How important are panel lines to you?

[cruz]

  On 6/7/2012 at 9:52 AM, Gregg said:

Thanks to Marcos (and his feature article coming soon in MCM), I did a quick once-over with the 2009 Revell Challenger that I was building before.

I love the difference.

I will say this: Don't give up after your first attempt.

Practice makes perfect, or something like that...

Oh wow! I thought you were having problems but I see you are getting the point!!

[Bowtienutz]

Ahh come on now guys this information wil put an end to the of the era of the "Butterdish Custom" A term coined by my dear departed friend Bob Barnett of Oklahoma City. We just can't let this kind of information get out to the general public. GSL will never be the same.

[Gregg]

Vince, buddy, that made me laugh!

mahalo my friend!!!

[cartpix]

I tried drawing panel lines, with a pencil, described earlier in the thread, & I like it. It's gray instead of black so it's a bit more subtle, not sticking out like a sore thumb, like black does. My opinion, your mileage may differ.

Jeff

[Fat Brian]

I think one of the issues is that different techniques work better for different colors. What works on white may not work for brown and so on. Dark colors probably look fine being done with straight black while it makes lighter color look cartoonish. Light colors need preshading or darkened body color washes to look more realistic.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Wish I'd seen this BEFORE i tried inking in the panel lines on my Revell Gearz entry, just before I took it to a club meet here. The black inking was nice and even, but looked like dog squeeze on the orange metalflake body. And THEN it took me almost half the day to get it off the car withoug damaging the paint, and even after all that, you can still see some traces of my misguided attempt. This was doubly disappointing because the contest car is the first one I've gotten to the paint stage in years.

I'll be experimenting with the deep-scribe technique before I paint anything else. Thanks to everyone for the great info.

[martinfan5]

To be honest, panel lines are pretty much not important at all, after reading this thread, I do want to learn how to make them look better, but I dont build for contest's, the closet I come to that is for the monthly theme builds for the club.

I will how ever deepen them, that alone makes a big a difference by itself

[Mr. Moparman]

I have recently came up with my own method for panel lines.

Step One: Prep Model/Sand/Etc.

Step Two: Prime Model

Step Three: Make black wash and wash panel lines

Step Four: Apply a mist coat of primer

Step Five: Paint Model

I am eager to see the results on my latest projects.

[cruz]

  On 6/1/2012 at 8:24 PM, JustBill said:

Very important in my opinion. It can make or break a build. I've been using Cruz's method with fantastic results! Thanks for sharing buddy!

Dude!!! You are getting better by the minute, I am scared of you!! Did you french that antenna hole yourself??

[cotto]

Cool looking panel truck, I love it.

[89AKurt]

Bumping this old thread, because I searched before posting about something I was turned on to at a recent club meeting.

I've done the X-acto blade thing before.  I've done the thinned black in the lines, and afterwards thought it looked overdone on a pearl white paint job.

It also depends on the kit, how much needs to be done on panel lines.

Has anyone tried the Tamiya engraving tool?  Not what most hobby shops carry, but the tungsten variety, price no object.  There are other brands too, Saki-Gake and GSI Creos.  They are also called line chisels.  I've dealt with the pushing out of the plastic, these supposedly don't.  Looks like a nice tool for straighter lines, not circles and tight curves.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XTamiya+engraving+tool.TRS0&_nkw=Tamiya+engraving+tool&_sacat=220

[martinfan5]

  On 2/27/2018 at 5:34 AM, 89AKurt said:

Bumping this old thread, because I searched before posting about something I was turned on to at a recent club meeting.

I've done the X-acto blade thing before.  I've done the thinned black in the lines, and afterwards thought it looked overdone on a pearl white paint job.

It also depends on the kit, how much needs to be done on panel lines.

Has anyone tried the Tamiya engraving tool?  Not what most hobby shops carry, but the tungsten variety, price no object.  There are other brands too, Saki-Gake and GSI Creos.  They are also called line chisels.  I've dealt with the pushing out of the plastic, these supposedly don't.  Looks like a nice tool for straighter lines, not circles and tight curves.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XTamiya+engraving+tool.TRS0&_nkw=Tamiya+engraving+tool&_sacat=220

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Kurt, what local club are you a member of? 

I purchased that engraving tool , I think its a new item from Tamiya, and the thinnest blade, and I will be doing a full on product review of it when I get it over here from Japan , next week hopefully.  I bought it for this very thing, to deepen panel lines without expending them outwards that a lot of the panel line engravers do, so I am hoping for the price it wont as bad.

 

Edited February 27, 2018 by martinfan5

[89AKurt]

  On 2/27/2018 at 5:45 AM, martinfan5 said:

Kurt, what local club are you a member of? 

I purchased that engraving tool , ... and I will be doing a full on product review of it when I get it over here from Japan. ...

