Rivets

Rivets are used either for decorating purposes or to join one or more layers of material. A rivet consists of two parts – a top and bottom part. The bottom part has a “stick” – this is the part we call the body. On the upper part, which we call the head, there is a “collar”. 
 

The size of the rivet is stated in millimetres and should be read as follows. Example: “Size 7 x 9”. “7” indicates the length of the stick/body and “9” indicates the diameter of the rivet head.

 
When picking rivets, it is important that you choose the right sizes. The length of the body is what determines, which size the head needs to be. It must be 2-3 mm longer than the thickness of the material it needs to penetrate. This means that once you have inserted the bottom part, the body must stick 2-3 mm out of the fabric or material.

This is why it is important to choose a rivet that matches the thickness of your material.

Installing rivets
Before installing a rivet, you must make a hole either with a rotary punch or a regular punch. The hole must be large enough for the bottom part of the rivet (the part with the stick) to easily pass through the fabric or material. There must be a bit of space around the stick so that there is room for the collar of the upper part to be pressed down onto the bottom part.

When installing rivets, the best option is to use a slewing machine with complementary tools for the rivet, you have chosen. With the slewing machine, you can apply a hard and straight vertical pressure on the rivet. If you don’t have access to a slewing machine, you could also use a manual rivet setter. For the different sizes of rivets, you can buy matching hand stamps – a small round metal stick. If you need to drive in double-cap rivets, you will also need a small metal anvil.

Once you have selected the size rivet you need, there will be a link to the corresponding tool on the product page.

When driving in rivets using a hand stamp, you will be needing a hammer. It is important to use a hard and stable surface such as e.g., a garden tile or some other strong material that does not bend. If you are working at a table, make sure you position yourself so that you drive the rivet in just above the table leg so that the tabletop does not give. If you drive in the rivet on a table that is not completely stable, it is impossible to get the rivet straight.