Simulating rivetted steel plates

[Paulrjordan]

One of the more frequent topics I see on static model email groups is
how to accurately reproduce riveted steel plates. I have heard of
the following material but know very little about it. Seems it would
be a useful material for reproducing the wonderful detail on steel
hulls and superstructures which we often see on Paddlewheelers but
fail to reproduce on models.

Take a look at the following which I have copied from the SMML
Plastic Ship modelers list. If you have any other ideas for applying
rivet details to models, please let us know.

PJ

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From: "nickbalmer" <nickbalmer@ukonline.co.uk>
Subject: Making Steel Plates for hulls out of Lithoplate

Hello,

Seeing the recent correspondance on scale thickness steel plate leads
me to make the following suggestion.

I build early armoured cars and tanks using old printers lithoplate.
This material is about 5 thou thick, and is very rigid. I can cut it
with a scapel blade, and glue it with superglue.

I have made myself several punches etc. with which it is possible to
form "rivits" into the plates. It will fold into boxes and other
shapes. Because of its combination of thinness and rigidity it is
superior to plastic card for gun shields, open bridges and those
places where plastic card tends to be over scale thickness.

Alan Clarke a very gifted maker of scratchbuilt aircraft, who lives
nearby originally brought lithoplate to my attention and taught me to
anneal the plate. Basically you wave the plate back and forth a
couple of times through a candle. This causes the plate to become less
rigid, so that it can be formed into curves.

The plate can then be rubbed or rolled over a hard wood former to
produce the complex curves required. Alan skins complete 1.36 scale
aircraft in this way, plate by plate with all the countersunk rivets
pressed into the skin. I have produced complex 1930's style mudguards
etc. This material would be ideal for ships hulls. It works well
stuck as a laminate onto plastic card on larger models in say 1.35
scale.

It is not that easy to get. I spoke to a local printer and have
probably enough to see my future modelling career out for free.

Regards

Nick Balmer

[Derek Warner]

One way is to go to a Milliners store and purchase a hand held tracing wheel
used for I think tracing clothing patterns (about 3/4" diameter with say 32
spikes) - I use 0.003" brass shim - simply cut the hull plates to shape,
using a flexible curve if necessary run the tracing wheel on the required
rivet line path and hey presto on the reverse side you get what looks like
very finely spaced clear rivet head like protrusions

Three tricks - run a second line next to the first (many ship hulls had
multiple rivet line passes), next again turn the plate over and tin the
indentations with soft solder and flux which prevents the externals from
collapsing

Final suggestion is - rub the shim with say 220G wet & dry on both sides
prior to starting (the paint will adhere to the etched surface), and use a
Zinc Chloride liquid soldering flux and flux free solder wire

I will be using certain post added hull plates on Decoy in time

regards Derek