rivet forming tools ?

[tankbarrell]

Alex,

you pretty much summed it up! Other than using small drills that is. We used a magbroach but using a drillbit of about 5/8".

Cut off one head, grind flat, drill through to about the thickness of plate and then punch out. The punch running inside the rivet with its end against the remaining head.

We had a few that punched out ok without drilling and some that required cutting in a similar way to your description.

All good fun!