For making rivets, I purchased the so-called Ponce wheel last night at Jo-Annes Fabrics and Crafts Stores in Manassas, VA (they have a big chain so Google it).
The wheel goes by the name “serrated tracing wheel” and will set you back $2.09 (incl tax).
I did various experiments with the wheel and found some pros and cons.
The biggest negative I found is that the paper, plastic or metal you are trying to rivet must be very thin. It didn’t work on light folder cardboard, heavy plastic wrap (the stuff that wraps tools and other things that you have trouble opening without the aid of tinsnips) and it didn’t penetrate aluminum roof flashing.
It does do paper and it did make nice rivets on the plastic wrap that it came in.
The device could be improved dramatically by removing the wheel from the holder and building a new holder for it. When pressing heavy materials, the handle and holding device sags. Building a new structure for it to roll on would help you to press it down more firmly; hopefully not breaking the wheel!
On a positive note, when using the right materials, the wheel make good rivets quickly, saving you time. And in this day in age, time is money!
Also, I found the scale of the rivets to be about right for O scale and various G scales (but not for 7/8 which I’m doing)
The wheel could have some other valuable usages, namely to transfer drawings thru light paper (tracing paper) onto wood or other scratchbuilding materials. Or, the wheel could be dipped in ink and run along the material. For larger scale stuff, you could make rivets on every other dot using a different rivet tool. The wheel would give you even marks.
I’ve only had the tool since last night so I may come to more conclusions and usages; or I may end up braking it with all the fiddling I do.
Jo-Annes also, btw, have a nice selection of “tools” and scratchbuilding devices.
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