Hi,
I’m fairly new to trying some techniques that enhance a model’s appearence. One of these is rescribing panel lines on aircraft after sanding. Could anybody please advice me on how could I rescribe, particularly round curved edges like the fuselage, fuel tanks, etc. I’ve tried subscribing with a model knife and straight ruler on a surface that is flater, like a wing or something, and the knife has slipped and scratched the surface.[:)] Thanks.
Many people use plain masking tape (sometimes doubled up) to form the edge to be scribed. I personally prefer using embossing tape (label makers). It’s stiff plastic, conforms to most shapes, can be cut to fit odd shaped areas, and holds fast to the model. The only (minor) downside is that you need to clean your model with alcohol to get the tape adhehive off once you’re done.
Robert
Thank you, I’ll try that out.
My question is how do you remove raised panel lines to rescribe recessed lines ?
Walt
Walt,
If the raised panel lines are sturdy enough you can scribe along that line itself and then sand the raised line away.
If that is not possible then you sand off the raised panel lines and rescribe where they were. This can get confusing so it is best to do one at a time.
A good trick is to put a small pin hole at each end of a raised panel line to establish where it was and then sand it off. Then you scribe from one pinhole to the other to establish your new panel line. [tup]
Mike
I tend to use old pieces of PE to rescribe panel lines lost during sanding. These bend great around curves. I normally hold them there in place, but Tamiya tape holds them in place if you need to. So just remember not to throw any PE frets away, as they all have dead straight edges. I prefer to use a scribing tool such as from Squadron or Olfa. I hope this helps.
For curves though a pencil scriber is far better. Also use a flexible metal ruler, or better still measurement tape…(the flexible metal strip…)
Even if you scrape the lines the lines still show as a llighter plastic color.
But better is to draw along the lines with ink or pencil when scraping the ink will just go away…
I’m having the same problem right now–I used some molten sprue to fill in the seam of the wing, and when I sanded it down I lost some panel lines. I find that running over the old lines with a sewing needle does a good job–thinner than what you can achieve with a hobby knife, and it doesn’t take as much pressure/force so you don’t find yourself with devastating scratches when it slips.