DIY Screw Heads

I'm in between projects at the moment, so it's a good time to post a simple tutorial on one of the tricks I came up with while building the RG freedom. Although you can purchase actual micro screws from stores that specialize in metal detail-up parts, they can be pretty hard to find and are also quite expensive. Here's a quick guide on how to make plastic micro screw heads for detailing up your kit.

What you'll need to make your own:
1. A mini hobby saw. (I got a set by Trumpeter for about $5)
2. Masking tape.
3. Scrap plastic sheet.
4. Plastic rod. (Diameter of your choice, this will be the diameter of the screw head)

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Step 1. Stack up some scrap plastic sheets until you get the thickness close to HALF of the diameter of your rod. Make 2 stacks like this and tape them to your saw blade.

Step 2. Sand the tip of the rod flat. Place the saw blade on a flat surface and hold it securely with one hand. With your free hand, take the rod and gently rub the tip back and forth against the saw. Try to hold the rod as flat as possible. The objective is to saw a shallow line down the middle of the tip. Don't saw too deep - less than 1/3 the thickness of the screw head you want should be enough.

Step 3. Now take your hobby knife and cut off the end of the rod. Keep the cut as straight as possible, or use a rod cutter if you have one.

And that's it! With some trial and error, you should end up with something like this:

Now you're ready to use it in whatever application you can think of!

More budget friendly tutorials coming soon!