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Airfix Avro Vulcan scribing query


Timmas

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Morning folks. I've begun work on an Airfix 1:72 Vulcan. This is my first kit for more years than I care to remember,and will post some photos when it's finished for comment if I can pluck up the courage!.

One thing I've come up against already is to do with re-scribing. Because the original detail is raised, I decided to use the raised edges as a guide for the scribe marks. I'm doing a lot of it prior to assembly because I don't want to be handling large awkward shapes and it seems to be working so far; I've got both wings dome and am part-way through the upper fuselage. However, due to the scale, I don't want the lines to be too wide and have opted to scribe by using a scalpel (I'm using a Swann Morton handle with 10A blade). However, after sanding the raised pieces off, the scribe lines fill with dust which I can't easily remove. I've gone over all of the lines again several times again using the reverse edge of the blade so as not to deepen the cuts, but can't remove all of the dust. I can't brush them out either so have tried immersing the parts in water and soaking them out, I've  also using a small nailbrush on the wet parts, but the dust still seems to be stubbornly embedded in many of them although it is coming out very slowly coming out.

I suspect that the scalpel blade is too fine. What tools do others use for scribing while keeping the lines as fine as possible?

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Some use a needle held in a pin vice. You can get custom tools that remove the plastic.

In your case have you tried sticky tape? Run something thin, like magic tape, pressed down into the scribed line?

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Hi Timmas I use a Tamiya scribing tool and I've found it to be an excellent tool, it does have limitations when you get close the the fuselage or other large raised areas, but over all I'm more than happy with it. To clear out any dust/muck from rubbing down I just lightly pass over the line again with the tool, or a pin. I fully re-engraved this Italeri B.57 

1_zps3y655plr.jpg

 

John

 

 

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You could try and rinse the parts off under very warm water. The plastic might expand enough and the water should carry the dust away. Then I've also heard of using key board duster sprays and/or a baby size squeeze bulb to blow air in a concentrated stream. That might work too. 

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There's been a couple of really good threads on building Vulcans and scribing in panel lines recently, this is one of them

I know it can be daunting looking for inspiration from other peoples builds, but they can give good advice for techniques.

 

I scribe with a scalpel blade and dental tools, but I haven't done anything the size of a Vulcan.

I would ordinarily remove the raised surfaces, find where the lines were (you can normally see an impression of where they were, or mark with very fine pencil line), then use a thin steel rule or tape to scribe against.  Using the scalpel you have to be very careful not to go off track.

The scribed lines clean out quite easily, I wouldn't go heavy either, look at photos of the aircraft and notice how prominent, or not the actual panel lines are.  I go more heavy with opening panels and control surfaces etc.

 

Good luck and look forward to seeing it shape up!

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After scribing, I sand the part with 600 wet paper, then 000 steelwhool to remove the dust out of the engraved lines, then dishwashing soap with an old electric toothbrush. Some runs some trichloroethylene or extra fluid glue to level the bottom of the lines but I don't feel it's necessary. 

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I have always had great results with a pin held in a pin vice (I find a needle too flexible and vibrates too much) the a toothbrush with washing-up liquid and warm water to remove the dust, Sometimes need s a cople of goes with alternate scribe/sand routines but finishing with the toothbrush as above. I have also tried and had success with the commercially available anti-staic and plastic prep fluids. Finish off with a quick wipe with a liquid cement down the groove. Gets rid of the fuzz along the edges and melts any remaining dust into the groove itself.

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The long stainless rule may be useful on a large surface like Vulcan wings, but I prefer something more flexible. Besides, the rule won't help with  the problem of residue. There are dedicated scribing tools, as has been mentioned, designed to remove material from the line instead of building up ridges either side. I have /had one by Bare Metal, but it made very broad channels with only slight pressure. May have been a problem with mine, though, as others I talked with were happy. Last time I scribed I tried the Olfa P-Cutter, which worked superbly  (for me). Easy to control, enabled precise and uniform lines. No idea if it or something equivalent is still available, as it's been more than a decade ago :hourglass:

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

On 22/07/2017 at 9:24 AM, John R said:

Some use a needle held in a pin vice. You can get custom tools that remove the plastic.

In your case have you tried sticky tape? Run something thin, like magic tape, pressed down into the scribed line?

Thanks Jogn. I've been gradually adding tools and am learning as I go but was trying to avoid using a scribing tool because I didn't want the lines to be too 'obvious' if that makes sense. But maybe I'll have to bite the bullet though!

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On 25/07/2017 at 6:09 AM, tempestfan said:

The long stainless rule may be useful on a large surface like Vulcan wings, but I prefer something more flexible. Besides, the rule won't help with  the problem of residue. There are dedicated scribing tools, as has been mentioned, designed to remove material from the line instead of building up ridges either side. I have /had one by Bare Metal, but it made very broad channels with only slight pressure. May have been a problem with mine, though, as others I talked with were happy. Last time I scribed I tried the Olfa P-Cutter, which worked superbly  (for me). Easy to control, enabled precise and uniform lines. No idea if it or something equivalent is still available, as it's been more than a decade ago :hourglass:

I have a long and fairly flexible stainless rule which is which is great for the straights. I read somewhere that cable ties are good for curved areas such as over the fuselage. I'm trying to avoid splashing out on a huge amount of specialist kit all at once but I may have to :-)

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On 23/07/2017 at 11:56 AM, 71chally said:

There's been a couple of really good threads on building Vulcans and scribing in panel lines recently, this is one of them

I know it can be daunting looking for inspiration from other peoples builds, but they can give good advice for techniques.

 

I scribe with a scalpel blade and dental tools, but I haven't done anything the size of a Vulcan.

I would ordinarily remove the raised surfaces, find where the lines were (you can normally see an impression of where they were, or mark with very fine pencil line), then use a thin steel rule or tape to scribe against.  Using the scalpel you have to be very careful not to go off track.

The scribed lines clean out quite easily, I wouldn't go heavy either, look at photos of the aircraft and notice how prominent, or not the actual panel lines are.  I go more heavy with opening panels and control surfaces etc.

 

Good luck and look forward to seeing it shape up!

That's seems like a great link. Thank you, I'll go and take a look. But don't build your hopes up; I haven't made a kit for years so have no idea how this will turn out. However, I'd forgotten how relaxing and enjoyable model making is until I restarted :-)

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