The Armour Archive

Now that I have a work area set up and most all the tools I need I am ready to start my spangenhelm. One more question to ask though.
I want to use bronze or brass rivits and the metal I am using is 14 gauge. What diameter and length rivit should I use? Where is the best place to order from.
Any advice or tips you can give me on setting rivits will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Lazarith

I think RJ Leahy is the link that usually gets posted for oredring rivets.

http://www.rjleahy.com/

What size I suppose depends on what you are using them for.

Welcome to the Archive, Lazarith!

There two very useful areas that will answer most beginning questions.

The Essays area:
http://www.armourarchive.org/essays/

And the Newbie Questions Answered thread stickied to the top of the Armour Construction forum:
http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=47873



Here are some articles on riveting:
http://www.armourarchive.org/essays/howto_riveting/

http://www.forth-armoury.com/research/p ... _rivet.htm

This manual teaches many useful techniques and has recommendations for rivet sizes and types for different applications:
http://www.brighthelm.org/armour/

I have gotten my rivets from RJ Leahy, from local ACE hardware(not recommended, too expensive), from aircraft surplus, and I have used roofing nails.

I used to go just about everywhere for rivets till someone pointed out
http://www.mcmaster.com/
Very happy with them..

I get all of my rivets from RJ Leahy as well.

Since they are relatively inexpensive, I simply bought a selection of 1/8" and 3/16" diameter rivets in varying head types, materials, and sizes and filled one of the multi-drawer parts organizers you can buy at Wal-Mart or Home Depot. For under around $50-70 or maybe less you can get pretty much everything you might need.

If you are looking for rivets that you can use for a little of everything, start out with 3/16" diameter flat head rivets in varying lengths. For most metal to metal connections the 1/4" long rivets are what you want. For articulations and leather connections, you'll want something a little longer such as a 3/8" or a 1/2" long rivet.

Now, if we could just get them to make a 3/16" washer instead of these stupid #10 and #12 washers, we'd be set.

Ingelri

So I think I'll just order the round head 3/16" x 3/8" brass rivits to attach the helm parts together. Then I'll get a couple different lengths of 1/8" brass rivits to attach the nasal, occulars and plates.

Thanks for the help.
Lazarith

Lazarith,

I don't want to make any assumptions but are you making this helm to be used in any group for combat?

If your helmet is getting hit, use a great many brass rivets like two to three times as many as you would steel ones. Some SCA Kingdoms flatly prohibit any rivet but steel in the helm(et)'s essential structure, which is a consideration since you're building for SCA -- but I think some other SCA Kingdoms give this one an "or-equivalent" interpretation, within the tighter strictures of the Armour Standards for helmets.

Heck, a mix of metals would get you both the style you want and the strength a Kingdom demands. Say, 3/16" shank steel ones for the strength and 1/8" brass domeheads added in patterns between them. Just a thought. Calls for lots of drilling or punching.

While I'm posting, a couple of rivet sources that might save you money on shipping, I don't know -- but RJ Leahy is located in San Francisco, and these outfits are nearer to Tennessee:

Bee Industries Inc., Box 347, Watertown WI 53094. 1-800-558-0142

ABCD Industries, 1320 Light Street, Baltimore MD 21230. (410) 727-4111

Ingelri wrote:
Now, if we could just get them to make a 3/16" washer instead of these stupid #10 and #12 washers, we'd be set.

Ingelri

oh yeah. Annoying, isn't it ?

I am 3/4 the way through a coppergate and I have used my 3/16 X 3/8th round headed rivets the most. at some points I am riveting 3 peices of 14g and its long enough to go through.