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Marlenabears Dec 16, 2006

I generally use cotterpins for jointing, but being a curious soul, I recently took apart one of my Zwergnase artist bears to see the method of jointing used in the tiny shoulder joint, and was surprised to see that they used pop rivets.....

Ever since, I have been wondering ...HOW????? I would love to try it out, but cannot fathom how it world be done...Does anyone know or use this method?

Please enlighten my weary brain....

Marlane

Acipenser Dec 16, 2006

Hi Marlane,
you take apart your artist bears? Shudder  Remind me not to sell one to you 
I don't have experience with pop rivets, but I have heard of them and Edinburgh sells them. Did the joints move at all? I'm having a hard time imagining how this works too. Hope someone else can help.

Jane Perala Dec 16, 2006

I was using them about 10 years ago, and just thought they were wonderful - consistent tension everytime.  However just before a show - horrors - a couple of the limbs on one of the bears "popped off".  I had to go through all my bears that were ready for the show and replace all their joints with nuts and bolts & locknuts.  I promptly threw out all my pop rivet supplies.  My advise - stay away from them.  Maybe they would be fine for smaller bears 8" or less, but I would never use them again.  Sorry to be so negative.

Jane P.

Donna Dec 16, 2006

I'm going to agree with Jane on this point!  I have not used them thanks to the advice of many old timers who had the same experience that Jane had.  I have done several repairs on bears that were done using pop rivets.  There is just not enough area around the joint involved and they do not hold as well over time. 
Donna

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorDec 16, 2006

Can somebody please tell me what the heck pop rivets are?  Just curious here; I've heard enough that I'll stick to nuts & bolts, or cotterpins.  Great topic!

Marlenabears Dec 19, 2006

Thanks for your input everyone!! Oh my....I guess this does sound awful, but  be reassured that I didn't hurt the little bear at all!!      :crackup:

The bear that I took apart was a teeny tiny Zwergnase bear named Irmi...my first, but I only picked apart the seam in one teeny shoulder and promptly ladder stitched it right back together after my curiosity was satisfied... The bear was only 7 inches tall or so.....  and is still my favorite!!  

I had shown it to my husband, but he also nixed the idea of using the pop rivets, and in fact couldn't imagine how they used them on such tiny bears, while maintaining flexibility of the joints.