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Attemted the search function on this one but didn't quite find what I wanted.
I've been doing some of my first time plasticard and green stuff work and am a bit stuck on how to make good looking effective rivets.
I've heard several techniques but most explainations seemed vague to a relative newbie.
I am fine with any techniques even if I have to buy the right tools or materials that's all fine just looking for some pointers

Thanks in advance

1. Buy a small diameter paper hole punch (most good craft stores have a wide selection) & some thin plasticard
2. Punch holes in plasticard w/ punch
3. Glue "rivets" unto whatever
4. ????
5. Profit!

Are you familiar with leather punches?

Go down to a hardware or crafts/hobby store and buy one.

Then just buy plasticard (sheet styrene) and punch out rivets to your hearts content.

KiMonarrez wrote:

Are you familiar with leather punches?

Go down to a hardware or crafts/hobby store and buy one.

Then just buy plasticard (sheet styrene) and punch out rivets to your hearts content.

I am Hilary Clinton, and I approve this message.

I've used a leather punch as well, for larger circles, but found that most available punches don't go down to the very small diameters I'd prefer for my rivets. Enter, Gork's gift to rivets:

The Button-Hole punch. It punches two 1/16" diameter holes each squeeze, doubling productivity! 6 bucks or so at your local craft store. With the tv on I just hammer through some thin styrene sheet, and then just empty out the "rivets" into a container for safekeeping. Amazing tool.

I've riveted a lot of ork trukks and other vehicles and I've worked out a method that works very quickly for me. Assuming you have the rivets already, I use a water thin styrene or acrylic cement like tenax or weld-on 3. Weld-on 3 is an industrial acrylic cement. You might have to go to a plastic or sign supply place to find it. A pint can might be $8-10, but will last a long time. I use this glue for all my plastic minis, but it won't work on metal. It actually melts the parts together, so you never have to worry about super glued arms breaking off or whatever. It will disfigure smooth surfaces though, so practice on some thowaway bits or sprue.

I us mine in a little plastic bottle with a syringe style applicator unless I'm doing rivets. It evaporates quickly so I use a small puddle in a film canister cap or bottle cap. With model in hand I stab a rivet with a brand new #11 x-acto blade, then I dip it in the glue. Touch the rivet to the model surface and wait a few moments. The rivet should start bonding in 5 seconds or less, then pull the blade out and repeat. I can do 100 to 200 rivets in 30 minutes or less. It takes a little practice, but works great for me.

Thank you all I guess it was a bit of a stupid question but it's helped I know what I'll pick up tomorrow

hey man
I have a simple, effective and I think good looking way of doing rivets

go to your local walmart / fabricland etc and buy some flat headed seamstress pins
drill holes where you would like the rivets, and put said pins in, and voila, rivets on your models (you'll have to clip the pins shorter, but that's probably the toughest part of the process)

Hey Teek, thanks for the link. I just got on ebay and I've got two different button hole punches on the way. I'm looking forward to trying them out!

Many hobby train stores will sell styrene tubing, piping, or round rods. I bought a variety pack with a bunch of different diameters that tend to be pretty usefull. Just cut up the size that applies and glue them on. A bit harder then the punch I suppose, but I am more likely to be removing rivets from models rather then adding them.

My rivets are a combination of styrene rod chopped into dots, a 1/16" craft punch, a 1/8" Square punch and a 1/8" circle punch.

There is also a website that makes some premade industrial rivets as well. I can't remember the name of them though... :(

Grandt Line products sells injection molded scale rivets.

For most you can get 100 for $3.

I just bought a 1/16" craft punch and it eats through 1mm plasticard effortlessly.

Too me, it's probably the closest to charecter scale appropriate bolts you can handle without tweezers and a magnifying glass.

i use a puch and die kit just like this one, it creats good rivets that are flat..

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/tools/aed/aedpd.htm

i build most of my scratch builds using insulation foam, with shiny cardboard over the top held in place by wire nails. the nails act as instant rivets too. works ok for me. and its cheap.

Krak_kirby wrote:With model in hand I stab a rivet with a brand new #11 x-acto blade, then I dip it in the glue.

Using a brand new x-acto blade for each rivet seems a bit excessive, but if it works for you.