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Scribing Panel Lines & Opening Doors


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I have a BMF scriber and have tried using the back of the #11 exacto blade. The scriber works great for straight lines, but I have a hard time doing small radius curves. The Exacto blade and I just don't get along at all, it never goes where I want it. I recently found a very inexpensive tool that is readily available, a straight pin. It cuts great and to me is very controllable, you just need to find one that isn't too soft as these will bend easily. Just drag it at about 30-45 degrees to the surface and it will cut through pretty quick and doesn't take out much material at all.

Edited by Psychographic
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I've always wished someone made a tool to re scribe or scribe window trim lines that is easy and almost un-fallible...for instance say you cut open a window in a panel and need to make the trim lines for the window.

What if you took a piece of brass stock and cut it like this.

I I

I I

I __ I

I I \/

I__I

The leg to the left would ride along the edge of your opening, and the pointed part to the right could cut the groove.

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What if you took a piece of brass stock and cut it like this.

I I

I I

I __ I

I I \/

I__I

The leg to the left would ride along the edge of your opening, and the pointed part to the right could cut the groove.

Good Idea David...I got to make me one of those since I am always converting 2 doors to 4 doors or wagons and restoring oldies. Thanks!

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I've tried a plethora of scribers, picks etc. over the years. I still have not found a tool that does the curves of a door or trunk line great.

I think I'll give the thread method a try some day.

I'd also like to see a tool that would allow routing a channel for a window to set into so glass could be installed from the outside like a 1:1.

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I've tried a plethora of scribers, picks etc. over the years. I still have not found a tool that does the curves of a door or trunk line great.

I think I'll give the thread method a try some day.

I'd also like to see a tool that would allow routing a channel for a window to set into so glass could be installed from the outside like a 1:1.

Try the straight pins for doing the curves, hold the pin close to the pointed end for more control.

You could try making a tool with the description I made above, just leave out the pointed edge on the right. File the flat edge at an angle so it could scrape the plastic. I don't know for sure if it would work, but it's worth a try.

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  • 3 weeks later...

What a great idea! I have a bunch of jeweler's saw blades, and never thought about using them for modelling. BTW, jeweler's saw blades are similar to the Dremel blades, they come in various sizes. The smallest- 8/0, is .006" thick and .013" wide, with 84 teeth per inch (very fine). I will be adding some to my model tool kit. Thanks!

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What a great idea! I have a bunch of jeweler's saw blades, and never thought about using them for modelling. BTW, jeweler's saw blades are similar to the Dremel blades, they come in various sizes. The smallest- 8/0, is .006" thick and .013" wide, with 84 teeth per inch (very fine). I will be adding some to my model tool kit. Thanks!

Also a great idea Hugh. Those sound like great blades!

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  • 3 months later...
  • 5 months later...

This is what I use for scribing panel lines, deepening panel lines, and removing panels, which I don't do often, but I've tried it, and it works great! Trumpeter's awesome Panel Scriber, the tip is solid as a rock, thin, and just about as sharp as an X-Acto blade. And the best part is, it won't bend like the Micro-Mark scriber I used to use!

TrumpeterPanelScriber-vi.jpg

And here's a couple of pics showing lines that were cut with it. First up is Revell's '65 Chevy pickup, the center panel between the fenders was one solid piece, I added the lines to separate it from the fenders.

ToneysTributeTruck419-vi.jpg

And the fender was cut loose from the rocker panel in this shot, one of my big pet peeves on models!

ToneysTributeTruck470-vi.jpg

Edited by Custom Mike
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  • 3 months later...

I just started my first top-chop, and I am having a hard time figuring out how to rescribe the doors since all of the lines were completely filled. The problem as I see it is trying to get a straight line using a metal ruler... I know it will not lay flat, but if I have to hold it in place while doing the scribe, I will surely lose hold and create a mess. Should I just draw a pencil line to start out, and follow that instead of a straight edge? (BTW, I have a Trumpeter scribing tool.)

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Frank, I draw out my panel line, then lay a piece of masking tape down to use as a guide, and slowly, lightly start scribing the line. Take your time and you can get a panel line that is smooth and even all the way along the line. Here's a shot of one I did like that, the Magnum has 4 doors, I made it into a two door using that method and the Trumpeter panel scriber. I also did the lines in the hood the same way, it just takes a ton of patience!

Momad264-vi.jpg

Edited by Custom Mike
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Frank, I draw out my panel line, then lay a piece of masking tape down to use as a guide, and slowly, lightly start scribing the line. Take your time and you can get a panel line that is smooth and even all the way along the line. Here's a shot of one I did like that, the Magnum has 4 doors, I made it into a two door using that method and the Trumpeter panel scriber. I also did the lines in the hood the same way, it just takes a ton of patience!

Beautiful work, by the way! Your suggestion about using masking tape as a guide - that's great! I can see how that would help immensely! Thanks for your input!

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  • 4 months later...
  • 3 years later...

So..... I searched "scriber" hoping to see something more recent.   I just looked at eBay > Toys & Hobbies > scriber tool and found a ton of different style tools that ranged from what looks like super narrow chisels, photo-etch saw blades, templates, scrapers for edges and mold lines, holy cow!  Most made in China.  I've seen the type of line chisel that is a hook that you drag, carbide, but really expensive, and hard to find.  I see in a previous post the Trumpeter tool, which I saw, looks good enough to try out.

