Scale air plane stitching

[Gregor77]

Because my IPhone images are too big, I can't load this up with shots.  So I will attempt to explain.

I have been working on my N17 Nieuport similar to the one that Rob had just completed. 

I needed a way to make the stitching that you generally see on WW1 and a few WW2 air planes.

See attached (Paint job that I am replicating, you can see the stitching on the side under the top wing).

[Gregor77]

I tried a few methods and they all seemed to fail  (Too thick, didn't look right, etc)

Well one method did work.   Thanks to everyone that assisted!

1. Make a strip of tan solartex along the line of the stitch, it needs in my case to be roughly 2 cm think and the length required.
2. Create a zip zag pattern with white elmers glue, yes, glue.  Not too thick, just a fine line.  The stuff will spread, also make sure that the model is flat facing so that the glue doesn't run up or down.
3. Once the stitch pattern is dry, get the same glue and put a small dab on each tip of the zig zag, this will replicate a bolt in the later step.
4. Now cut a strip of the same colour of the fuse, in my case the silver solartex.  I needed one for the top and one for the bottom in equal lengths with about a 3 mm gap between the two, same as the tan strip that the glue is on.
5.  Use your covering iron and tack the two pieces on.  Once that is done, use the iron in the gaps between the drops of glue on each tip.  This should start to give you a stitch mark as you move down the two strips of silver.
6. Once that is done, grab a cloth and your heat gun, gently run the heat gun across the top and bottom piece of solartex.  At the same time, use the cloth to push down on the glue stitching, the detail should start to come out.  You can touch it up with the iron here and there.

That is really all it took.  I will try to post some more images.  You can use this on the wings and other places that you want to add some details.   You can also use white flue if you want to make bolts or pop rivets before you paint a model.

[octagon]

Thanks for doing all the figuring out work Greg, good job. I know it took you a while to get it right, and now it looks really, really good. Today I will be trying to replicate your technique on my N11. If it doesn't work out for me I will wipe it all off and deliver my fuselage to you and pick it up next weekend!