Subscribe / Manage Email Preferences for a Coupon code!  
  • CurrencyUS
    • En
      0 items $0.00
      • Login Logout
      • Account
      • Re Order
      Logged in as:   
        • SHOP
        • SALES
        • WISH LIST
        • ABOUT US
        • LEARN
        • PROJECTS
        • SHOPPING CART
        • MY ACCOUNT
        • FAQ
        • CRYSTAL
        • NEW!
        • WHOLESALE
        LEARN > Riveting 101 > 

        Categories

        SHOP
        SALES
        WISH LIST
        ABOUT US
        LEARN
        Measurements, Gauges & Jewelry Terms
        Jewelry Making Materials
        About Metals: Information for Making Jewelry
        About Sterling Silver
        Nickel-Free Metals Information
        Lead in Jewelry Products
        Jewelry Safety: Lead Content Classifications
        CPSIA Federal Lead Law
        Guide to Jewelry Stringing Materials
        Finishing Methods for Bead Stringing
        Choosing Clasps & Finishing Methods: A Visual Guide
        Glossary
        Crimping 101
        Leather 101
        Metal Clay 101
        Metal Etching 101
        Metal Stamping 101
        Riveting 101
        Resin 101
        Soldering 101
        Wire Jewelry 101
        Units of Measure
        Not too sure about millimeters?
        Swarovski Birthstone Chart
        Awareness Colors
        Working with Colors
        About Polymer Clay
        Inland Northwest Jewelry Resources
        Directory of Bead Societies & Art Guilds
        Museums & More
        Best Necklace and Bracelet Lengths
        FAQ
        website security
        Rings & Things BBB Business Review
        Tools, Enamels, US-Made Chain & Cord on SALE! >>
        For tips, extra details, and related products, click item images or names.
        Coronavirus Update: We are shipping full speed, and our Spokane Showroom is... (more info)

          Riveting 101

          Learn the basics of riveting, including how to distinguish various types of rivets and how to set different rivets.

          Riveting is a classic, durable and popular way to create cold connections in jewelry designs (a "cold connection" is the joining together of metal components without using solder).

          Each type of rivet used to make jewelry requires different tools and techniques. Discover these methods below. Once you're ready to create your own custom riveted jewelry, check out our full line of rivets, eyelets, and riveting tools.

          Table of Contents

          Compression Rivets | Nail-Head Rivets

          Semi-Tubular Rivets | Wire Rivets | Eyelets

          Click to shop compression rivets.

          Compression Rivets (2-Part Rivets)


          Also known as two-part rivets, compression rivets come in sets with a top and bottom. Typically used with leather, compression rivets are thicker than most wire rivets and are easy to set with just a few supplies. To set compression rivets, follow the infograph and use the following tools:

          Infographic on how to set compression rivets.
          • 1 metal block
          • 1 leather hole punch
          • 1 rivet setter
          • 1 brass hammer
          • Leather strip, leather bracelet, or other piece of leather
          For more information, see:

          • Blog post: "Riveting with TierraCast Leather Findings"
          • Video: "Setting Compression Rivets and Snaps"
          • Blog post: "What's the Difference Between 2-Part Rivets, Semi-Tubular Rivets and Wire Rivets?"
          • PDF Tutorial: "Setting Snaps and Rivets in Leather"
          • PDF Tutorial: "Using TierraCast® Leather Findings"




          Click to shop nail-head rivets.


          Click to shop decorative nail-head rivets.

          Nail-Head Rivets


          Nail-head rivets work the same way wire rivets do, except that they have one end already finished. This decreases the amount of labor needed to set them. They can be cut to shorter lengths if necessary, then set by hammering the unfinished end.

          'Falling Leaves' Riveted Bracelet Project Decorative rivets (aka fancy wire rivets) are nail-head rivets with decorative motifs on the finished end. To avoid damaging the decorative end, use a wooden block instead of a metal block to set fancy rivets (a scrap piece of 2x4" works perfectly). Or, place a scrap of leather between the decorative head and the metal block when hammering. A bare steel block will damage the finished side of the rivet.

          For a full tutorial on how to set decorative rivets, see our blog post "How to Use Fancy Wire Rivets".

          Nail-head rivets and decorative rivets work best on metal. To use this type of rivet with leather, place washers/spacers between the leather and the rivet heads (both sides) to hold the rivets in place. Otherwise, the small heads on these rivets tend to pull right through pliable materials like leather.


          Click to shop semi-tubular rivets by Crafted Findings.

          Semi-Tubular Rivets


          Standard versus Long Reach Crafted Findings tools. Semi-tubular rivets look similar to the "cap" portion of two-part rivets, but they work differently. They're designed to be set with Crafted Findings riveting system. This innovative tool system allows you to punch holes and set rivets with the same tool base. Both rivets and eyelets are set with a screw-action mechanism, which means no loud tapping or hammering. The process is also much quicker than traditional wire riveting for metal, saving you oodles of time (several of us at Rings & Things have become Crafted Findings addicts!).

