Anyone have any good tips on making rivet detail? Some kits (Panda UH-1N) have exaggerated rivets. Do you file down and dot with the point of a needle with paint or what?
I’m with you on the Panda issue, mcall811…I know those molded rivets look a little too hefty! I am a ways off from starting the kit, so I haven’t really thought about how I am going to fix them, other than just sanding them down a little to make them less pronounced. I haven’t considered trying to make new ones yet. We’ll see if anyone else has any ideas [:)]
Is that a 1/35 scale Item, there are a few companies that have released AM rivets and bolds in different sizes that might work.
You would have to sand the existing ones off and glue the new ones in place though.
It really depends on scale and what type rivet you are modeling,for flush rivet detail I’ll mark all rivet locations with a sharpened mech.pencil and then putting needle,straight pin or push pin,depending on rivet size into a pin vise leaving very little of exposed point.I then file the point flat.I use this to lightly push in flush rivet detail,for raised round head rivets I use Elmers’white glue applied with fine stiff wire,its easier to control size of rivet,if you screw-up take a moistened swab and remove rivet,then start over,takes time but worth it.
I saw a built up model of the Panda UH-1N last weekend and it’s a shame the amount of “crude” detail that is in the kit. Way too much work to even try and bring it up to my “level” of a good build! However, it’s all we have! A 1/35th clone of a poor 1/48th kit!
well i have to disagree. While the interior is an insult and the tailrotor location was neglegent. If you take the time you can make this “fly” (pun intended). I personally am not a rivet counter. Since I work in avaiton and directly with the biggest perfectionists of them all… THE CREWCHIEF! To the layman or the average joe checking out your work I’m sure its amazing. Fact of the matter is not even a crewchief would count the “rivets” from experiace he would pay much more attention to the cockpit detail, rotorheads and thier presentation, and any open panels you choose to create or use. And the accuracy within. As a matter of fact one of the guys I work with is a ex longtime Apache chief and he also is a big time model builder. The first thing he looks at (we have had this discussion) is avionics accuracy, rotorheads, interiors and the PROPER PAINT COLORS/weathering. He actually took the time to lecture me about the proper color mixture for Apache’s and Blackhawks. It takes about 3 different colors to get it right. When your getting the 3rd degree from a 12yr Chief you listen. When he is an acomplished modeler… then you really listen. Now don’t get me wrong… this kit out of the box is a NOGO. I did just today recieve my upgrade kit from Cobra Company. This upgrade is a MUST. It has all that you need and then some. Since I work in the field I have access to most ARMY birds. While this kit is a letdown out of the box… with proper superdetailing (not rivet count) This kit can shine. Not trying to offend anyone… just my opinon from the hanger to you all.
Have to agree with Unkown, please you will spend hours making dots for rivets
Hours? LOL… god forbid you go halfway through and realized you were off on your rivet placement by 1/8 of an inch to scale. You would have to start all over again… could you imagine!
That would be a nightmare. Unkown, how mant rivets do yo think are on the tail boom alone?
Oh geez… i couldn’t begin nor would I even try to count. Hah… I could see it now… me the medic walking out counting tail boom rivets. Chief walking up to me and asking " Soldier, what the hell are you doing?" Once I gave him the awnser, after he quit laughing he would tell me to get the hell off his aircraft and go hang with the 60’s.
We wouldn’t want that. Hard to believe that it will be 50ears in 2006 since the HUEY’s first flight