I know this has been mentioned before but since the search utility is down…
What is the best way to create rivets? I know I can use a scribber to do it, but I wanted to use something like CA to try and reproduce them. Is there a better “fluid” one can use for this?
There is a post in the Techniques forum suggesting making rivets from water-filter canisters. The premise is that inside the filter thingy are lots of styrene spheres of various small sizes which look like rivet heads. Better head on there and take a look at the tip. Hope that helps.
Hi Dana,
The technique I’ve most often seen mentioned is using small drops of white glue. You don’t mention the scale, but I suppose that technique could work well for 1/48 scale planes and larger. Using it for 1/72 scale may be a bit tough.
The advantage to that technique is that it’s easy to erase mistakes and start again, unlike trying to do the same thing with super glue.
Good luck!
I’ve seen a very nice techique, but it requires small stainless tubing to pull it off (which is not hard to get if you know the various mail order sources for it, and it’s available in any size down to the diameter or an insulin needle – very small indeed). After beveling the edges of the tubing, drill a hole in a wooden dowel (which will become the handle) and glue the non-beveled end into the hole. Simply apply the tool to the spots you’ve marked off for rivets, apply a little pressure, and twist. It’s quick, and they look realistic. Of course, if you need big rivets, use bigger tubing and add a tiny drop of white glue or CA to the inside of the engraved ring made by the tool to add dimension. On really small rivets, this homemade tool somehow rounds off the top of the engraving, making an authentic rivet. I think I’ve made it sound like more trouble than it really is, though. I wish makers of inexpensive stainless tubing would make themselves more conspicuous, because so many modelers miss out on the great benefit of having realistic gun barrels because they don’t know how to get the tubing. Does anyone know the most common place to get all sizes of SS tubing?
I think this might be what your lQQking for…hope it helps. http://www.smallparts.com
I’ve heard of people using a ponce wheel, which is essentially a cog mounted on the end of a handle - you roll it along your seam to create divots (like sharkskin suggests above).
I don’t know what it’s intended purpose was (perhaps creating perforations in paper), and have only run across one in what I considered a well-stocked arts and office supply store. (it wasn’t a national chain)
I think you’re referring to something called a tracing wheel. I’ve seen tailors use this to trace a pattern sheet onto cloth or another sheet. Could be worth trying out on models to create rivets.
Tracing wheels and pounce wheels are the same. They make small perforations to which a chalk or pounce is “pounced” over and passes through the little hole made by the wheel. This makes a dotted line under the paper.
If you can’t find them in an art supply place a dressmakers shop or fabric store certainly has them. They come in different spacings and patterns.