Brass rivet installation?

[Doug Mason]

I made a shaker basket and per the plans I need to attach the respective handle with brass rivets; so I ordered some from Lee Valley a couple weeks ago. So I was looking at these rivets today--they are cutlery rivests--with separate male and female pieces; but I can't get the male part into the female end without smashing it in with a hammer.

So someone enlighten me. How are these rivets suppose to work? Thx

[Tom Veatch]

...So I was looking at these rivets today--they are cutlery rivests--with separate male and female pieces; but I can't get the male part into the female end without smashing it in with a hammer....

I think that's the way they're supposed to work. Either drive or press the two halves together. I've used them for attaching handles to kitchen implements, knives, scoops, etc. Can you use a clamp - something like a C-clamp that can generate a large force - to press the two parts together. Otherwise, some fairly heavy chunk of metal to use as an anvil to back up one side while you hammer the other.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
Put the female part in boiling water and the male part in the freezer.
10 min for the girl & overnight for the boy.
A couple of light raps with a brass hammer on the boy with the girl part backed by something soild will do the trick.