Does anyone know where I should go to repair a rivet on a Medium Sized Harakhan Appearing Cage (12" tall, 8" in diameter)? It's been in storage for over ten years and upon opening it, the cage looked pristine except one rivet broke off the bottom of where one of the cage bars meets the base.

Try an old well established electronics shop/store for miniature rivets. They will only most likely have copper, but it is better then nothing. Depending on your city, the larger the better your chances are at finding them. You can then use a point punch to tab lightly the end to get it to spread out, then take a light hammer and tap very lightly. I have done this on brass tubing it worked very well.

Best to have piece of metal to rest the back of the rivet against.

Thanks, Bill! That sounds like great advice.

I'm actually in a big city (Los Angeles), I wonder if there's a shop I could take it to where they'd do it professionally for me (I don't want to screw it up). This may be a dumb question, but would that be a... machine shop? A blacksmith? Do we even have blacksmiths anymore!?

You can also use a very small nail as a rivet. It is a delicate process to peen the rivet or nail over. Be carefull.
Richard

Now that is an excellent question, when I worked in an electronics factory, they had small rivet setting machines. It is like a drill press with a special tool that spun done on the rivet.

May advice is again to seek the advice of an old electronic shop/store. Some business that has been around for 100 years.

Being you are in LA, why not stop by Owen's Magic in Azusa, CA, just over the hill from you. They may be able to repair it for you. They do charge high prices for their work. If not maybe they can give you a lead.

Try Tandy Leather. They have several sizes and styles of rivets and they also carry rivet setters. The rivets are about $10.00 per hundred and the setters begin at under $5.00. Tandy has a shop in N. Hollywood.

I have the rivets and have repaired other items of this type.

PM me

Everyone here has been so helpful! Thank you!