          Crafted Findings riveting tools are made in the USA of durable heat-treated steel. They come in options for 1/16" diameter or 3/32" diameter rivets and eyelets. They also come in a choice of "original" or "long reach" sizes. The long reach tools allow you to rivet thicker layers together (i.e. the "reach" is height, not depth from edge to center).

          EZ-Rivet® tools, imported by the BeadSmith®, set rivets using the same type of screw-action mechanism as Crafted Findings. EZ-Rivet tools come in sizes for 1/16" or 3/32" diameter rivets.

          As with nail-head rivets, semi-tubular rivets work best on metal. To use Crafted Findings rivets with leather, place washers/spacers between the leather and the back of the rivets, to hold the rivets in place — as in our Winged Heart Hat Band design. Option: you can include washers on both sides of the rivet for a decorative effect, like in our "Tschinkel's Circles" bracelet design.

          For more information on Crafted Findings and semi-tubular rivets, see:

          • Blog post: "Riveting Tool Comparison: Long Reach vs. Standard
          • Blog post: "Best Riveting Tool Set" (This post answers the Q: "What are the best Crafted Findings tools to easily set both rivets and eyelets?")
          • Tip sheet (PDF): Crafted Findings Riveting System ~ Choosing the Right Tools and Accessories
          • Video: Crafted Findings Riveting Tool with Instructions
          • Video playlist: More Crafted Findings videos


          Click to shop wire.

          Wire Rivets


          Wire rivets are classic, traditional rivets handmade with wire and a hammer. This "old-school" style of riveting is a wonderful skill to develop, but it's time-consuming to do properly. The rivets themselves are simply wire — made from any gauge of malleable wire, in any length you need. Here's a summary of the process with links to tools and supplies:
          'Cognitive Resonance' Riveted Pendant
          1. Drill or punch holes the correct size for your wire.
          2. Make sure the end of the wire is smooth, and filed flat.
          3. Fit wire through your layers of metal sheet, pre-cut blanks, and/or other components. Depending on the wire gauge, about 0.5 to 1mm of wire should stick out at each end.
          4. Set item on a steel bench block and keep the components centered on the wire. Use a riveting hammer to tap a few times on the top of the wire, then flip the piece over and tap a few times on the other end of the wire. This starts mushrooming the wire.
          5. Hammer gently around the edges of the wire on one end, then flip over and repeat.
          6. Keep flipping over and repeating the steps on each side until both ends are domed and smooth to the touch.
          For more information, see:
          • Technique sheet (PDF): "Riveting with Metal Tubing or Wire"
          • Blog post: "What's the Difference Between 2-Part Rivets, Semi-Tubular Rivets and Wire Rivets?"
          • Book by Susan Lenart Kazmer: Making Connections: A Handbook of Cold Joins for Jewelers and Mixed-Media Artists
          Fun new tools for making traditional wire rivets.

          Click to shop eyelets.

          Eyelets


          Eyelets are tubes with flared ends. One end of a rivet sometimes looks like an eyelet. The main difference between a rivet and an eyelet is that you can see all the way through an eyelet after you set it, but at least one end of a rivet is always solid. If the eyelet is large enough, you can also run wire, chain or a jump ring through the resulting reinforced hole — as in the "Spiris" pendant (pictured). As with rivets, eyelets come in various sizes and styles ...

          Spiris Necklace 3/16" diameter eyelets are large and generally used for leather. To set eyelets in leather, use an eyelet setter and use the same basic method used to set compression rivets (see above).

          Crafted Findings eyelets come in 1/16" and 3/32" diameters and many lengths. They are set using the same tool system used to set semi-tubular rivets (see above).

          You can also create your own eyelets using metal tubing and the traditional hammer setting method that's used to set wire rivets (see above).

          For more information, see:

          • Video: "The Difference Between Rivets and Eyelets"
          • Blog post: "What is the Difference Between 2-Part Rivets, Semi-Tubular Rivets and Wire Rivets?"




          Compare Products

           

          • Shop

          • Online Store
          • Spokane Showroom
          • View Cart
          • Check Out
          • Log In
          • Customer Service

          • About Us
          • Contact Us
          • Privacy Information
          • Shipping
          • Tax ID
          • Help

          • FAQ
          • Contact Us
          • Wish List
          • Gauge Chart
          • Community

          • Jewelry Making Blog
          • Free Jewelry Projects
          • Spokane Classes
          • Learn / Resources
          • Email Updates

          FB   Instagram   Pinterest   twitter   youtube
          Rings & Things BBB Business Review
          Contact Us | 1011 E 2nd Ave #6, Spokane, WA 99202 USA
          © 2021 Rings & Things   Site Map (XML)