Rivets - Railtec transfers and size questions

[peterbkloss]

Dear All

I'm not sure where to put this so its in my own workbench thread hoping that those with an interest will see it

I'm thinking of using Railtec's rivet transfers to add rivets where I need to repair 'damage' when carving plastic bodies (for example) or where the model I'm scratch building needs some and I don't have a rivetting 'machine' to make them with, and punching with scriber (my previous way of doing this) just doesn't give a good enough result (no surprise there)

I've searched the forums for 'rivet transfers' and Railtec gets a mention - but only in the future tense - someone says they are going to try them out

So my first question - has anyone here used them and what is their opinion?

Second question - to find the appropriate size of rivet: I've many books with drawings of locos but I'm struggling to find info on what size the rivet heads are (so I can choose what size of rivet transfer to get). Four particular rivet (or bolt head) 'locations' really interest me (to do with models I actually have in the pipeline):

1. GWR tank loco tanks that have visible snap head rivets, eg class 517 and 45XX. These are small and closely spaced. On the 517 I've scaled off a photo and reckon the spacing is 1.2" to 1.4" and the head seems to be possibly a bit more than 0.5"

2. Smokebox wrapper plate rivets - these seem quite large to me approaching 1" in size and spaced around 3" in many protoypes

3. MR Fowler built 3500 gallon tenders attached to most of the MR build of 4F 0-6-0 that had very visible rivetted side sheets

4. The typical rivets or bolt heads on wagon strapping

Or pointers where to find this information (It could be hidden in some book I already have, eg the Roche drawings, Russell's GWR Engine books)

All the above to help me not have to buy every single sheet to find out the hard way

Thanks in advance

I know I'm tempting fate here .... but 'there's no such thing as a silly question'

[Neil Smith]

Hi Peter

I cannot help with most of your second batch of questions about locos, but..

Firstly I have used some of the Railtec rivet transfers and they're good. Usual disclaimers. They are waterslide, and adhere well in my experience if you follow the instructions including a waft of spray varnish (or primer) after the glue has dried.

The only challenge I have found is that as they come off the backing, there is a real danger that you get a tiny white blob of plastic either floating in the water or on your scalpel, finger or wherever, and then it is a 50:50 lottery whether you have it the right way up, or the wrong way (when it won't then stick)! Even with a magnifier, my eyes cannot perceive any difference in shape as in a flat surface vs a domed one, partly I suspect because of the white resin or whatever the material is. Obviously, once wise to this possibility, if it doesn't stick, try flipping it over!

Regarding your part 2, re wagons, according to the Ince Waggon and Ironworks Co history (HMRS) looking at the various RCH drawings, the 20th century drawings all show bolts and rivets as being "1/2 inch" although that's probably the stem diameter rather than the head size.

The late John Hayes in his 4mm Coal Wagon book uses 10 thou (0.25 mm as near as dammit) styrene cut into squares for bolt heads, which scales as about 3/4 inch.

Hope that helps.

All the best

Neil

[peterbkloss]

Thank you Neil that is most helpful