Very cool rivet alternative

[DKS]

I emailed the manufacturer on my own to urge them to consider an N scale proportioned product, and the response time was maybe a little too quick. Basically, they want to know, what (realworld) size and pitch(es) would we want. Too much for me to figure out on no food and little sleep. Anyone want to pitch (pun intended) in some recommendations I can pass back to them?

I'm sure others will make detailed recommendations, but I did just want to suggest, in addition to specific sizes and pitches, that they perhaps also position the rivets in various patterns, such as alternating rows, which would be useful for things like bridges, tank cars, etc., like this:

http://flickr.com/photos/tripletlads/2525790457/

[sirenwerks]

We're on the same wavelength David. I was gonna recommend that too.

[sirenwerks]

I'll try asking again, so the rivet counters (and measurers) have the option to chime in now or forever hold their peace - what size rivet would be optimal for N scale and what pitches would we want to see. The manufacturer wants to hear what we want, and there's a chance we can get it, or at least something finer than what he already produces.

[DKS]

These were covered in the last edition of Cody's office, for those of you who are MR subscribers...
Looks like a neat idea.
I've heard that they are a little "fat" for the smaller scales, though...

Lee

Lee, I used the .008 diameter rivets which (obviously) converts to 1.28 inches. Probably a bit big.
Here is the link
http://www.archertransfers.com/AR88014.html

Dave

Has anyone else here ordered from Archer Transfers? I placed an order with them back in December, and never received it. I contacted them; they responded immediately, and they claim they shipped a replacement order in early January. Still have not received anything. We have triple-checked my shipping information, and it is correct. This is all very odd.

I've been getting email ads from them for interesting new rivet detail products, but I'm a little reluctant to place an order now...

[3rdrail]

Has anyone else here ordered from Archer Transfers? I placed an order with them back in December, and never received it. I contacted them; they responded immediately, and they claim they shipped a replacement order in early January. Still have not received anything. We have triple-checked my shipping information, and it is correct. This is all very odd.

I've been getting email ads from them for interesting new rivet detail products, but I'm a little reluctant to place an order now...

Perhaps your letter carrier is an armor modeler??  ;D ;D ;D

[160pennsy]

Has anyone else here ordered from Archer Transfers? I placed an order with them back in December, and never received it. I contacted them; they responded immediately, and they claim they shipped a replacement order in early January. Still have not received anything. We have triple-checked my shipping information, and it is correct. This is all very odd.

I've been getting email ads from them for interesting new rivet detail products, but I'm a little reluctant to place an order now...

David,

Not sure how many days passed between placing my order & getting the product, but I just checked the postmark & it's dated Dec 5 2008. It didn't seem to take very long since they're located approx 32 miles from me .

With this kinda stuff available now, my old method of using a razor saw pressed into the substrate to create "make-believe" rivets, gets thrown out the window! Besides the .008 rivets, I also received Access Panels (p/n AR88003) & Raised Panel Lines (p/n AR88013)...which look like they might work for our chosen scale. Someone had posted photos of this product being used for a steam engine tender kitbash..maybe over on the Trainboard forum?

[pfs]

I ordered from them last fall and received product within 10 days or so.


I don't have specs, but if Archer could 'half' or 'three quarter' their smallest rivet and weld I would be happy.

[Walkercolt]

By the time they're painted, anything under .005" I don't think you could see. That's about a .8" rivet head in N-scale. .006" I think would be acceptable. Spacing between rivets of course varies with how much stress is placed on a joint or seam. I think about a scale 3" spacing would be the closest spacing needed(measured from an actual old riveted end tankcar, and an old RR bridge that's now a pedestrian bridge for a trail). Maybe 6" spacing would be more popular and one could "double rivet" for "high stress" areas. I know that technique is popular with armour modelers. .005" (actually .02mm) rivets are the norm on 1/350th scale warship models now being made(I opened a box and got out the calipers). That's about the size of two average human hairs. Under a .002-.003" paint film and decals, I don't think you can see anything much smaller. It's the old "scale fiedelity" vs: "scale effect" problem. Your mileage may vary.

[Dave Schneider]

Has anyone else here ordered from Archer Transfers? I placed an order with them back in December, and never received it. I contacted them; they responded immediately, and they claim they shipped a replacement order in early January. Still have not received anything. We have triple-checked my shipping information, and it is correct. This is all very odd.

I've been getting email ads from them for interesting new rivet detail products, but I'm a little reluctant to place an order now...

My experience was very positive....and not in one of those fake eBay feedback sort of ways. I ordered the wrong product, and I contacted them when it arrived. They immediately shipped me what I wanted and just asked that I return the incorrect product. No questions asked, no demand for additional postage, and they trusted me to do the right thing.  Your experience does seem odd.

Best wishes, Dave

[ClaudeM]

I'll try asking again, so the rivet counters (and measurers) have the option to chime in now or forever hold their peace - what size rivet would be optimal for N scale and what pitches would we want to see. The manufacturer wants to hear what we want, and there's a chance we can get it, or at least something finer than what he already produces.

4 by 6 is my recommendation.

[DKS]

Well, it's been quite an adventure, but thankfully Woody (owner of Archer Fine Transfers) not only believed me, but was willing to persist. My first order was lost in the mail. Then, the replacement order was lost in the mail. I finally paid him to send the order again via Priority Mail so we could track it. I almost wished the third shipment had be lost, too, because it might have helped us find out where the black hole was between North Carolina and New Jersey. But I did finally get my rivets.

In looking at the sheets, I have a suspicion I know how they're made. I used to work as a printer, and printers have an old trick for business cards to make ordinary offset printing look like engraving. The freshly-printed cards are dusted with a fine resin powder, which sticks to the ink; then the cards are passed through a heat fuser. I'm pretty certain this is what Archer is doing. The giveaway is that the printing (company name and item number) across the bottom are raised, just like the rivets--and just like lettering on faux engraved business cars.

Interesting. Brings to mind other possibilities...