cutting solid rivets to correct length to form button heads

[thehomeengineer]

Hi All

I have quite a few solid rivets to shorten for dummy rivets on the horn plates of my 1" scale Minnie traction engine. So the criteria for the tool was to be able to cut several rivets at a time and maintain consistent length accuracy.


Horn plate and rivet cutting tool.

The tool is basically a guillotine that is loaded with rivets and the length is set by shims under the head of the rivet.


Shims, 3 different thickness. I have access to a CNC mill and made the shims using this method.


Machining main body and sliding cutter


Heat treated sliding cutter


Completed unassembled cutter.


Additional cutters and the thickness of each


Assembled cutter and spring return in left photo


Shim in place


Arbour press used to apply pressure to cut


Test cut


Right rivet head the rivet was to long so the head didn't form correctly the left rivet was the trimmed rivet. The 2nd photo shows the preformed head side.


Storage box for rivet tooling

Arrand tools did make a rivet cutter but I couldn't find any information other than a friend has one and you can only cut one rivet at a time and washers need to be made to set length. If anyone has one I would be interested in seeing some photos of the design.

Thank you for taking the time to view
The Home Engineer