Vintage work crew photos

[Jon]

Riggers riveting the red-hot rivets on the lower outside south chord, Sydney Harbour Bridge, 1930-1931 / Sam Hood.

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...s_fullsize.jpg

[volodar]

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...s_fullsize.jpg

Riggers riveting the red-hot rivets on the lower outside south chord, Sydney Harbour Bridge, 1930-1931 / Sam Hood.

How are these rivets kept ´red hot´ for this operation?

[Frank S]

Riggers riveting the red-hot rivets on the lower outside south chord, Sydney Harbour Bridge, 1930-1931 / Sam Hood.

How are these rivets kept ´red hot´ for this operation?

Actually the rivets were heated on site as needed, in the early days they would have used small 17" diameter coal forges in more modern times they would have started using cylindrically shaped propane forges much like several knife makers use . Even more modern way of heating rivets on site is by induction coils. Induction coils can heat as rivet in seconds simply by passing the rivet through the high energy field.

[hemmjo]

Riggers riveting the red-hot rivets on the lower outside south chord, Sydney Harbour Bridge, 1930-1931 / Sam Hood.

How are these rivets kept ´red hot´ for this operation?

There is a furnace on the ground. A guy take one out of the furnace, tosses it up to a guy who catches it, then hands it off to a guy that puts in into the hole, then a guy hits it with a big hammer, while another guy hold a block behind the head. Seriously...

click the link to watch on YouTube

[daniel82]

Riggers riveting the red-hot rivets on the lower outside south chord, Sydney Harbour Bridge, 1930-1931 / Sam Hood.

How are these rivets kept ´red hot´ for this operation?

See the well-dressed rivet-tosser in the right side of the pic holding a pair of tongs.