Archer Fine Transfers

Surface Details AR88002 - US/British Fasteners, Rivets and Screws Surface Details AR880033- Access Panels and Piano Hinges

Reviewed by  Floyd S. Werner, Jr., IPMS# 26266

MSRP: $14.95 each Ever built an older model with raised rivet detail, say the Revell/Monogram AH-1G Cobra or something similar, and while building it you sand away the rivets near the join? Then you are stuck with missing rivets and wondering how to replace them. You can leave it alone, re-rivet the whole thing, or try to replicate them with glue. Those were your only choices, until now. Archer has provided these neat little rivets that you can apply before you paint. These little things are ingenious. They are properly spaced and you can apply them one at a time or in a line. The decals are suitably thick and will look exactly like the old rivets. Note that they are not dry transfers but are actually decals. Well actually they are cast resin on a clear decal film - an industry first according to the manufacturer. Of course that makes them hard to categorize, being essentially what photoetch is (3-dimensional) but they are resin that apply like decals. You can apply them directly to the model and not worry about silvering because you are going to paint over them anyway. Where were these about two months ago when I needed them? The other set I have is the access panels and piano hinges. These are really nice and will add to a model. You are treated to fuel ports, in various scales. Round panels, oval, rectangular, and square panels complete with screw patterns are provided in a variety of sizes for any application. The piano hinges are in two distinct sizes. These two sets are unique in their application and address an annoying problem with the rivets. I will be using them in the very near future. Highly recommended. Thanks to Patrick Keenan for the review samples. You can obtain these directly from Archer Fine Transfers (www.archertransfers.com) .

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