Hi,

I am scratch building a .30 caliber mount for my SBD-3 dauntless which came with only a single mount. I have all the items: guns, cradle, web scope etc. What I need to do is the gun shield. I am using unwanted photo etch parts for the shields. I successfully cut the side shields and the top shield, but I can't cut the openning inside where the gunner looks through. Can anyone help me? I dont want to spend money to buy a whole photo etch set just for one part.

If you want to know what it looks like, check this link:

http://www.fortunecity.com/marina/indiabasin/464/sbd_detail-2.html

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


Hugh

Let me first preface this by saying that I have never worked with photoetch so I may be barking up the wrong tree here. Isn't PE usually very thin and if so, why can't you just trace out the area you want to remove and then cut it our with a sharp #11 x-acto blade.

Hi Byran,

I tried that, but I could not make a clean cut with the #11 xacto blade( The only blade I have). When the blade does go through, it bends the other side.

Thanks,

Hugh

Hugh - try making it out of pewter foil... look in the SCRATCHBUILDING folder for the recent subject of "Cheaper alternatives for Lead Foil"....or something close to that... towards the end of the thread, you will see a photo and here is the link to order it online...

http://campscrafts.safeshopper.com/119/2779.htm?389

I have built entire turrents and cannons from this stuff... can easily be cut with a blade knife, yet like lead foil, will hold it's shape!

Or use plasticard.... ! For rounded surfaces, soft metals like lead and pewter are better, for flat surfaces you may prefer plastics. Both cut easily.
Jan