Engraving panel lines?

[Ian M]

Submitted to the urge and got hold of Airfixes 1/48 SeafireIII.

The wings are a new tooling with etched panels but the fusalage is with raised panels.

How do you do etched panel lines

[Guest]

The general way is to get a tool called a 'P' cutter which is a curved cutting blade that scrapes a groove. The raised panel lines are sanded to the surface but leaving enough to see where they were. Then, using either a strait edge or 'Dymo' tape as a guide, the 'P' cutter is pulled along the lines until the desired depth is achieved. There are very thin steel flexi template guides available with various holes, round, square and oval in differing sizes. These can be used to get access hatches etc done neatly.

I have tried scribing using pointed tools like dental probes etc but I don't find them that good as they tend to scratch a groove but also raise a lot of the plastic along the edges meaning it has to be sanded back down again, very laborious process. As the 'P' cutter design is to cut a groove rather than scratch it out, a cleaner finish can be achieved.

I nearly bought one of these 'P' cutters at Hinckley show but for some reason I didn't, will have to get one though. Dave and I discussed this very problem at Hinckley and Dave mentioned that he uses the back edge of his blade to achieve the same thing. Having used his tip to scribe the lines in the wood base for my FW190, I can say it does work. However you do it, it is a long laborious job where you have to very gently run whatever tool you use along the line very lightly as many times as required. As soon as you get bored and put pressure on to speed it up, trust me it will all go wrong.

The other thing is that if the raised lines are well done, don't worry about them. I know, although only by seeing kits done with it, that Promodeller Wash (available from Scale Models shop) works with raised panel lines as well.

[stona]

Whenever I scribe,which is rare and usually to replace detail I've lost, I use a scriber from Bare Metal Foil which does a great job. I use Dymo tape as described by Graham. BTW the skins on a Spitfire fuselage were not let in but rather overlapped with rivets passing through both skins and into the supporting frame.

Cheers

Steve

Edit sorry Seafire...same anyway.

[colin m]

I've only just started playing with scribing panel lines and use a nail for the job. OK, there's a bit more to it than that. The nail is reduced to a fine straight tip (not pointed like a needle) with a dremmel. The head is cut off and the new 'tool' is held in a 'hand vice' (I'm not sure what it is called but came from Hobby shop) The great thing about making your own is you can shape the head anyway you want, a slight angle works well for me.

Regards

Colin M.......

[Guest]

Being an economical type, I use a Jewellers screw driver set for both drilling holes and scribing panel lines, they are very small and have very sharp edges Cheers Derek

[Guest]

I actually have to rescribe some lines on my F-86f now and have in the past used a new sharp injection needle that you gently tap pointy bit onto a hard surface to curl the edge to about 45 degrees to the needle's shaft. Theis makes a realy nice scribe that cuts clean lines.

Theuns

[colin m]

Well this tells a story doesn't it, Steve uses foil, Derek uses a jewellers' screw driver, Theuns uses a hyperdermic needle. And I use a nail...............

Colin M.........

[stona]

Steve uses foil,

Hi Colin,I use a scribe made by "Bare metal foil"

It digs a nice V shaped line and for the most part ejects the swarf. It is sharp and therefore very unforgiving if you stray from your guide or template. I don't remember what it cost or even where I bought it but it's been worth it.

Cheers

Steve