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Please note: Woodworking is an inherently dangerous activity. The non-woodworking techniques described here aren't all that safe, either. Sharp tools, powerful motors, big lumps of wood, chemicals, fumes, etc. can cause you serious bodily injury or even death. These pages are NOT meant as a substitute for instruction by a qualified teacher, just as an illustration of how I do certain things. I take no responsibility for any mishaps you may experience during a fit of inspiration. You've been warned.
Photo 4
These are the tools I use for making and installing the rivets. I buy spools of copper, brass and nickel wire from a jewellery supplier. Using wire cutters, I clip the wire into pieces about 3/16" long ahead of time and store them in a little plastic tub with a tight-fitting lid. To insert the wire in the drilled holes, I use a pair of needle-nose pliers to grip the pieces of wire and a regular hammer to tap the wire into the hole. When the wire is seated in the hole, I use a small file to smooth it flush with the surface of the rocket.
Photo 5
I've inserted the wires but I haven't filed them back yet. You can just see the rough ends sticking out of the holes. The wire should be long enough to fill the hole completely when it's tapped in all the way, and stick out enough for the rough-cut end of the wire to be filed away. If the wire is too short, the filed bit won't fill the hole completely and it looks like a line rather than a nice circular rivet.
Photo 6
This is what the rivets should look like after filing them flush. The wire fills the hole completely, and doesn't stick up from the surface.
Once the wire rivets have been filed back, sand the rocket through all the grades. You're ready to add the nose spike, engine, fins, finish, etc.
Page last updated 7 July 2009