I thought I would share a quick and easy way that I have found to put rivets onto MonoKote or other plastic covering. Anytime I happen to be in a craft store, I always look around to see what I might be able to use on a model (you never know what you might find!). Well, I found this nifty little pizza cutter-looking tool. I’m not sure what it is really used for; instead of being a cutting blade it has rounded points all the way around.
So, on to how I use this to make rivets. It’s super easy! Just find a three-view of the airplane you want to replicate and mark where you want the rivets to go. Then hold a straightedge in place and roll away. Only apply light pressure, as you do not want to make any weak spots in the balsa; you just want to mark the covering. It’s that simple!

Panel lines really dress up an ordinary ARF.

Tracing wheels for sewing patterns like this one are readily available at craft stores. Lightly rolled over film covering on a model, they can create realistic panel lines. Use a straightedge to keep your panel lines even.
Text & photos by Dan Landis
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