Chad Veich

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I just put the panel lines on a P-47 and used some card stock with laser cut holes to guide the rivet tool for accurate alignment and spacing. I can't imagine doing them free hand, at least not all of them anyway. Are these available from some other source I'm unaware of? If not, is there any interest in them? They could be easily custom made for any size rivet head and any spacing, as well as set up to be properly distanced from panel lines. The low heat required to burn rivets with a soldering gun will not hurt the card stock so it only takes a few to do an entire airplane. They also serve to protect the immediate area surrounding the rivets so no accidental burn marks are left where they are not wanted. Looking forward to any replies.

Mustang51

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Hi Chad,

Great idea! I am in the midst of doing a 1\9th scale B-17.
Can these be adjusted for 1\9th scale?
Regards,

Mustang51

MikeChilson

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Just so you guys know....

My company R/C Scale Products has a rivet tape for 1/4, 1/5, 1/6.
We have experimented with card stock, various thicknesses of paper etc. and cam up with a plastic tape that can be reused several times.

Ours uses glue/paint mixture for rased rivets, and if you apply the rivets and then wipe over the tape they look like flush rivets.

More often than not, when you find something that works for you you should stick with it. But if you want to check it out you can find them at:

http://www.rcscaleproducts.com

Thanks,
Mike

CaptainHook

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Do you have any pics you can post of the finished product using this method?

Chad Veich

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Mustang51, they could be made with any size holes and/or spacing required.

Mike, thanks for the input. I was unaware of your product. Could your tapes be used as a guide for those of us using the soldering iron/brass tube method or would the heat melt the tapes?

Carey, I will post some pics of the Jug fuse and my riveting gun as soon as I can.

Thanks for the replies and keep them coming. Always good to hear how other guys are jumping the same hurdles!

MikeChilson

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Chad,

YES! you use it for the soldering iron method if you like. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks,

smchale

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Chad,

This sounds like it could be quite helpful. I did try something similar myself in early experiments but found that with panels being different sizes that it was difficult to get the rivets to meet or cross at the correct locations. I have found with some practice that drawing a line with a pencil where I want the rivies first, in both directions, then applying the rivets freehand has worked the quickest. This allows me to make sure there is always a rivet at the intersection of 2 rows of rivets where they cross, and that they end up at the panel. That being said, when you have a long run of rivets without any intersecting rivet lines, or ends of panels, this card would certainly keep everything straight, and the spacing uniform.

Chad Veich

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Sean, I ran into the same problem. However, I found that on a row of rivets I could put most of them on and then adjust just the last six or so to get them to come out right where I wanted. If I spread the adjustment out over half a dozen or so rivets it ends up being so minor that you can't tell the difference. Sometimes I would work from both ends and then make the adjustment where the rivets came together in the middle. I was even able to use the straight strips to rivet around radiuses by adjusting the tape after applying each rivet. I think it is still faster as this allows you to use the strip to set your spacing rather than measuring and marking the rivets out. It is also quite easy to hold the strip in place with one hand while you rivet with the other. The only time I bothered to actually tape the strip in place was when I was doing a row of rivets more than three or four inches in length. There were still some places where I free handed the rivets but not too many. Of course, each person has to use whatever method they feel works best for them.

Chad Veich

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Chook, I can't upload a picture big enough to do any good. If you send me your email addy I will send you some pics of the riveted P-47 and the equipment I'm using to do the job. Rivets are applied by chucking up the correct size brass tube (sharpened on the inside) in an adjustable temp soldering iron on low heat. I burn them into a base coat of paint, usually silver. I had to use three sizes of telescoping brass tube, silver soldered together, to get down small enough for this particular airplane and still have it fit in the iron.

pittsdriver

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Guys if you look at full scale rivet spacing you will see it is usually spaced at the same measurement and adjusted at the panel ends. Say the spacing is 1", you make a mark at the center of the panel and work out both ways. when you get to the ends the last rivet will be 1" or less from the previous one. It is tougher to explain than to do. We have a bunch of metal strips out at the hanger for rivet spacing. They are 4 ft long x 2" wide and have the holes spaced at different measurements on each strip. One has 2" spacing another at 11/2" etc. Don

Chad Veich

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Thanks for the info Don, that makes it even easier than what I was doing.