Hobbycraft, that sort of thing) in the area you can buy polystyrene balls fairly cheaply and cut them in half. They can be glued on using normal PVA adhesive and will take emulsion paint once the glue is dry. They give a very convincing impression of solid rivets when finished.

[the kid]

Any ideas for a cheap source or a cheap way of making dummy rivet heads?

I need a lot abot 1½"" diameter.

Cheers

Gerry

 

I had a similar requirement a while ago. If you have one of the larger hobby stores (like Hobbycraft, that sort of thing) in the area you can buy polystyrene balls fairly cheaply and cut them in half. They can be glued on using normal PVA adhesive and will take emulsion paint once the glue is dry. They give a very convincing impression of solid rivets when finished.

 

What's just as good is the recycled paper balls, for the environment concious.

 

I have done the same thing with broom handles,(we had a load for fighting sticks)

 

But you want 1-2 inches and a large number, could be quite a bit of sanding going on.

[Ynot]

How about ping pong balls or golf balls chopped in half and glued on and spray painted

Hmmm... ©

I suspect cutting ping pong balls easily and accurately (so as to sit neatly on a flat surface) would be trick and time consuming... Unless you have a tried & tested method.

 

And how would you cut a golf ball...?

[paulears]

I can tell you what NOT to try. Running it through a bench saw with the guide up, one half in each hand is VERY bad news when the blade snags on the rubber and rips it out of your hands and hurtles it across the room!

 

If you want a lot, then how about a square timber tube, just larger than a ping pong ball with either a heated wire or stanley type blade half way down. Shove ping pong balls in one end, sliced ones come out the other?

[J Pearce]

And how would you cut a golf ball...?

 

LASER :D

[MarkPAman]

[And how would you cut a golf ball...?

 

I've done it with a lawn mower......results are not predictable though. :D

[jamessmith2k]

Ping Pong Balls - in a wooden Jig and cut with a SHARP 'Stanley Knife'

Golf Balls - In a wooden jig and cut on a band saw with a fine tooth metal type blade

 

Been there and done both when ive needed to !!

[The Gaffa]

Another way, but its very noisy, use a Ball pein hammer on thin steel sheet, once done either glue or screw to the surface.

[ImagineerTom]

do they HAVE to be 3D? any half decent scenic painter could "paint" fake 3D rivit heads that look perfect on stage but would only take seconds to do.

 

Once covered a whole set (made out of "hydrochromotised steel" <_<) with hundreds of painted fake rivits in a morning

[Al Cain]

you could just got the flints route and buy them as wooden 'rivets' this would bee the quickest and safest option in my opinion.....

 

HTH

 

Alex

[Gerry]

Thanks for all the replies.

The wooden Flints ones look good but postage to Spain will significantly increase the cost.

Cutting golf balls or tennis tennis balls looks like hard work.

Painting a possibility.

Hammering thin metal, too time consuning for the number I need.

Cutting poystyrene balls in half with a hot wire cutter looks favaourite.

Easy to make a cutting jig, thee balls are cheep on Ebay and postage to Spain is reasonable as they weigh very little.

Cheers

Gerry

[Robin Pratt]

Just watch out for the fumes if cutting poly with a hot wire!

 

Incidently (this is perhaps a little naughty) the 25A earth bond test on an older style manual portable appliance tester, with a bit of about 26swg tinnned copper wire makes a good small scale hot wire cutter! (usual warnings about safety, knowing what you are doing etc.)