Sometimes you just need to be able to put two pieces of thin metal (or plastic) together, but glue just isn’t durable enough. Have no fear, the cheap and easy to use pop-riveter is here to help!

You can get one for as cheap as $15, or a kit complete with extra rivets of all sizes for $25.

Using it is simple. You just need your rivet gun, a drill, and bits.

How to use:

1. Select a drill bit that is the same size as the fat end of the rivets you’re going to use.

2. Carefully drill a hole into the sheet metal as close to the top and edge as you can get (about 1/4″). You need to drill through both pieces that you’re going to join.

3. Insert the long skinny end of the rivet into the front of the rivet gun.

If it feels like it’s too big or small for the gun, try it in some of the other attachments that came with your gun:

Those can be change out by unscrewing with the little wrench that came attached to the gun:

4. Insert the fat end of the rivet into the hole you drilled:

5. Press it all the way through both pieces of metal, and start squeezing the handles. They may be hard, but this is normal. When you finally hear a pop, this means your rivet is secure! It should look like this:

6. Insert another rivet at the bottom and a couple evenly spaced in your project:

That’s how it’s done! This post is an excerpt from upcoming our DIY Lanterns feature. If you’re interested in those, be sure to check it out our next post!