BAN509 hex nut with bolt 2,0mm

The spacing the eye counts

The upper end of the dimensional scale has a special standing on a model. Heads this heavy rarely occur in isolation; almost always they form a circle around something that has to be able to come off: around a wheel hub, an exhaust flange, a gearbox lid or an engine room hatch. And a circle has a property there is no escaping, because the viewer subconsciously counts its members.

The 2.0 mm dimension offered therefore calls for a little extra preparation. It pays to lay the spacing out so that the gaps are equal and the number matches the subject. An irregular circle on a model is far more glaring than a missing detail, because the eye is waiting for regularity.

Dividers instead of an estimate

A proven trick is to draw the spacing on a strip of paper, wrap it around the part and transfer the points with a needle. An estimate by eye fails even with experienced builders, because a curved surface distorts the optics and what looked symmetrical from above falls apart from the side.

A coarse joint has a coarse function too

Behind a size there is always some force. Where the designer reached for heavy hardware, something heavy or heavily stressed is held, and a model that keeps to this logic looks credible even without a single caption. When massive heads end up on a thin cover, by contrast, the whole impression falls apart.

Seating

Because of the higher profile, pre-drilling a seat is always recommended with this dimension. The part then holds around its whole circumference and survives even ordinary handling of a finished model.