"Excavating" a shallow rectangle on a model...

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Thu May 28, 2009 10:13 pm

Wise and Sagely Starship Modelers,

I an working on "excavating" a shallow rectangle of an area on my latest scratchbuild. There will be a few of these areas. Of course, it is solid Aves, so I cannot just cut a hole in the side of the fuselage and put a backing of styrene sheet in.

Basically, I need to have a sunken area that is rectangular. The corners need to be sharp and it needs to be just a fraction of a millimeter deep. Imagine the opposite of placing a piece of Scotch ttape on the surface of a model - instead of a little rectangular rise, there's a little rectangular indention.

I am digging away with my files and knives.

Thoughts on easy ways to do this would be appreciated. I am under the weather right now and not exactly clear minded.

Thanks in Advance,

Kenny

kenlilly106 · Post by **kenlilly106** » Thu May 28, 2009 10:33 pm

The easiest way I can think of would be to mask the indentations before you prime the model.

Ken

Johnnycrash · Post by **Johnnycrash** » Thu May 28, 2009 11:06 pm

How deep?? A fraction of a millimeter could mean anything, and it makes a difference.

Depending on the topography around the area...

Dig out an area bigger and deeper than what is needed. Cut a piece of plastic that is as thick as the indent needs to be deep. place a small amout of fresh aves on the bottom of the indent, and press the plastic part into it to smooth it out, and make sure that it's upper surface is flush with the surface of the surounding areas. Don't forget to lube the plastic part so that it doesn't stick. Leave it in place, and fill in the gaps around the edges. Sand the area flush, and extract the plastic part.

Or...

Cut a piece of plastic to the sise and depth of the indent needed. Stick it in place with a temp glue. I use an elmers white glue. Once in place, using aves to build up the outer edge, and smooth it into the surounding areas. Sand flush, and remove the plastic piece.

Or...

If it's just the impression of an indent you need, something like .1-.2 mm... Using masking tape, cover the area indent. Primer. Primer. Primer... Until you have the depth you want. Remove masking tape. But that's what kenlilly106 said.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Fri May 29, 2009 12:03 am

What Johnny said.

Easiest way to go.

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Fri May 29, 2009 12:13 am

Thanks guys. I have been doing the intellectual equivalent of eating ice cream through my elbow with a brick as a utensil. The topography of the area lend themselves to the Avesing approach.

Thanks!!

Kenny

Pat Amaral · Post by **Pat Amaral** » Fri May 29, 2009 12:56 am

Build a buck (or stamp if you will) in the shape of your indentation out of thick styrene and glue some kind of handle to it. Roll out another very thin sheet of Aves and make a veneer on your model. Then, before the Aves has cured, use the buck to stamp the indentations into the surface.

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Sat May 30, 2009 3:28 am

Pat Amaral wrote:Build a buck (or stamp if you will) in the shape of your indentation out of thick styrene and glue some kind of handle to it. Roll out another very thin sheet of Aves and make a veneer on your model. Then, before the Aves has cured, use the buck to stamp the indentations into the surface.

Another obvious solution using Aves. Thank you, brother Pat.

Kenny

Arsenic Hipster · Post by **Arsenic Hipster** » Sat May 30, 2009 7:43 am

What if you use something to mask the area around what you want to remove then lightly sand it back. If you're careful you should be able to take a fairly even layer off the uncovered bit before you go through the masking material. If you go over it lightly you should be able to take off a layer as thin as a bit of paper with more sanding to make the section deeper. The corners of the rectangle might take a bit of extra work to make them sharp though.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat May 30, 2009 10:37 am

Now if you have a perfectly flat surface that you need to keep flat, where a slight bulge from the tape&primer method would show, simply gouge a trough in the surface, make sure the bottom is smooth, apply tape and fill the rest of the hole with primer, putty, or what'er and sand smooth & flat.

seam-filler · Post by **seam-filler** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:20 am

Another way....

Cut out a rectangle the size and thinkness you want and stick to the surface of the model with a low-tack glue (I don't know any US brand-names). Then, using AVES Apoxie paste and lay on skim over the model. When the AVES has cured, prise off the rectangle.

You have your rectangular depression.

Old Wombat · Post by **Old Wombat** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:58 am

I like Pat's stamp/buck idea; any shape you want, any surface profile you want, any depth you want & no having to prise it out of the Aves when you're done. Too cool!

Post by **TER-OR** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 9:55 pm

Micro-chisels are perfect for this.