 

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I've been involved with two other groups, first one is Yavapai Scale Modelers, then the very formal IPMS Lt. Ernest A. Love chapter, and currently another casual group called Where Eagles Dare.  All I will say here is, personalities.  

I look forward to your review!  I was going to spring for it anyway, so maybe I can argue with you about the merits.    Just looking at the tips, can't see why they won't work.

[espo]

This is an interesting subject since it involves a very highly visible aspect of any model. I will look at the Tamiya tool. In the past I have used both the blade method and also use an inexpensive tool that looks very much like something used by Dentists. I think I got them at HL. They are offered in a couple of shapes and are very sharp and work well on even small areas like a Grill. I used them to open the optional Grill in the '37 Ford Pick Up.        

[Pete J.]

I've been using this one for a long time and it's a really nice tool.  For me it it easier to control and has a nice feel in the hand.  There are two different sizes.  This is the smaller of the two.  I find the hook end is great for following curves and the straight follows a straight line very well. The hook pulls a nice curl of plastic out of panel lines   The other nice thing about this tool is that it is easy to resharpen.  I can get it up to a razors edge very easily.  http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=21_105&products_id=4798

 

[martinfan5]

There is this one

http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_110&products_id=329

[Ace-Garageguy]

There was a highly accomplished aircraft modeler who had posted a wonderful video on YouTube on scribing panel lines, complete with instructions for grinding a special tip on a tool that would remove material without spreading or raising the adjacent plastic.

Unfortunately, last time I tried to pull it up, it was gone.

Just last night, I found directions for making a very similar tool in a 1959 copy of Model Railroader magazine.

 

[Khils]

  On 2/27/2018 at 11:18 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Just last night, I found directions for making a very similar tool in a 1959 copy of Model Railroader magazine.

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Would you be ever SO KIND ......to share pix & how -to ....of said tool Bill?   I could use one & greatly appreciate it!    khils

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 2/27/2018 at 11:44 PM, Khils said:

Would you be ever SO KIND ......to share pix & how -to ....of said tool Bill?   I could use one & greatly appreciate it!    khils

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My scanner is down, but in a couple of days I should be able to post a shot of the drawings in the mag, and as much of the text as is necessary.

The author of the article, Alan Armitage, was a professional model builder employed by Revell at the time, and was an early promoter of using sheet and strip plastic for model RR applications...at a time when the "serious"  folks in the hobby were resisting the influx of plastic products.

[Snake45]

First thing I do on a new car body is scribe out the door and trunk lines with the backside of a heavily-used Xacto. Then I run thin black paint into 'em, and then I proceed with all other bodywork, including block-sanding off all the residual molding ridges around all the panel lines. 

And then I proceed with normal priming, painting, and polishing. The panel lines get no more attention until it's time to wash the residual polish out of them with a toothbrush and warm running water. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 2/28/2018 at 3:14 AM, Snake45 said:

First thing I do on a new car body is scribe out the door and trunk lines with the backside of a heavily-used Xacto. Then I run thin black paint into 'em, and then I proceed with all other bodywork, including block-sanding off all the residual molding ridges around all the panel lines. 

And then I proceed with normal priming, painting, and polishing. The panel lines get no more attention until it's time to wash the residual polish out of them with a toothbrush and warm running water. 

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Pictures of your results please.

[935k3]

May I add when putting decals over panel lines (especially hood and doors) cut them. I have seen a few good models that in the  real world would make it hard to open the door. Use a brand new razor or #11 to cut then use a small (10/0) and a strong solvent to put it down in the line.

[Roncla]

  On 2/28/2018 at 3:42 AM, 935k3 said:

May I add when putting decals over panel lines (especially hood and doors) cut them. I have seen a few good models that in the  real world would make it hard to open the door. Use a brand new razor or #11 to cut then use a small (10/0) and a strong solvent to put it down in the line.

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Its surprising how many times I've seen that too spoiling an other wise decent effort.

[martinfan5]

  On 2/28/2018 at 3:42 AM, 935k3 said:

May I add when putting decals over panel lines (especially hood and doors) cut them. I have seen a few good models that in the  real world would make it hard to open the door. Use a brand new razor or #11 to cut then use a small (10/0) and a strong solvent to put it down in the line.

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You would think, that would be common sense, but, that is what would get for thinking

 

 

[Bainford]

  On 2/27/2018 at 3:23 PM, Pete J. said:

I've been using this one for a long time and it's a really nice tool.  For me it it easier to control and has a nice feel in the hand.  There are two different sizes.  This is the smaller of the two.  I find the hook end is great for following curves and the straight follows a straight line very well. The hook pulls a nice curl of plastic out of panel lines   The other nice thing about this tool is that it is easy to resharpen.  I can get it up to a razors edge very easily.  http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=21_105&products_id=4798

 

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Thanks for the recommendation, and the link. I just went to the site and purchased this scriber. I have few scribers already, some bought and some made, but I really like the look of this one.

The site itself is a great site for tools. I never knew of this place. Cheers.