We finish up the repair on the Tonka Fire rescue truck. We fabricate some forged steel hollow rivets and futz about trying to get them set properly in a plas…
We finish up the repair on the Tonka Fire rescue truck. We fabricate some forged steel hollow rivets and futz about trying to get them set properly in a plas…
You must be logged in to post a comment.
){kind=link}
Santa’s workshop at it’s finest. So that’s how they make vise handles!! I
was laughing after you slid it through the block again. Nice job Tom. If
you build it, they will watch.
Adam
Hey Tom, Do you really need to ask about the ladder? YES. After watching I
thought that alum was the better choice ,but I was thinking that maybe if
you used a small arbor press and some sort of ball end you could control it
better and possible not split. Just a thought i.e. flaring tool.Now that
little scissor jack is quite a sweet little holder. It is funny how we all
over engineer the small stuff. Have a Happy Thanksgiving,and thanks for the
videos. Dave Aarons
Happy to see Santa’s workshop hard at work restoring vintage toys!
Hi Tom,
No fire truck is complete without a hand ladder, plus you would not be able
to sleep well knowing the Tonka is missing its ladder!
I am not sure of the material but the best rivets I have used are the ones
from AK Builder they are used to assemble AK front and rear trunnions to
the receiver.
Thanks,
Ray
Neat toy. Now, you mentioned how one should never hit hardened steel face
to face, and how you were using a copper hammer. Then when you switched to
the pin hammer, you used the ball peen against the face. Too bad you don’t
own any proper and suitable hammers.
Make the ladder out of billet stainless.
Hi Tom for what it’s worth, I was talking to the screen and telling you to
cut the first head off before peening over the second one, something about
a ship in a bottle….
Of course we want to see you make a ladder. Your grandson will be very
happy with the finished product.
Mike
Hey Oxen,
We finish up the Tonka Truck.
Enjoy,
Tom
Hey, that was fun even from out here! (that ol’ familiar feeling when you
“backed yerself” into a corner with the 2-headed rivet – lol).
Next YouTube suggestions were – of course, Tonka fire trucks – so I watched
one. NEW one looks to be allllll plastic, that sucka’s gonna be floating
around in the Pacific one day. HOWEVER, the audio/visual effects (sirens &
lights) were pretty cool!!
I’ll bet Junior would REALLY be proud if Grandpappy stripped out those
electronics and incorporated into his “new” truck (you know, the one with
the titanium ladder!!).
Thanks!! Jim@MidOhio
Hi Tom
yes, of course the guy (or girl) should have a ladder to the fire engine.
hmm …. just an observation, toys, workshop, this time of year, white
beard !?
where did you say you lived?
ATB Hans O
When i have to replace a section (triangular shape with two rivets that
attach it to the knife back) on the combine knife in-situ I use a device
that looks like a G clamp which has a cup for the rivet head and another
cup on the long thread which is fixed so when you turn the handle it
squashes the rivet tail and rounds it off at the same time into a good
smooth head.
On the work bench on a heavy hammer vice I use a special punch with a
hollowed-out domed head and hit it firmly with a hammer once initially
squashed with the hammer. Both tools work well and produce a good finish
and tight fixing.
And yes I think the Tonka deserves a good quality ladder!
Sometimes you just have to settle the repair as being “functional”,
although from what I could see they looked fine. Like with many/most/all
artists, they spend more time pointing out the flaws of their work when
most non-artists would have never noticed it to begin with.
I had to use some eyelet rivets a while back, talk about spitting easily
… If you use the correctly shaped rivet tool it makes a big difference by
starting the flare and then rounding it over. I made my own since the one
I bought didn’t seem to work as well as I had hoped. Putting a high polish
on it also helped by minimizing resistance.
Get started on that little ladder …
Hello Tom
LOL…I was going to make rivets for the TC repair, but after watching your
build/repair I am glad I cheated as they would have just been in the trash
anyway!!
…FYI, I used fasteners also because you had not yet showed how to make
rivets, I had an idea of how to, but really enjoyed your instruction!
Yes, make the ladder…hell make anything as I am going to watch!
ATB
Chuck
+1 on ladder
Problem now is that my son (10) watched this over my shoulder and wonders
why I am not fixing up his Tonkas! I see him providing me a winter project
or 2 now that the sandbox Tonkas are no longer in use
i would definetly make a ladder for it Tom, if you dont, it will be bother
you that you never completed it LOL
The truck definitely needs the SS ladder, if nothing else to remind your
grandson a few years in the future that not everything was made from the
molded plastic knockoffs that his buddies will have. Have to admit,
cracked up when you made the vice handle, can just see myself doing that :)
Making your own rivets, one to add to the bag of tricks. Thanks for showing!
You should’ve used a roll pin punch to peel the rivet, the nip of the punch
that usually fits inside the roll pin would fit inside the tube to keep it
centered.
I’d like to see a ladder built for sure!
Make a ladder for it !!! Also can I order a box of those double headed
nails ?
Been easier to have peened them with a transfer punch :)
Hey Tom,
Thanks for the “riveting” video! Yes, please make a ladder. The sadistic
part of me likes to see others sweat it out with Mr. Bozo in town! Thanks
again. Have a super Thanksgiving!
Have a good one!