Anyone have experience with the latest?

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  • 3 weeks later...
3 hours ago, aurfalien said:

Unsure if its been brought up on this thread but the UMM scribers are very worthy.

I looked before dredging up, last month, thanks for the recommendation.

 

14 minutes ago, martinfan5 said:

"... removes a fine swarf ..." ?

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  • 2 months later...
On 6/20/2008 at 5:59 AM, MrObsessive said:

Okay! Sorry it took me so long to answer..............I actually saw the question late last evening, but that's a tough time for me to do any lengthy posts as I work third shift-------and I have to eat dinner, get myself ready, and be out the door by 10:00 PM.

 

Now, the first thing I recommend about opening anything is good reference. I'll comb the 'net to find pics of a particular car I'm interested in to get pics of the doors open, pics of the door jambs, and in what manner do the doors open.

 

Most cars of the '50's thru about the mid '60's, the doors swing outside of the fender------so they used a gooseneck hinge-------pretty much like what Clay showed in his post above. The car you're describing the door would turn toward the inside of the fender, so that would use a different type hinge that can swivel on a pin or something.

 

When cutting out the doors on my models, (unless I go the chicken route and they're already cut open-- :blink:) I'll use the backedge of an exacto blade. Other guys have they're own methods to cut open doors------some use thread, others have used a hot knife (YIKES!!) and others have drilled holes around the perimeter of the door and then popped it out.

 

The thread method never quite worked for me as trying to hold the model between my thighs..............Well lets just say the body ended up in the parts box! :o:blink:

 

After you cut out the doors you'll want to add plastic where the door was cut...........nothing to me looks more unsightly than HUGE gaps where the doors were cut away only to be able to practically see right through the model as the gaps are GINORMOUS! :blink:

 

Here's a pic to illustrate............

 

Pa150002-vi.jpg

 

This is from the '55 Ford which is having it's paint dry (second time!) thoroughly as I speak. Even though the model's doors were already opened by AMT, the gaps were still a bit larger than I'd like so I just glued on a piece of .020 thick sheet plastic, used Ambroid Pro Weld, and let dry thoroughly. After it was dry, I cut away the excess, then sanded and shaped the plastic to the contour of the door.

 

After you get the doors done, now you'll want to build door jambs. This is where good reference material will come in. While you may not want to replicate every shape and contour of the stamping, you want it to look reasonable enough to minimize the plain boring look. This is what your door will rest on, so you'll want to test fit, test fit...........and test fit some more! You'll need to build jambs on the doors themselves as that's what your interior panels will rest on, as well as support for your hinge retainers.

 

Here's a coupla pics of the now stillborn GTO door jambs while I was in the middle of building it............

 

doorjambphoto1-vi.jpg

doorjambphoto2-vi.jpg

 

After you're satisfied with the door jambs, then you can start on hinging the doors. Now the way I hinge my doors may not be to everyone's liking............but this way to me is effective without being too overly complicated yet sturdy.

 

The example I'm using here is the GTO since the leading edge of it's doors turn inside of the fender. The first thing I'll do is build a support post from the A pillar down to the rocker on the door jamb.

 

Doorjambleft-vi.jpg

PEkeys-vi.jpg

 

Next, since you've built the structure on the doors............now you're going to make a hinge retainer. I like to use .030-.040 size plastic rod, and using a #74 drill bit drill a hole in both ends of the rod.

 

doorhingeview-vi.jpg

P2011052-vi.jpg

 

This is a recently built Turbine Car which also had opening doors, but the hinges were dubious at best so I chucked them and scratchbuilt my own. Once again trial and error are my way of doing things so a lot of test fitting to eliminate binding and to ensure straightness will be of importance.

 

Speaking of straightness, when you build your hinge supports, it's very important that the supports are as straight as possible in a head on view, and also in a side view. If they're leaning, the doors will open and close, but they'll have either a sidewalk dragging appearance, or they'll swing up in the air like butterflies! :P

 

Note in the Turbine Car pic that the I drilled holes through the hinge supports to accept .020 size brass pins. Brass of this type can be found at a good Hobby/Train shop.......just check out the different sizes they have. You're going to have to play around where to drill the holes as this'll depend on the model, type/size of plastic, etc.

 

Once I'm satisfied with the movement of the doors and how they sit in the body, I'll epoxy the pins in the supports, let dry thoroughly and cut the excess away. The supports on the inside will then be covered with the kick panels.

 

Now, moving on to the trunk............same techniques apply as above, except you're going to use a gooseneck type hinge as shown above. I don't know if you'll have the patience, but a trunk with the metal bracing/stiffener attached underneath really adds to the visual impact of an open trunk.

 

DSCN2308vi-vi.jpg

trunklock-vi.jpg

Pc100034-vi.jpg

 

Once again, reference pics are a MUST!

 

I hope this helps a bit......sorry for the lengthy post but this is one of the most labor intensive steps in getting hinging down pat. If you haven't attempted this before, I strongly recommend practicing on a junk body as you don't want to make your prize project a guinea pig! :D

 

If you've got any more questions, ask away or you can PM me.

 

HTH!

Thank you very much!!!! It will help with my detail builds!!!! WOW  have a lot to learn. 

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