Technique to scribe panel lines

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
21

I’ve got a squadron scribing tool… I wasn’t happy with it a first; I had troubles with uneven lines and gouges. Then I found what I thought was going to be my superscriber… a broken micro end mill (~1/32") that I found in the junk drawer at work. But then I went back and did a comparison with the squadron tool, and they’re about the same now (somehow my technique with the squadron scriber drastically improved).

The trick with the mill is to line it up just right. I also tried it with new end mills, and they didn’t work nearly as well. I don’t know if it’s because they were larger (~1/16") or because they weren’t broken.

The best thing about both of these is that when you do it right, the material coming off coils right up, and there’s rarely any need to sand/scrape off ridges.

22

For scribing tools & templates try Hobbylink Japan, they have quite a range of templates & rivet tools.
HLJ http://www.hlj.com/index.html
Search for “scrib” to see most of the tools.

23

Many thanks to everyone who helped me on some doubts!

24

Miduppergunner,
From the Olfa site, the products are:-
CMP-1 Compass Cutter
P-800 Scriber. (This tool is designed to cut a thin line in plastic so that it can be ‘snapped’ off, but if you use it carefully, it produces lovely panel lines.
Hope this helps.

25

Miduppergunner

I too use an olfa scribing tool. Check out their website at http://www.olfa.co.jp/ under the Hobbycraft and Utility Models of their cutters. Mine is the P-450 model. It’s sturdy and, like the bare metal scribers, removes a thin portion of the plastic.