brian777999 Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 How do you simulate rivets when scratchbuilding in plastic ? I was thinking of punching the bumps in thin styrene sheet and then applying this to the plastic beams or girders. But is there some way to raise bumps/rivets directly on the beams and girders ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stuartp Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Either punching them through (works best on 5 thou or 10 thou), or little cubes of 10thou microstrip as Mickey suggests, The other option is 'Archers Rivet Transfers' which I keep meaning to try. These are little dots of resin on waterslide backing paper which you apply as a decal. Fortunately they come in strips at various spacings, rather than having to apply them one at a time. Another method I haven't tried yet is using a hypodermic needle or similar to apply little dots of PVA glue. Punching through doesn't work as well on styrene as it does on thin brass, they tend to push right through leaving a little hole and the rivet is not as sharply defined as in brass. It works acceptably well where you need a lot of rivets though, the microstrip cube method is unbelievably fiddly so I usually only use that if they're very prominent rivets or bolt heads on a wagon body etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted September 5, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 5, 2012 It depends what size you need. I have a project where I need to match the small bolt heads already present and I've so far found it almost impossible to use fine enough rod, so I'm stuck. However a technique I learnt when military modelling may help. Take fine plastic rod or "stretched sprue" and use a fairly steady heat source. I used to use a lit fag but a candle/tea light with the wick cut short would do. Use the heat to form a "mushroom head" on the end of the rod, place it on the sticky side of a bit of masking tape and cut off leaving a small "stalk". You'll get various sizes but after a bit of practice they get more consistent. Use a fine drill in a pin chuck to make the holes and secure with Plastic Weld or similar; the "stalk" will aid positive location. The same technique using thicker rod such as scrap sprue produces a suitable "rivet" for securing un-gluable Bachmann couplings to plastic kit mounting blocks. Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Prism Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Punching through doesn't work as well on styrene as it does on thin brass, they tend to push right through leaving a little hole and the rivet is not as sharply defined as in brass. That's true, but a proper die under the rivet tool will help to define the rivet shape better. Best results for plasticard are if the punch tool has a slightly rounded tip. A blunt pin impressing onto a soft card base can give reasonable results. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 How do you simulate rivets when scratchbuilding in plastic ? I was thinking of punching the bumps in thin styrene sheet and then applying this to the plastic beams or girders. But is there some way to raise bumps/rivets directly on the beams and girders ? Yes Brian I hope you are modeling in 4mm scale because I don't think it will work too well in 7mm. It will be even better in 2mm! You need a sharp pointed instrument like a needle from the end of a pair of drawing compasses. Mark out where you want the 'rivit/bolt head' to be, using a soft pencil, and then push the needle point into the plastic. If you use the correct pressure you will produce a 'dome' in the plastic with a small hole behind it. When you come to paint the model (brush paint), wipe the loaded brush down over the hole and dome and hey presto! the hole dissapears. Actually it is filled with paint but it leaves you with a very convincing rivit head. Hope this is what you were looking for. Regards Sandy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyo Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Another way would be to use Scale Hardware's turned brass rivets from the U.S.A. Just put Scale Hardware in to your search engine. A 100 rivets for approx $10 - 12, plus P&P. They also do simulated nuts and bolts. OzzyO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Another method I have heard of, but never tried, is to use tiny drops of PVA adhesive to form the rivet heads - preumably applied with a pin or hyperdermic needle ? Oddly best results for this method can be obtained with PVA being applied with a straightend out paper clip in various diameters, ratrher than a pin or syringe needle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted September 5, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 5, 2012 Not rivets but if you want nuts and washers, then support RMweb member Pete Harvey who has produced a 'Nut making tool' shown here http://www.phd-design-etchings.co.uk/Products/Nuts%20and%20Washer%20Tool/Nuts%20and%20Washer%20Tool.htm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted September 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 5, 2012 There is a company in the USA that does various sizes of self adhesive rivets on a sheet not to dissimilar to decal sheets. However they are not decals. I just cant remember the name of the company. May be worth a search online. If I can find the details then I will let you know. