As I was working on the new stairs for Central Vermont Ry 4052 caboose, I started wondering why hasn't anyone mentioned this method as a restoration alternative for riveting. Our original stairs have turned to iron lace so as part of her restoration we are building new ones.
The original risers and treads were mounted to angle irons that was riveted to the side panels. As we don't have a working rivet gun (other then POP Rivets...) but wanted to keep the mechanical strength and look came up with this method that as of yet has not been mentioned here (that I remember). All the others involved welding the assembly and gluing rivet heads to the surface, or bolting the assembly with button head bolts and filling the hex socket with Bondo.
Basically the side panels are prepped the same as if they were going to be riveted, regular rivets are installed and everything is clamped so that everything is as compressed as possible and the tail of the rivet is melted/welded over with a TIG welder, leaving a round rivet like head on the hidden side of the assembly.
As you can see the tail is welded to the hidden side, and as it cools the rivet draws the pieces even tighter. If both sides were going to be visible, one could go back and shape the weld with a rivet gun or rivet hammer.
Regards,
Rich Cizik
Ct Eastern RR Museum
Willimantic, Ct 06226
http://www.cteastrrmuseum.org
For more info on this project: http://www.cteastrrmuseum.org/Caboose4052.htm
On the second page of the latest newsletter you can see how she is coming: http://www.cteastrrmuseum.org/GTJ-SEPT2014.pdf The body of the caboose is nearly done, exterior is primed, frame is repaired, interior is about 3/4 done and roof exterior still needs to be done. If we can get enough funds it will be a EPDM rubber membrane.
