One of the things I find a struggle is how to get good looking scale rivets and bolt heads. I tend to work in 1:35 scale. Just wondered if anyone has suggestions or tips for these?
I have used Grant Line products, and am jow on the airship tug, but the size range is limited.
I have a punch and die for exagonal bolt heads Usually rivets (but also some bots head) come from scrapped model or resin copy of those i need to use in large quantities.
-- Edited by Pierantonio on Sunday 29th of November 2015 07:28:34 PM
Have a look at Archer Fine Transfers - they do '3-D' waterslide transfers of rows of rivets, etc., for tanks and railroad - in different scales: one particular scale/dimension combination may be right for the particular scale you are working in, if you are lucky, and save you putting them on individually.
The alternative, particularly for bolts, is the Meng sets.
For large quantities it is probably cheaper to use the Archer set, or in the long run, one can go for the punches - the punch and die sets are quite expensive but you can get them round as well as hexagonal.
I don't have the control to cut round and hexagonal rod in exactly the right thickness every tine, and that doesn't really work for round headed rivets anyway.
I agree with Pierantonio, invest in a set of punches. You can get Hexagonal and circular ones now. Search online for them through someone like Squadron/Signal in the USA of Eileen's Emporium in the UK.
Thanks for the replies :)
I think a hex punch would be worth investing in. Not sure about a round one as the rivets will be round but flat. The Master Club products look good too.
Cheers.
Having owned the round and hex punch sets sold by Historex, I find that they meet most of my needs and have lasted for years. The flat discs produced from round punches aren't too bad, especially if you go around the edges with some Tamiya thin cement or similar when you stick them down.
The main problem seems to be that people always make the nuts too thick and it becomes difficult to see if you are gluing them on flat or on edge!
The Nutter from the American SmallShop produces rivets that do have a somewhat rounded appearance as the are punched out onto a rubber surface. They would be better for 1/72 rather than 1/35 as the diameter of the punches ranges from 0.25mm to 1mm (8,75mm to 35 mm in 1/35 and double that in 1/72). As is usual with their products, the quality is superb.
However, the set is very expensive even although it also comes with three sizes of open hex nuts from 0.5mm to 1.5mm.
The metal foil means that you usually have to use super glue to attach them.
