Tom’s Big, Fancy Riveting Workshop!
We will explore various types of rivets in this demo-focused virtual workshop: standard, tube, and flush, along with hybridized versions and spacers, that will allow you to create beautiful and functional rivets while avoiding common mistakes. We will examine rivets for different types of applications, including decorative, constructive, and hinge-making purposes, using setting and hammering techniques you have not likely seen before, and without the use of a riveting hammer.
Meet the instructor

Tom Muir is Distinguished Research Professor at Bowling Green State University, where he is head of the Jewelry and Metalsmithing area in the School of Art. He received his MFA from Indiana University, Bloomington, and his BFA degree from Georgia State University in Atlanta. Mr. Muir has lectured and taught widely, holding positions at universities and craft schools around the country. He is Past-president of the Michigan Silversmiths Guild, was appointed distinguished member of the Society of North American Goldsmiths, and currently serves on the executive committee of the International Jewellery College Association as the representative of the Americas. Mr. Muir was the recipient of the 1995 Olscamp Research Award at BGSU and his award-winning work has been published extensively and included in more than 500 national and international art, design and craft exhibitions; these include The White House Collection of American Crafts and The Beijing International Craft Biennial.
Collections include the Art Institute of Chicago, Renwick Gallery of the National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution and The White House Collection of American Crafts, National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. He is the recipient of an Arts Midwest/National Endowment for the Arts Regional Artist Fellowship, Michigan Council for the Arts Fellowship, and numerous Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship Awards. In 2009, Tom received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Ohio Designer Craftsmen for having made a major contribution to craft in Ohio.
Click here to view Tom's work.
Materials & Tools
The following supplies will be used for course demonstrations and objectives. A suggested item and/or vendor has been provided below for reference. Click the vendor name to be redirected to a page where you can view the item. The quantities needed for each item are listed first. If ordering, please be aware that some items may come in larger quantities than needed for this class. We recommend not opening an item's packaging until the day of the workshop. Student participation during or in-between class sessions is not required - observers are welcome.
Metal/raw materials:
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6" x 14g nickel, nugold, bronze, or brass round (Jewelry Supply)
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4"x4" x 18g nickel, nugold, bronze, or brass sheet (Jewelry Supply)
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6" min. x brass tubing, 1/8” OD, .014 wall thickness - SKU: 8151 (KS)
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4" x copper tubing, round 3/32” OD: SKU: 8118 (KS)
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6" x copper rod, round 3/32”: SKU: 5063 (KS)
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3 x #52 high speed drill bit - 14g (Rio Grande)
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3 x #41 high speed drill bit - 3/32" (Esslinger)
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3 x #30 high speed drill bit - 1/8" (Esslinger)
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1 x setting bur - 3.5mm to 5mm (Rio Grande)
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1 x miter jig - optional (Rio Grande)
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1 x drill press of flex shaft - must fit up to 1/8" drill bit
Hand tools:
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1 x chain nose pliers (Rio Grande)
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1 x flat nose pliers (Rio Grande)
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1 x jewelers saw (Rio Grande)
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1 x pack saw blades - 2/0 (Rio Grande)
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1 x bench pin (Rio Grande)
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1 x half round hand file - #2 cut (Rio Grande)
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1 x rotary tool - flex shaft, micro motor, etc. (Rio Grande)
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1 x set of needle files - #2 cut (Rio Grande)
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1 x scribe (Rio Grande)
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1 x chasing hammer (Rio Grande)
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1 x steel block / steel surface (Rio Grande)
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1 x sheet of sand paper - 220 to 600 grits (Rio Grande)
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1 x planishing hammer (Rio Grande)
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1 x transfer punch set (Harbor Freight)
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1 x cutting broach set - part # 115.415 (Otto)
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1 x digital calipers - 6" to 12" (Rio Grande)
Torch setup:
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1 x fireproof area - steel sheet, tiles, etc. (Amazon or Home Depot)
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1 x Solderite™ pad / pan with pumice (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)
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1 x torch - Smith mini, Silversmith, or butane (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)
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1 x striker or lighter - Silversmith system has one (Rio Grande)
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1 x soldering tweezers (Rio Grande)
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1 x soldering pick (Rio Grande)
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1 x pickle - sodium bisulfate or citric acid (Rio Grande or Amazon)
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1 x crock pot or lidded glass container (Rio Grande or Amazon)
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1 x tempered glass container or sink - for quenching and rinsing
Other/miscellaneous materials:
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hard work surface
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fan and open window or ventilation system
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safety glasses
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pencil, Sharpie, notebook
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super glue
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masking tape - 1/2" to 1" wide
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4" steel rod - 5/32" to 1/4" diameter - optional