Anyone have tips on dealing with raised panel lines? I've got an old subchaser with the raised lines, and was wondering if anyone's rescribed their own. I've seen Testors scribing tool, and it seems to me you'd need some sort of guide to make the lines straight. Are there certain situations where leaving the raised lines is the smarter thing to do? Help would be appreciated. Thanks,

YodaMan

First make sure the panel you need to scribe is indeed recessed. I was at an air show in OKC and got up close to the helldiver and guess what? It had lapped joints in some areas.

Also some lines on some vehicles are wield line that should be raised.

Check your references.

Steve

If your intent on scribing recessed lines, I read an article (on some website) about using masking tape as a guide. You basically box in the area you want to scribe and scribe along the inside edge of the masking tape to get the recessed lines. As your done with a section, take the tape off, put down new tape in another area and then scribe it. This technique was used extensively on aircraft but I'm sure could be used in other areas as well.

The tape trick Bryan mentioned works well, but you will need thick tape to get a good guidance for a straight line. I use Dymo label tape (for the old "punch" action labeler), which is a thick PVC tape, I think. The adhesive is quite strong so it will conform to compound curves (don't do it on painted surfaces though). Just cut the length you need, put it on and scribe along the edge. You can use the length several times if the surface of your model is clean (free of dust and mold release agent).
HTH

How about using the raised panel lines as a guide and scribing along those. Then, after you've scribed. Simply remove the raised portion? Sound OK?


Tread.

If it has raised panel lines.....i get rid of the whole model

Hmmm, next time you 'get rid of the whole model', would you please give me a jingle Chappy?


Tread.

Scribing along raised panellines works ok (I have done it on several occasions), but only if they really are grossly overscale!! The bigger the better!! It will be difficult to follow the petite, fine raised panellines found on some models. In those cases it is best to sand off the lines first or to put the tape just next to the line (less than a 0.5 mm) and scribe "in between" the raised panelline and the tape. Don't get the tape to close to the panellines or your scriber might get "caught" in the line and jump to the other side. I've had that happen several times and makes for a very ugly jagged scribed line.

You are quite correct David, it does take a steady hand to scribe along the existing raised panel lines. Fortunately, of the many things that have left me since I was young, a steady hand is not one of them

Or is that just the alcohol....

Tread. :-)

Actually, Tread, scribing is easier with a little alcohol
If you scribe too "cramped" it will go wrong.... It takes practice and I have filled dozens of wrongly scribed panellines. I also like to use white-out correction fluid (NOT the waterbased one, but the solvent based stuff) for small scratches that I make. I have recently also tried filling wrong scibed lines with stretched sprue : lay the stretched sprue into the line and let some liquid glue flow along it to tack it down, then use a little more to really soften the sprue and "squash" it in with something, I use my Squadron putty applicator, let dry for about a week, sand and you're ready to rescribe (and the filler has the same hardness as the plastic!!!!!). Worked great for me.
:-)

Real good input Blue. I have read thru some threads that have talked about using 'White-Out' for overall filling of small surface scratches with good results. Never used it myself, always just done it the old school way and wet sanded for the most part. I guess I've got to catch up with these 'new fangled' methods. Heck, I was thrilled when I found out what those plug things in the wall were for. Electricity! Wow, I thought they only had that in the big cities... hehe.
As for stretched sprue. Again, another bicycle riding lesson I guess. Read another post about using the sprue for laying along edges as fodder for simulating weld seams. Humph...seems like a lot of work. But listen to me, who am I kidding, I've been using a seamstresses mini iron edge that has been filed down to individually scribe in zimmerit on the sides of my kits. So, I guess I'm fooling myself about the 'lot of work' comment.

Tread.

Have not tried that one before either. Guess it goes the same way as filling scribed lines, only without the scribed lines
I have never applied zimmerit before either. I don't have a seamstresses iron, so I guess that idea is off the list

I guess I will try the putty method some day. Do you have any tips?

Thanks all! I'll be working on a subchaser, the panel lines in question are on the main hull. Since the ship was made out of wood, (wood can float ?!?) it's a reasonable assumption that the lines on the real thing are recessed.
Now, when I get the scribing tool I'll be sure to heed the warnings that say 'blade is extremely sharp - do NOT touch'. I kinda ignored that when I got new blades for my hobby knife. Hey, I could touch the old blade and not get cut...

YodaMan
'Ow, quit it!'

I would suggest looking at some wooden hulled ships at the local marina. Older wood hulled boats may have had a rougher finish than newer types.

If you're talking about zimmerit, the conversion kit companies make it the easiest way possible for you. They make 'add-on' kits that attach relatively easy to simulate the stuff.
A little heavy in the pesos department, bit worth it I'm told.
Actually I'm looking at retiring my 'iron' and purchasing a pyrogravure. Same basic method, just a little more accurate.

Tread.