[Ross_Moorhouse]

A different way to scribe panel lines..... By BlackWolf posted @ http://etoclub.proboards18.com/index...ead=1101157694

Get it? Groovy? Nevermind...

SO! You'd like to know how to replace some panel lines lost to sanding or you may want to rescribe an entire model, huh? Who the hell'd wanna do that? Ahem... Well... me, for one. I've rescribed two entire models only to have brand-spankin' new kits come out soon thereafter. Grrrrr... Seeing as there's now a decent, 'up-to-date' kit of pretty much everything I'd want to build, I don't think I'll be going through that again any time soon. But hey, you never know!

(edit: I spoke too soon when I wrote this piece because I'm currently in the middle of rescribing a Monogram B-25...)

Anyway, there's still the need to replace a lost panel line every once in awhile. Or maybe you want to make some corrections to a kit. I'm less of a rivet-counter than I used to be, but now and again there's still something that's just SO blatantly incorrect that it has to be taken care of. And sometimes it's a panel line or three...

Alotta guys swear by their Squadron scriber, or some other such store-bought tool. (I swear at 'em...) There are a number of these available on the market as well as a number of alternatives, like the suitably altered X-acto blade, dentist's picks or the ubiquitous needle mounted in a pin-vise. I'm sure that all these diggers work for whoever may use them, but I've rarely had any acceptable success with any of these types of tools. Closest I came was a carbide scriber that my Dad got from work. I still use it for curves, round/oval access panels and other tricky spots, but for the most part it's just not my ideal tool for scribing a straight line.

I looked all over for an easy to use scriber that gave good results. The problem with most scribers is in how they work. You have a small part of the tool, usually an extreme point, that does the actual scribing. When drawing this point along the surface to be scribed, it has a tendancy to skip and jump or simply run off track. This is sometimes due, in no small part, to the skill of the user but nevertheless, the required inherent stability is not present in any of the aforementioned tools. (WOW! Big words!)

Practice makes perfect, but I've used these types of tools so many times and have never been satisfied with the results. Perhaps it's just me; maybe I simply don't get on too well with these diggers. But whatever the reason, the fact remains that, for me, these types of tools do not yield the desired results. Or maybe my standards are too high? I've seen many a re-scribed model which was less than 'perty, but the fellas who did 'em were more than satisfied. I cannot be happy with such mediocrity, myself.



Well... many, many years ago I finally found a stable and easy to use scribing tool; a jeweler's three sided file, which I call a tripe. (Seen above to the left and in the center.) This is a very effective scriber and a bit easier to handle than any other I've used. (For me, anyway.) Unlike other tools, it's a grinding and purely linear action that removes the material to produce a scribing. (Diggers can rotate and wobble considerably from side to side.) Because the action is purely linear and takes place along a greater surface area on the tool itself, there's less chance of skipping off track. And, as with the other tools, you have the ability to make a 'pilot' line to see how things are going before you dig too deep.

There's really not much to using a tripe for scribing, perhaps the most critical thing is to pick a good one. They're not all created equal; I have about a dozen of them and there are only two which I use for this purpose. The thing to look for is the edge where each side meets. This is the part of the file you'll use to cut (scribe) and therefore it's important to find one that's tight and uniform. Most of mine have a thicker edge which would probably be okay for braille scale, but not for 48th or smaller.

Using a tripe to scribe is rather simple and not unlike diggers in that you'll probably need to use a guide of some sort. I've had the best luck with plain 'ole masking tape, but you have to be careful to watch the edge of the tape. With repeated passes it'll get chewed up by the face of the file. This isn't much of a problem however, 'cuz once you get a pilot line you really don't need the tape anymore. Matter of fact, I've actually been able to cut lines freehand quite regularly. It's easy with practice, believe me. Another matter of fact, just recently, I rescribed an entire B-25 fuselage with no tape whatsoever and all the lines are straight as an arrow.

Nevertheless, if you're just trying this out for the first time you'd best be safe and use a guide of some sort. I leave the issue of what to use, if anything, up to the individual, however.


Now, you can go about this any way you wish; what works for me is not necessarily going to work for you...

Firstly, if you're rescribing an entire model with raised lines you may or may not want to remove all surface detail at the get-go. This is mostly a matter of personal preference and disposition. If I'm going to do some freehand work, I just follow the existing lines without using a guide. But if the detail is too petit to follow with the tool then I'm going to have to use a guide of some sort. Either way, I wait until the lines are scribed to sand down any of the existing detail. If I do use a guide, as mentioned above, my weapon of choice is masking tape. But you can use any type of tape which you're comfortable with. I've used some 3M plastic stuff as well as other 'hard' tapes and had good results. But I prefer masking tape or artist's/painter's tape, anything that is paper-based, because it's easy to tear a piece off when needed.

If you go the route of using tape as a guide, pick the line to be replaced, mask it, and start cutting with any edge of the tripe. Start off with light pressure, using the middle and upper part of the file (closer to the tip) in something of a sawing motion to work the whole length of the line until you've got a pilot. You can then remove the masking guide and see where you stand. From there you can either replace the guide or go freehand. How deep you decide to go is entirely up to you.

For cutting in a 'T' intersection, mask off the intersection to help prevent running over the intersected line. (see photo below) Carefully finish off the neck of the 'T', using the very tip of the file. Then scribe the intersected line in the same manner as given above. With care and patience you'll get a clean 'T'.



With practice you'll be able to do this rather quickly and easily. However if you do make a mistake, you can always fill it in and rescribe. I recommend using CA/superglue to fill in an area where you'll be scribing. With diggers CA can be a pup to scribe through and it will usually chip, but with the tripe it's just like plastic, maybe a bit tougher; and it'll hold up much better than putty.

For tight areas or curves, use the very tip of the file. As I alluded to early on, you may also want to use another tool for this; using a tripe for rounded corners on an access panel is possible, but not all that easy. Circular panels (gas caps and such) are almost out of the question. I use a digger and a template for these.

Another thing you can use a tripe for is rivets. If you have one that has a very sharp tip it's the easiest thing in the world to drill in a rivet. Just center the tip and twist. The hard part is keeping them in a straight line! But if you mark the rivets off properly and use a guide of some sort, there should be no problem at all. Whatever system you use for this is up to you, but I have a simple system of making marks on tape, laying it down and 'riveting' where I've made the marks.

Once you're finished scribing a line you're going to want to clean it out 'cuz there'll be residue left over. Some guys use a toothpick or something else to run along each line and dig all that stuff out. I prefer to use a plastic stencil brush that you can find in any craft store. The bristles are short, relatively stiff and are made of soft plastic. This means you can scrub all that stuff outta the lines and not worry about scratching the model.

That's about it, very simple and easy, especially once you get the hang of it. All the variables like masking guides and such are really up to the individual. Also, as I said, what works for me may not work for you. You may be comfortable with a digger for scribing lines. But, if not, you may find this method a bit easier.


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