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[Robin smith]

I have been in the process of building a Speedline 1/12 Severn.
This about 3 week away from completion now.
 
I have not been able to get hold of sufficient dummy bolt heads need 850 to complete. I have had to order these from a company in the UK which has cost me £480 for 2000 to be made and nickel plated.
 
Without these I would never be able to create standard of model which I wanted to.
The Speedline Severn is a fantastic model which is enhanced in terms of interest by the crane and the Y boat plus of course the effect of these bolts securing panels etc.
 
Adrian was not able to supply as his supplier has a minimum order quantity of 50000 hence the reason why his bolt kit is probably £80. If nobody is buying the Severn then he cannot be reasonably be expected to hold this amount of speculative stock.
 
I have some 1000 bolts which are available if somebody requires them or I can certainly let you have my source.
 
In spite of this additional cost the kit is still good value and it would be a pity if people out there did not buy the Severn.
 
Regards
 
Robin

[Neil]

robin, if only you had done a little research into this, before buying and looked at a previous post, made only a few days ago you could have saved yourself £474 quid......I and another member put up alternatives to Speedlines' bolt heads and my hexagonal rods in sizes of 1,1.5 and 2mm widths in 600mm lengths for 10 strips at around six quid for a packet.......and when they are painted in stainless you can't tell the difference...............we answer questions like this to save people money and give good advice.

Sometimes I feel myself as though I am beating my head against a brick wall, and I'll bet other members are doing so too???

it's up to you as to whether you take the advice  or not...........but as they say the only silly question is the one you don't ask.

[Robin smith]

Dear Neil,
 
Thank you for your comments I certainly have not seen the previous post.
 
While your idea is great I do not have a lathe and therefore could not guarantee every bolt would be the same thickness.
 
In addition the remaining shank helps to locate precisely in the pre drilled hole.
 
I don't know how long it would take to locally manufacture 1500 dummy bolts either perhaps you could enlighten me on this?
 
Regards
 
Robin

[Neil]

well, the plastic extruded sprue that these are made from in hexagonal profile can be cut with a sharp knife to the thickness you would have required by making a simple jig so that each and every bolt head would have been exactly the same thickness...........it would have probably taken around two hours to make all 1500 dummy bolt heads.........( saving you "solicitors" type fees of 240 quid an hour at the rate you paid for yours....then simply stick them on rows of inverted masking tape......spray with silver and then glue to your decks and cabin of the Severn

they would look just as effective as the lot for the price you paid, a fraction of the cost, and you could sail your lifeboat in salt water without fear of them going rusty, because even nickel silver at that size will rust unsightly in salt water.

neil.

[Robin smith]

I bow to your ultimate wisdom!!!

[Neil]

robin....instead of being sarcastic,........ just remember.....that is what we are ALL  here for.........to share hints, tips and above all experience and knowledge amongst ourselves.............and if only you'd have asked first..............we could have saved you nearly half a K.............I think a little humble pie in asking is worth nearly 500 quid every time!!!..............I know it is to me, and I will always ask before spending hard earned money...........and so would many others  on here

[grendel]

surely 14ba bolts would have been cheaper, just chop off the shafts (actually I just looked and £15 for 50 comes out expensive too)
Grendel

[mersey dave]

Hi Neil, I like your idea......so tell me please were do you get yours from.

Regards Dave.

[Neil]

Hi Neil, I like your idea......so tell me please were do you get yours from.

Regards Dave.

here ya go dave.....cheap as chips..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xhexagonal+plastic+rod&_nkw=hexagonal+plastic+rod&_sacat=0&_from=R40

[mersey dave]

Thanks Neil.

Best regards Dave.

[Robin smith]

Lets get one thing straight Neil I was not being sarcastic I haven't got the time for all that.
 
What you had advised I thought was and is a good idea. Personally I would not wish to go down that route as I feel my own ability to achieve this is not up to it. I just cannot see myself chopping up 1500 pieces cleaning them up etc don't think this would work for me. Plus the fact getting them in a nice straight line!!! i dont think I would be alone in admitting this.
 
I had looked at past posts on this not recent ones and had read all sorts of ideas about pressing them out of styrene sheet etc.
 
I also looked as had Adrian I think had at photo etching but there is a thickness problem. Now I could get a better thickness than perhaps Adrian had achieved by a supplier but it fell slightly short of the standard 14 BA head. If I had not already used a number of bolts then I may have been tempted to use these. I considered the difference in size would show.
 
I also looked at the idea of buying the bolts, snipping them down to leave a small shank and then nickel plating. The only probelm was getting the quantity I wanted and these were not available plus the nickel plating would have cost me a minimum charge of £60   vat. I would not have saved that much plus there are not many nickel platers in my area.

I have done a fair bit of work on this and while the initial costs are high I am hoping that this supplier will get his prices down for any future requirement and be a source for Adrian as opposed to going to his supplier which is in Switzerland I think.
 
I appreciatte everyones help and advice on this topic and the commenst made.
 
Robin