Good evening!
I’m thinking of cutting out the plastics vents and fans in my Athearn BB Alco PA and PB sets. I found some etched metal sheets that look really close to the prototype pictures I have.
My question is, how can I make the rivet details?
The Athearn does not have them molded in, but the pictures clearly show riveting around the venting on the sides. If it cannot be done, then so be it. At least I’ll get the metal installed.
Thanks!
RRGrassi,
Tichy Train Group :
http://www.tichytraingroup.com/index.php?page=view_product.php&id=181
has rivets in styrene in several diameters. It will take patience.
Bob
NMRA Life0543
There are a couple ways of doing it- if you’re using thin metal, you can emboss them in with a semi-blunt point- NWSL makes a tool for doing just that, it’s called “The RIveter” and fits on their Sensi Press. It is possible to do them by hand, but if you’re doing very many it gets old quick. The Riveter will also do thin styrene sheet also.
And another “new” way is to use a needle and super glue. use the sharp end of the needle to put small uniform dabs of glue on the surface. Once it sets up, you’ve got rivets!
Mainline Modeler has published articles with many methods over the years. Use the Index of Magazines above, and do a search.
Micro-Mark makes a rivet tool, but I haven’t used it one. I’d like to hear from someone that has.
Don’t forget to count them when your finished[:D]LOL
I can’t believe no-one else said that.
Ken.
I’ve used something similar: basically, I took a friend’s drill press (professional grade, with a good index table), chucked a brad into it, and used the press to emboss rivets. Sort of overkill for an HO model, but it worked.
The only problem with the process is that it’s very tedious. First you have to mark all the rivet positions (or at least their centerlines with an indexed table), then you have to emboss each rivet with equal pressure, so as not to make larger rivets. It takes forever! One thing I did to speed up the project wa to make a mirror image of the plan I was using, and use spray mount to attach it to the plastic I was embossing. That way, I knew exactly where the rivet lines were supposed to go.
I plan on buying a NWSL Sensipress with Riveter attachment soon, since I need to scratchbuild a few tenders. It’s not a project that I relish, but I really want the end results.
There used to be an military vehicle detail company that made scale rivet strip DECALS. They worked like a charm, but the company sadly went under several years ago. That prosess would be MUCH faster than adding individual rivets (I’ve also hand glued individual rivets, another mind-numbing experience).
Cool, thanks forthe info guys!
Sorry it took so long to reply. I get on the forum at work and participate during lunch and breaks. I’m the IT dept for the tiny company I work for, and our Exchange Server decided to choke. So, lunchtime for me today is to repair and update the database.
See ya!
Server crashes… been there, done that…
My scratch built engine on the bottom of my reply has 2500 rivets.
I made them with a fine tooth gear from a engine drive unit don’t remember what make,
I filed the sides of the gear till it was tapered put a nut and bolt thru it and mounted it in my pin vice. I roll it across .005 styrene with the aid of a rulers edge, than cut the strip of rivets off. Now to apply them to the engine I had to use white glue. If you use anything else it eats away your rivets. O one other thing I had to make about 25 thousand to get
the 2500 I needed. Its alot of work. I did not like the ones I made using the tool from
Micro Mark. That is why I made my own tool.
Good luck
Mike
I made a rivet tool from a June 1968 article in MR by Carl Traub. Using this tool I have made jillions of rivets. The results are of contest quality (it uses an adjustable drop-hammr to ensure uniformity) and the process is fast and easy.
I want 2500 rivets.
too
use glue drops painted black
Carl Traub’s handbuilt machine remains the best I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, I don’t own one.