builing topflie P-47 giantscale. I have covered with fiberglass and want to put the rivet pattern on the finish. Any suggestions would be helpful. I have the pattern thingy from topflite just trying to figure out how to etch pattern into finish prior or after painting.

Try this site:

www.strictlyscale.com

Click on "tips" at the top and follow the yellow brick road

This is a product that I used recently to finish my Hellcat and I am absolutely sold on it. It's a tape that has a series of holes and an applicator that adds the rivets to the holes in the tape. Its easy to use and my plane looks great, I'm getting ready to do a p-47 next. Here is the website:

http://rcscaleproducts.com/finish_acc.htm

For raised rivets, glue drops are most common. A small drop of glue makes a dome shaped rivet that can be painted over. For flush rivets, the best way I know of is to melt them into the primer coat. Mount a 1/16" OD brass tube to a soldering iron (I used the Top Flite Trim Iron). When you touch the tip to the primer, it'll melt a small ring. Give it a light sanding, then you're ready for the color coat of paint, then weathering.

Scott

I am currently building a 1\5 scale Cessna 182 and decided to use small sewing pins, cut to 1/8" in lenght. A bit tediuos,but it will get the effect.
Bobcat

The IMPORTANT thing about rivets is that you try and duplicate the one's used on your air craft. There are two basic types, bucked raised rivets and flush rivets. Glue works great for raised rivets and the heated brass tube/soldering iron for the flush ones. Most aircraft have a combination of both but one type being the main type.