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Making Plastic Rivet Heads


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Hello Folks,

 

Can you help, please?

 

I need to make some rivet 'detail' in plasticard. I've seen it done in brass, where the plate is struck from the back, to highlight a domed rivet head. Is it the same for plastic?

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

Kind regards,

Ian

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You could be mad if you fancy....

 

Drill holes with fine drill/dental burr, stretch some sprue, glue in the hole and then sand to correct height.

 

I've done that on a 1/35th scale military vehicle, have yet to try or experiment on a scale 1/2 the size (My N7 I'm scratchin' needs some rivet detail around the smoke box) so if you decide to do the above mad dillin'n'fillin post a pick and show me.

 

Ta!!!

 

Good luck,

 

Scott.

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Hello Folks,

 

Can you help, please?

 

I need to make some rivet 'detail' in plasticard. I've seen it done in brass, where the plate is struck from the back, to highlight a domed rivet head. Is it the same for plastic?

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

Kind regards,

Ian

 

Rivet presses, as used for brass and nickel silver, work perfectly well with plastic card, given a little practice.

 

The trick is to use sufficient pressure to impress the rivet, but not so much as to punch a hole right through and / or distort the sheet.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

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You could be mad if you fancy....

 

Drill holes with fine drill/dental burr, stretch some sprue, glue in the hole and then sand to correct height.

 

I've done that on a 1/35th scale military vehicle, have yet to try or experiment on a scale 1/2 the size (My N7 I'm scratchin' needs some rivet detail around the smoke box) so if you decide to do the above mad dillin'n'fillin post a pick and show me.

 

Ta!!!

 

Good luck,

 

Scott.

 

If you go down this route you might find Evergreen rod easier to use, as extruded sprue can be a bit brittle and fibrous.

Drilling holes will give a firm fixing, but you can also just slice discs off and apply to the surface. Use a liquid solvent.

 

Regards, Eric Ramsay.

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You could be mad if you fancy....

 

Drill holes with fine drill/dental burr, stretch some sprue, glue in the hole and then sand to correct height.

 

I've done that on a 1/35th scale military vehicle, have yet to try or experiment on a scale 1/2 the size (My N7 I'm scratchin' needs some rivet detail around the smoke box) so if you decide to do the above mad dillin'n'fillin post a pick and show me.

 

Ta!!!

 

Good luck,

 

Scott.

Tichy Trains make rivets and nut/bolt/washer details http://www.tichytrai...Rivets&offset=0.

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The 'cube rivet' method is worth considering if you dont have too many to do. Chop small rectangles off a strip of the smallest Microstrip (usually 10 thou square), pick them up with a fine brush dipped in solvent, position them on the model and fine tune the position with a knife blade. Once reasonably set, run a small amount more solvent over them, which will help round them off a bit.

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Guest dilbert

Which reminds me I need to up date my Croc L thread. The Archers transfers are good for producing lots of rivet details, even if the strip of transfers you are trying to place tends to have a mind of its own. One thing I experienced was that they can be fragile, even after applying a solution such as Humbrol Decalfix to fix them. I managed to 'lose' two or three rivets this way, but have found that replacing them is now a doddle... dilbert

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Depending on the desired rivet scale, I`ve used dressmakers pins (not needles); or rather just the snipped-off heads with a mil. or two of the shank remaining, to push through a pre-drilled hole and then secured with plastic glue.

 

There are a variety of pin-head forms and diameters: some are flatter; others domed.....a visit to stitchcraft/sewing shop would doubtless offer a selection for choice.

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Guest dilbert

Another approach is to use a pounce wheel, firm hand and steel rule - works OK with 5 thou plastikard (10 thou at the most) - thereafter forget it... dilbert

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You haven't said what scale you are working in or how big the rivets need to be but I have used a GW Models rivetting press very successfully on plasticard. If you need to do it on something thicker than around 10 thou, I found it easier to make a 10 thou overlay and stick it on to a thicker backing.

 

Another trick is to get some plastic rod and to hold the end near a heat source, such as a soldering iron, without touching it. The end will form into a lovely round rivet. A little practice and you can turn out lots of almost identical sized ones, which just get glued in a drilled hole.

 

Before I got the rivetting press I used the glued cube method and I still do for 4mm scale wagons. It is surprising how quick and easy it is when you get going!

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