Re: Hinge Rivets

"Bob La Londe"  wrote in message news:v4q2pi$skkt$1@dont-email.me...
After Jim's suggestions to make my own tool box I started looking at low
volume (as in physical space) methods of creating all the pivot points.
The actual hinges of the box lids may need to be actual hinges.  I'm not
sure I have the ability with the tools I currently own to make slip
rolled hinges from the sheet metal.  They would need to be rolled quite
small.  I do have a spot welder so it might be a good place to look into
learning to use it.
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I'd like to own a separate shear and finger brake but I lack the space, so when I ran a well equipped company model shop I experimented to see how little I could get away with at home. It came down to a 30" shear/brake/roll and hand tools like "seamer" pliers, a clone of the Roper #5 punch and layout tools. Punching is much neater than drilling sheetmetal, and the punch has a point to help align it in a layout dimple. Intersecting corners in a box should end in a small punched hole. A corner notcher is nice to have when folding trays and boxes, I bought one at auction, but it's not essential.
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I've formed a hinge barrel around a rod in the bottom of a U bend by squeezing/hammering the folded flap shut, tightly up against the rod. This is easier and stronger than trying to roll up only the edge and leaves space for the spotwelds. I think the grooves in the 3-in-1's slip rollers could do it more neatly than I did with blocks of scrap, if I had planned the sequence of operations better. It helps to try your intended bends etc on scrap to be sure of machine clearances and limits. For instance I can't form a flange less than 1/2" wide with the press brake because a narrower one will slide down into the lower die. If I bend a narrower flange over an edge with a soft hammer the metal must be moved a little at a time from end to end or else it will stretch and warp the flange. Hammering on a piece of wood held against the flange works better than pounding directly on it, and sharpens the corner.
For the tray link pivots I might make the links thick enough to tap for short or cut-off machine screws, use hobby store brass tube as the pivot bushing and lightly peen or Loctite the end of the threads into the link. The OD of #5 screws is 1/8",  #6 is 9/64" and #10 is 3/16". #8 may be slightly over 5/32", a tap will fit it. The heel of my small anvil is handy for riveting 3D shapes.
Sheet metal can be sheared with a cold chisel along the top edges of hardened vise jaws, preferably reversed to put their smooth back sides against the work. This is useful for cutouts. It can be milled by screwing it to plywood around the edges and through any/all existing holes.
Good luck!