One of the interesting features of Campaign Furniture is that some of it is assembled with rivets. Well, that’s what the antique dealers call the fastener.
While the brass or copper fasteners might look like the rivets found in wooden boat construction, it’s unlikely (a nice way of saying “flipping impossible”) that these pieces are riveted.
Why? Because a traditional rivet (or nail and rove) is a joint that requires access to both ends of the fastener. It works much like a clinched nail. (Here’s a description with a drawing.) With these campaign pieces, the “rivets” are put into a blind hole.
My suspicion is that these “rivets” are likely brass screws that have had their heads filed off after they were driven in. However I am keeping an open mind to other ideas that are as simple or even simpler.
This morning I installed the lockset on this folding bookcase and decided to mess around with the riveted look. I had to use longer and bigger screws to do this, so I reamed out the countersinks in the lock. Then I bored the pilot holes all the way through the case and installed the screws.
I used some old brass screws from my grandfather’s stash. Well, I thought they were brass. They actually were brass-plated steel. I found this out when I sawed off the tips of the screws and saw shiny steel instead of shiny brass. Oh well, a coat of stain should take care of that detail.
I think it looks OK. I might try building a small chest using screws and then filing off the heads.
— Christopher Schwarz
Might be an expansion sleeve rivet where the expanding insert is hidden under the head. Lots of the older hardware types are no longer made in exactly the same way.
For another description of techniques like these, but on a larger scale, try to track down a copy of ‘From Tree to Sea, The Building of a Wooden Steam Drifter’ by Ted Frost. It’s a full description of wooden shipbuilding by mainly hand methods in Lowestoft, England, about 1916. Lots of hand techniques, social history and some superb drawings.
I wonder if a brass split rivet driven into a blind hole would spread open and piece into the end grain sides of the hole?
I have read that campaign furniture was often sanded externally on all surfaces to clean up the brass fittings, which were not well cast and finished. This often resulted in the brass screw heads reducing to the extent of what appeared to be rivet heads.
David,
Where did you read that? That’s new to me.
Chris
The comments were made by this bloke- http://pegsandtails.wordpress.com/
Who was an antique dealer in Ireland / UK Australia, has a wealth of knowledge, and makes very nice reproduction 17th / 18th century furniture. The particular comments were on a woodworking forum some time ago, but unfortunately I can no longer locate the post, which from memory also included photographs of period pieces.
David- thanks for sharing the blog below. I am really enjoying it.
And- there is no way that those “rivets” aren’t just the heads sanded down a bit, otherwise, it would have been a huge screw (if the heads were totally removed).
I would like to get something straight (a bit off topic by the way).
Why are you using Katies bench?
By the way, the campaign stuff looks awesome. You have to teach a class in Metten on this. Then it will also be easier for people to ship around the globe afterwards.
Brgds
Jonas
Hey Jonas,
I use Katy’s bench for photography, mostly. She’s OK with that. I do most of my work on my Roubo from 2005 and shift it over to her bench where it is easier to light and photograph.
Glad you like the campaign stuff. More to come. Lots more.
What is that white thing you’re using to remove the screw heads? A hacksaw blade?
Yup. Just a hacksaw bade removed from its frame.
How do you like the A&E Squire lock? How does it compare to other lock hardware you’ve used or checked out?
I’m still looking for my favorite lock. I’ve had a couple of the links bend on the A&E chest locks. I wish the links were steel instead of brass.
Hi Chris, I was taught by my Father that brass fittings should be sanded down after installation and I have seen campaign furniture where the brass fitting and the screws were sanded down so that they were flat with the surface of the wood. Evidence of scratch marks left by the sand paper was also visible and the slots in the screw was clearly reduced in depth. Hence you may well be right about the “rivets”. Regards, Bernard Naish
Nice finishing technique. I run a agnet over all my “found” brass hardware I obtain from garage sales.
That’s (m) agnet.