Tips for engraving rivets

[Furie]

Hello, I will soon start engraving my rivets for the first time and I have 3 questions:

 

1-Is it better to engrave the rivets of each large part (1/2 fuselage, ½ wing...) and then glue them together or to assemble the whole model (fuselage and wings) and then engrave the whole? 

2-Once the rivets are engraved, do you have to sand the model lightly and then apply some liquid glue or do you have to apply some liquid glue in the rivets and sand at the end ? Or don't put liquid glue in the rivets?

3-Do not engrave the rivets because the metal surface of my Bf 109 1/1 scale is absolutely smooth as a baby's skin?

 

This is the first time I'm going to attempt to engrave rivets so any additional advice would be appreciated and I only have the Trumpeter tool.
Thanks in advance for your answers.

[thierry laurent]

It is always easier to scribe and add rivets on the large parts before assembly. Sanding rivets depends on the riveting tool you are using and how the rivet edge is looking.

[Furie]

Thanks Thierry.

 

I use the Trumpeter tool.
I'm going to do some tests on an old model and I'll try different methods, with or without sanding, with or without liquid glue. 
As much as riveting on the wings seems within my reach, but riveting on the fuselage, on the vertical parts seems a bit out of reach... 

Edited March 26, 2023 by Furie

[thierry laurent]

For the fuselage, use dymo tape as a guide. By the way I'm sometimes cutting the strip in two as a thinner one is easier to put on the fuselage when you have a double curvature.

[Rampenfest]

Also, for the fuselage, I riveted while the two halves were separate so I could lay them flat. I also stuffed the inside with stiff foam, so that way I could press down with some force without the risk of warping the plastic. 

[Furie]

Thanks for your advice.

In fact I ask this question because if I engrave the ½ fuselages and ½ wings before the assembly, I am afraid to have to start engraving the rivets again because after gluing I will necessarily have rivets that will "disappear" following the sanding of the junction line.
And conversely, if I engrave the rivets after gluing/sanding the ½ fuselages and ½ wings, it will obviously be a much more difficult operation to perform...
But I'll stick with your experience and etch the rivets before gluing the subassemblies.

 

[thierry laurent]

51 minutes ago, Furie said:

Thanks for your advice.

In fact I ask this question because if I engrave the ½ fuselages and ½ wings before the assembly, I am afraid to have to start engraving the rivets again because after gluing I will necessarily have rivets that will "disappear" following the sanding of the junction line.
And conversely, if I engrave the rivets after gluing/sanding the ½ fuselages and ½ wings, it will obviously be a much more difficult operation to perform...
But I'll stick with your experience and etch the rivets before gluing the subassemblies.

 

Simple solution: do not add the ones very close to the edges before assembly! Glue everything, sand and clean and then add the final ones.

[tucohoward]

For me on 109s I always do the fuselage after it's together. I find it easier to do after all the panel lines are cleaned up along the spine and bottom, but that's just me.

 

Jay

[Furie]

Well, anyway I will have to mix your 2 solutions because my two ½ fuselages are already glued together but I haven't assembled the wings yet.
So it will be 50/50!

[Furie]

Hello,

I still have a question about the riveting tools.

Galaxy Tools offers 3 different models:

-standard diameter
-mini diameter
-corner

 

At first I am considering buying the standard diameter model.
From your experience, do you think it is necessary to buy the mini and/or corner models?

 

Galaxy Tools - Scale Rivet Wheels Review | scalespot.com

Edited April 3, 2023 by Furie

[LSP_Kevin]

I bought this lot:

 

 

I think the matching corner tools are essential if you're serious about it, as there's always a spot somewhere on a model that the wheel won't reach.

 

Kev

 

 

[Furie]

Thanks Kev, indeed, these corners must be very useful to engrave inaccessible places.
They will be part of the next order.
I've been watching a lot of tutorials on YT, and I'm surprised because I see a lot of people who draw the rivet lines with a pen, then pass the GT tools, freehand, without a guide (tape, Dymo tape).
I thought that using guides attached to the model was mandatory when engraving rivets.

 

[Rampenfest]

I thought the same thing about the guides, but I found that for straight lines, there are actually no/few issues. The tool kinda just guides itself in a straight line and I think the “grip” of the teeth on the rivet wheel help keep it straight. I found as long as I was not letting the tool get too angled, or using too much pressure, the riveter kept straight. 
 

Now the round parts like prop hub and engine cowling, I would definitely recommend a guide. I tried doing a prop hub freehand and had to redo it 

[Furie]

Hi Rampenfest, do you also use Galaxy Tolls products?
Do you have to press hard on the tool to make nice rivets?
I need to make rivet lines along each vertical fuselage panel. (from behind the cockpit to the vertical fin)

Do you think I can do it freehand, without a guide or is it risky like your prop hub?

 

Edited April 4, 2023 by Furie

[Rampenfest]

I am using the RB Productions one as my local store had it in there. I want the Galaxy Tools one but cannot seem to find it. 
 

I did exactly that (riveting each fuselage half) freehand on pencil drawings on my FW-190.  I filled the hollow space in each fuselage half with foam so I could press a little bit without risk of bending the plastic. You can also roll up small shop rags as well! 

For me, the key was as I got to the top/bottom where the fuselage curves, I actually rolled the fuselage half towards me and let the rivet wheel lightly score it. I then went back once I got a better grip on the awkward angle and pressed harder to make them uniform.

 

A couple lines I also riveted up to where it curves then stopped. I then would rearrange my grip/fuselage position so that I could line the teeth up in the existing rivet holes, then finish off the last little bit in an easier position that reduced the risk of slipping. 
 

There will be maybe one or two rivets I will have to re punch once I glue the halves together. But for me, I did not think it wise to rivet after gluing the halves together for fear of the pressure bending plastic. 
 

Lastly, I had an old model that I did a lot of practice on the get the “feel” for the pressure and how the tool works!
 

Hope that helps!