Hi everyone,
Quite Often I remove round access hatches, or the rounded corners of square access hatches in the sanding process. Despite the fact that I have a circle template with holes down to 2mm, I'm never happy with the result.

So, I'm thinking about trying a circular punch. Either cold, or heated. Has anyone tried this, or have another method for restoring circular detail?

Thanks,

Gary

Verlinden , Lion Roar and others make scribing templates to restore that sanded away detail. Some are made for certain kits, the 1/32 revel Corsair has one from Verlinden for instance.
Draftsman drawing templates can be used as well.

I suppose it depends on the detail - if it is engraved panel lines in an otherwise flat surface then your only option is to cut new grooves with the aid of a template. But if it is raised detail that can be replicated with bits of Evergreen of the right shape, then punches can be useful. For circles I have one of those leather punches with multiple cutters on a spur-like wheel, from 2mm to 4mm IIRC. Bigger stuff comes from circular punches originally designed for mounting in a drill press (but used as hand tools at the bench!), and then there is the adjustable hole-cutter for big stuff (a sort of compasses with blade instead of pencil). For square panels with rounded corners, I suppose you could use a bigger cutter for the outer "circle" defined by the corners, and then a straight-edge to cut the sides. But I just cut the rectangle and then round the corners off by eye with a sanding stick.

I guess I should try to be more descriptive of my problem. I have no problems scribing srtaight lines with my UMM-01 scriber.

But when I am trying to turn any corner, I end up with a jagged trough, even when using a pin held in a pin vise. Using anything that is thicker front-to-back than a pin, prevents me from following the hole template.

Does that make any sense?


Gary

Sounds like scribing is the only way forward then. But if you don't mind surgery, you could drill out the offending panel, back the hole with plastic sheet, and cut a new panel to drop in. That way you can have the gap all round, but it is a bit drastic.