BAN016 hex head flange bolt 1,2mm

The upper limit of the fine band

Twelve tenths closes the group of small diameters. Above it the selection of the same brand continues in a coarser range intended more for military machinery than for motorcycles, so this is the point at which it is proper to consider whether a larger head matches the scale. On a 1:12 model this dimension corresponds to roughly a centimeter bolt on the real machine, which suits the mounting of a footpeg or a brake caliper.

Support it, then drill

• A piece of balsa or hard polystyrene as support under a thin wall while drilling.
• A twelve tenths bit and slow, even turning with no pressure from above.
• A smaller pilot hole, for instance of half the diameter, which guides the main bit accurately.
• Extraction or a brush to keep clearing swarf from the work area.

When the diameter is already too much

On thin plastic covers a hole of this size can weaken the wall so much that it cracks at the first touch. If the part is thinner than about a millimeter, reinforce it from the inside with a sheet of plastic glued on beforehand and let the glue cure properly. Only then drill, otherwise a bulge forms around the bore which cannot be leveled again without losing the surface texture.

It is best to drill only after a test on an offcut of the same plastic. On it you will verify how the material behaves, whether it melts and whether the swarf comes out. Ten seconds of testing saves an hour of repairs on a finished surface.

It is supplied separately as material for finishing a model in progress.