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted September 5, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 5, 2012 I've just remembered these people, also in the USA: http://www.grandtline.com/products/mrr/mrr%20details/augmentables.html Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyo Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 There is a company in the USA that does various sizes of self adhesive rivets on a sheet not to dissimilar to decal sheets. However they are not decals. I just cant remember the name of the company. May be worth a search online. If I can find the details then I will let you know. Ian Archer's. Some photos of them on my turntable thread. OzzyO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian777999 Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 What size rivets are required for 4mm and which size for 7 mm ? There are some good ideas here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyo Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Scale Hardware do them in sizes from 0.4mm up to 1.6mm and Archers do them in sizes from 0.2mm up to about 0.76mm. So some of them may be of use to you. They also do weld runs as well that may help you. OzzyO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 I have no problems punching rivets in 7mm or 4mm scales using the various anvils with the Leakey rivet punch. (I know they are no longer available but similar punches are ) There is a limit to just how 'thin' the plastikard can go before you end up with a hole but when I model structures in HO such as girder bridges and the like the thickness of material is OK to punch. If we are talking strapping on wagons and the like then the material will be too thin. In that case I punch the rivets straight onto the body and lightly score the strapping on. In OO/HO this works very well. 7mm stapping is OK if you use a very small anvil and a gentle swing on the punch as you can use a slightly thicker plastikard for the strapping. I have never had any satifsactory results using blobs of adhesive. I find making rivet out of individual bite of rod extremely mind bending and tring to get them perfectly almost impossible. Hope you find a suitable way that suits you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Hi All, I have just started using the Micro Mark rivet (decal type) and I found that they do a great starter sheet for each of the scales. The one I have is #84985 Rivet Details - HO Scale. It has a range of different pattern rivets in straight, zig zag, blocks, circles, semi circles and also punched louvres and square tread plate. There are two foolscap size sheets in the pack. I got mine from Model Junction in Slough and the pack cost £12.99 although there are a range of different retailers in the UK that do them. I found that as long as you follow the normal decal rules about putting down a gloss varnish for them to adhere to (I used Humbrol gloss acrylic varnish on Halfords acrylic primer and had no trouble coating that with Phoenix paints afterwards) and use a decal setting systems such as the Decal Set solution first and then some Decal Sol solution afterwards to get it all to bed down it will look great (to my eye at least)! I hope this helps! All the best, Castle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyo Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Hi All, I have just started using the Micro Mark rivet (decal type) and I found that they do a great starter sheet for each of the scales. The one I have is #84985 Rivet Details - HO Scale. It has a range of different pattern rivets in straight, zig zag, blocks, circles, semi circles and also punched louvres and square tread plate. There are two foolscap size sheets in the pack. all the best, Castle Hello Castle, any chance you could scan the sheets so we can see what you get. TIA OzzyO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 There's a very thorough review here starting on page 27. It includes pictures of some of the sheets. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stuartp Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Anyone following Jonathan's link also needs to check out the utterly insane photo on page 52. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Grounds for divorce, that, I suspect.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted September 6, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 6, 2012 Anyone following Jonathan's link also needs to check out the utterly insane photo on page 52. Yikes!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Hi All, Ozzyo, Jonathan has saved me a job here - if you scroll to pages 40 and 41 on his link you will see the HO sheets as a whole and with a series of close ups later on. As I said - good stuff and I am sure they will look great on you turn table. Stuart -It is easy to go over the top with a model or two but that guy is so far above the top he can't even SEE the top from where he is hovering! That is so far out of this world it is practically in orbit and totally bonkers...* All the best, Castle * But there isn't one of us on here that wouldn't do similar if we had the time, money, space and opportunity! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
m davies Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Anyone following Jonathan's link also needs to check out the utterly insane photo on page 52. Funnily enough whilst on a conference in the US for a new American train sim we were taken to a gentleman's house and he had one of these in his basement, controls were linked to a sound set that notched up and down with the controller, as did brakes and horn. You entered the basement through the cab, in through the engine room door and out into the layout room via the cab side door. He was still working on the electrics, wipers etc and a load system that would simulate current draw and thus translation for the sound system. Sorry for the OT, the post brought back memories I'd forgotten . Kindest Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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