Oxen Dave
Tom;
2 hours of highly skilled machinist time = $200
Materials = $2
Shop full of equipment = $500,000
Hammer collection = $5,000
Look on grandchild’s face when he gets the toy = Priceless!
BTW, do you have to console the other hammers when you don’t use them?
Regards;
Ron
“Futzing About”…….LOL yeah that’s it!!! Nice job on fixing up the
truck…..I love slightly older steel toy trucks…..have quite a
collection from the 50’s and early 60’s. May get around to fixing some of
them up someday…….thanks for sharing it!! Regards, Sean.
Wouldn’t flaring the rivet work better in a press? I mean, it’s done with a
press in the factory.
Hi Tom: I think the reason your rivets split is because your hammers are
too hard. But I’m not a professional metallurgist.
Build it. They will come. Scratch come, go with They will watch Mr. Tonka
Truck repairman build the Stairway to Heaven.
I really don’t know if ‘they’ will watch, but as a card carrying grand-pa,
I’m sure as He-double hockey sticks, going to watch the build.
Maybe you should have started with a pop rivet or a nail. Thanks for
sharing.
You probably need more tools and a decent workshop to do this kind of work.
(lol) Finally you made me think of me, missing a third and fourth hand. Fun
to watch video. Would like to see you make the ladder. thanks.
yup, time to make a little ladder to make it whole!!
Hmmmm….I would have thought Tom would be giving his grand kids hammers
for Christmas?
Hey Tom…
Gold might peen well without splitting.
Did you think of trying that?
After all, it is for your Grandson.
He can have the Bllingiest Fire Truck in town.
Anon
lmao Mr. Bozo is an excellent teacher, just ask somebody from the school of
‘Hard Knocks’ where EVERYBODY has gone! Another Oxism in that “futzn” can
be good or bad! lol Cheers.
Tom,
I would make an aluminum ladder using the anvil out of some pop rivets for
the rungs.
Joe
i guess you didn’t hear me screaming “get a punch” – but i didn’t know you
have that needle nose hammer
4 hammers for one little riveting job.No wonder you have so many!
Great video Tom, I got a good chuckle out of your double headed rivet
problem. I’d love to see you finish the job and build that ladder.
Yes, make a ladder. Number 2, buy him another Tonka and keep that one at
least until he’s a bit older than toddler. It looks like it has pinchie
parts,
Yah do the ladder for the side, I vote YES Tom YES, hope you took those
naff rivets out, the little fellow could cut himself. Rob
Tom, you were killing me with this one.
Make crosshairs on your rivet header with a chisel to heep the head
centered. Better yet, counterbore!
A tiny block the thickness of the inset’s depth would let you lay the
assembly on the table!
“How many hammers can Tom use and still hit steel hammer faces together?”
I’m pretty sure it is safe when they are under an ounce!
Hollow rivets split when flattened. Thats why they are rolled when set, to
avoid making the O.D. too big.
What’s with the two angles fixed together on the bench?
What ho young Tom, in answer to your question, yes we all enjoyed your
fumbling as it makes us on par with you.
Re ladder, oh yes, 1/8 and 1/16 stainless welding wire would be a good show
of TIG welding skills.
Would drilling a smaller diameter starting hole in the rivet reduce the
splitting? Is that sort of thing in the Machinery’s Handbook?
Ladder ? Yes. Rivet 12L14 ?
I’d like to add to Ron’s shop budget:
One bleeding heart grandpa, minus a million bucks 🙂
Great little series. Good to see that you put your shoulder into things
even if they’re not all Adam sized.
I’ll suggest you make three ladders, one for the kid and two for his
parents’ “just in case” box. Make them out of something … Let’s say
“least poisonous”, whatever that is.
:-)
G’day Tom. I must say for a silly toy repair, I was Riveted. The cracked
steel rivets could be soldered (three is an L in there) and drilled to make
it look better, but then the grandson/daughter (gotta cover both genders
today) won’t care or even notice.
You did need a rivet anvil and a hollowed and flat punch/s for the job
though, it could be a good exercise if you were to do more “riveting” work.
The ladder is a must but has to be a double extension.
I kept thinking, neat toy for a grandchild. Bingo! Little does he know,
but great excuse for the Grandfathers to plays with all sort of toys!
Yesl you need the ladder, but not any ladder, but one cast from lost wax
(that will keep you busy for a while).
Should be ready for Christmas. Yes has to have the ladder,
Sure. Build a small ladder for your grandson.
Tom
You sure do like to make life difficult,
Why not upset the rivet like you showed the drill in the end like you did
but dril and ream in lathe then make a top hat plug major dia. For the head
and minor a press fit in the hole ,that way no bashing and a neat job.
I make these for scale watts type governors with the rivet 1mm dia. They
are a bit small but they are to scale ,better that a nut and bolt as I have
seen others do.
Stuart
As a retired Firefighter Tom, no Firetruck is complete without a ladder!!
Nuff said? Swell job on the restoration!
Gayle
BTW I have a small mini mill and mini lathe, but still find a lot of info
you present that can be used for the hobby machine shop. My father was a
machinist in Minnesota and served his apprenticeship back around 1919. I
have inherited some of his tools, which I have no clue as to how to use
them.