Creating NEW Panel Lines

[Miatatom]

There are plenty of tutorials on scribing existing panel lines. I'd like to try some custom models and would need to create panel lines. Anyone know of any tutorials?

[Miatatom]

So, no one knows how to do this?

[Snake45]

I lay out the new line with tape. I usually use masking tape razor-cut into thin strips, sometimes two or three thick for a bit of an edge. Chartpak/drafting tape is also good for this. I'll start by scribing the new line in using a semi-sharp (not new, or razor-sharp) Xacto blade, working gently, slowly, and carefully. After two or three passes like this, I remove the tape and start using the back side of the blade to deepen the line. It can take many, many passes or only a few, depending on the effect I want. Again, work slowly, gently, and carefully. 

If a scribing pass goes astray, work it from the OTHER direction, as whatever made you "color outside the line" will be even worse the next pass, now with a fresh groove to follow. 

Errant scratches--and you ARE going to have a few, especially in the beginning--can be filled with superglue. 

Hope this helps. 

[Miatatom]

Thanks for the response, Snake. Any tips about corners? Some are almost square while others are rounded.

[Snake45]

Square corners aren't much of a problem. Just take take not to "go over" in either direction. 

Round corners benefit most from the tape-dam trick. Experiment to see whether you prefer to scribe inside the dam or outside it. (I prefer inside.) There are scribing templates made for Model Airplane World with round corners in various sizes. You might find these helpful. You can also make your own by cutting, say, soda-can aluminum and taping it to the plastic. 

[BigTallDad]

Another approach for rounded corners would be the use of a circle template...a variety of sizes and a rigid edge to guide the scribing tool.

[Tom Geiger]

This was suggested to me and I haven't tried this just yet.   Take the old Dymo style label tape and cut your panel line on the edge of it.  Then use it's own glue to stick it to your model.  Follow that guideline with your scriber.

  

[Miatatom]

2 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

This was suggested to me and I haven't tried this just yet.   Take the old Dymo style label tape and cut your panel line on the edge of it.  Then use it's own glue to stick it to your model.  Follow that guideline with your scriber.

  

I was going to mention this stuff. I have a roll and thought about trying it.

[Erik Smith]

You can buy photo etch guides for the curves...or use an old school eraser shield. You might even be able to use a circle template if it’s thin enough to conform to the surface. 

I hate scribing as it’s very difficult skill to get right. I go slow. Scribe very small amounts. And learn how to fill errant scratches - repeatedly...

Edited January 9, 2018 by Erik Smith

[Miatatom]

Thanks for the tips, guys. I'm going to build a car that I built back in the late 50s. It's going to take a fair amount of modifications because it's the combination of two cars, or parts from them. to build one car.

[R. Thorne]

I like the umm-scr-01 for scribing new lines.

[slownlow]

The only thing I would add to the above suggestions is using a razor saw. It worked quite well for keeping the lines straight on a Studebaker I did a while ago. The first several passes should be done with almost no pressure. As my old pa used to say "Let the saw do the work" For square corners start at the corner and draw away from it.

Edited January 12, 2018 by slownlow

[Miatatom]

On 1/9/2018 at 1:25 PM, R. Thorne said:

I like the umm-scr-01 for scribing new lines.

I like the Scribr R from RB Production.

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

[Art Anderson]

Believe it or not, I've used a razor saw blade (sans handle) to make panel lines for years now:  Makes perfect straight panel lines easy.  For making curved corners, I simply have drawn the curve right on the body shell (sanded the surface with 400-grit to start with, then very carefully score the curved corner by eye, but using the back end of the razor saw blade, gently pushing the saw blade BACKWARDS to start the groove, and then simply deepen it to suit my needs.  It's always possible to get a scratch or two along the way, but a tiny bit of CA glue (my preference) or a small swipe of body putty takes care of those extraneous scratches perfectly for me, every time it's been tried (and I've used this technique since the 1970's.

Art

[GerN]

For a fairly flat surface, Dymo tape is great.