British Rivet Manufacturers?

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Kelly Anderson
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British Rivet Manufacturers?

Post by Kelly Anderson » Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:05 pm

At the 10:00 minute mark in this video, Fred Dibnah visited the Boulton Rivet Manufacturing Co. I am unable to find this company on line. Where do British boilermakers get their steel rivets in 2019?
Last edited by Kelly Anderson on Fri Apr 12, 2019 1:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: British Rivet Manufacturers?

Post by Lopez Mike » Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:34 pm

Not to be too nosy but what do you need rivets for? As is says at that point in the video, "Electric welding put most of the rivet makers out of business."

And for good reason. There is a good deal more to making a decent boiler joint with rivets than just setting them properly. I strongly suggest NOT making an antique boiler.

Other than pressure vessel work, they are a most useful solution to many design problems. I can't help you with finding them in you area but they are available from many suppliers here in the states. And we yanks are generally miles behind the U.K. in such useful things.

Typing "Rivets in England" in my browser just now got me a whole lot of hits.

Good luck!
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Re: British Rivet Manufacturers?

Post by Kelly Anderson » Fri Apr 12, 2019 1:47 am

They are for use in repairing riveted boilers, and no commercially available US made rivets are suitable for boiler work.

British boilermakers are doing enough riveted work that I would like to think that there is someone is mass producing boiler rivets. If I can find them and cross reference the alloy it may be simpler than my employer having to tool up to efficiently make rivets.
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Re: British Rivet Manufacturers?

Post by barts » Fri Apr 12, 2019 3:36 am

"England boiler rivets"

yields as first hit:

http://www.sapphireproducts.co.uk/boiler.htm

which seems appropriate.

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Re: British Rivet Manufacturers?

Post by Lopez Mike » Tue Apr 16, 2019 4:32 am

I'm really curious about what makes a rivet suitable for boiler work. Every steel rivet I've seen or used was made of low carbon steel. Needed to be in order to be expanded (set?) and a head formed.

Inform me please. Massive ignorance here!
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Re: British Rivet Manufacturers?

Post by marinesteam » Tue Apr 16, 2019 5:56 pm

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Re: British Rivet Manufacturers?

Post by steamdon-jr » Tue Apr 16, 2019 11:19 pm

I think Kelly would be the one to know about rivets being inferior in the USA, He is the VP of motive power at Strasburg Railroad, one of the leading tourist steam operations in America. I would wonder if Strasburg makes their own at all ? I know they manufacture injectors, safety valves and staybolts along with other things.
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Re: British Rivet Manufacturers?

Post by TahoeSteam » Wed Apr 17, 2019 12:21 am

steamdon-jr wrote:
Tue Apr 16, 2019 11:19 pm
I think Kelly would be the one to know about rivets being inferior in the USA, He is the VP of motive power at Strasburg Railroad, one of the leading tourist steam operations in America. I would wonder if Strasburg makes their own at all ? I know they manufacture injectors, safety valves and staybolts along with other things.
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Re: British Rivet Manufacturers?

Post by fredrosse » Wed Apr 17, 2019 3:38 am

marinesteam, thanks so much for the link to the rivet article. Captivating reading for me, as I was born too late for the era of riveted steam boilers. "pop" rivets are about the only real experience I have in this realm, and the skill level required for boiler riveting is orders of magnitude more technical.
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Re: British Rivet Manufacturers?

Post by barts » Wed Apr 17, 2019 4:48 am

Our Airstream trailer is held together w/ aluminum rivets - the sort with the rounded heads that need access from both sides. Learning to drive those was fun. I remember going over age-hardening rivets for aircraft in mechanical design courses at the university - you keep the rivets in a refrigerator so they stay soft until you set them, and then they get harder (and stronger) hours after they're set.

Note the requirements for ductility in the specs - very interesting.

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