Rescribing - tips for a beginner

[CobolMan]

I'm toying with rescribing the panel lines on the Airfix Vulcan as I suspect that the copious sanding required after the equally copious filling will obliterate the raised detail. However, I've never done this before so I'm after some tips from those of you who have.

What sort of tools should I use and where's the best place to get them from? How would I get straight lines on curved surfaces?

All and any help will be gratefully received - cheers all.

[dr_gn]

CobolMan said:

I'm toying with rescribing the panel lines on the Airfix Vulcan as I suspect that the copious sanding required after the equally copious filling will obliterate the raised detail. However, I've never done this before so I'm after some tips from those of you who have.

What sort of tools should I use and where's the best place to get them from? How would I get straight lines on curved surfaces?

All and any help will be gratefully received - cheers all.

I use the "Tamiya Plastic" and the "Bare Metal Foil" scribers. Both give a similar result, although the Tamiya one has replacable blades, the other would have to be reground. Just do a google search for either; they're widely available. I got the Tamiya one from the LHS.

On my Spitfire rebuild, I had to use loads of filler, and I gave up trying to re-scribe over it - it just flaked off leaving very poor lines. I ended up smoothing it all over and drawing the panel lines on with a mechanical pencil in the end.

http://pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&f...

To get lines on curves I use a combination of a thin metal ruler, strips of credit card or some scribing templates I got online. You can also use Dymo tape if you can find it.

EDIT: templates shown in this article:

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/1999/11/stuf...

Edited by dr_gn on Saturday 26th June 20:41

[Eric Mc]

I use a scriber from the Expo Tools range. I tried an Olfa cutter but didn't really get on with it. As a guide, I use a flexible steel rule and/or Dymo tape.

[DieselGriff]

I haven't done a full re-scribe but have re-scribed detail areas lost during construction using tape, left over PE and a selection of dentist style probes for the actual scraping.

To solve the problem that dr_gn encountered with crumbling filler I know some people use CA glue as their filler which apparently solves this problem but I haven't tried it myself.

[dr_gn]

DieselGriff said:

I haven't done a full re-scribe but have re-scribed detail areas lost during construction using tape, left over PE and a selection of dentist style probes for the actual scraping.

To solve the problem that dr_gn encountered with crumbling filler I know some people use CA glue as their filler which apparently solves this problem but I haven't tried it myself.

I've got some high build CA glue for photo etch. The main problem seems to be that whenever you scribe accros regions of different hardness (plastic-filler-glue-etc) you're likely get a different depth and/or quality of line.

[CobolMan]

Thanks for the tips Eric and dr_gn - I'll post up some pics if it comes out OK.

[11110111]

i've just used the back of a hobby knife and found this to work fine, even on primer.

this was on a 1/43 scale build...