Using Tape as a Guide for Scribing

[Tchail]

Hey Everyone,

I'm looking for a thick tape that can be used as an edge for scribing panel lines.

I was watching a video of a pro model builder building the Yamato, and he used some type of thick edged tape when rescribing the panel lines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuDk28a2 ... 8&index=11

Can anyone tell me what type of tape to use?

Or where I can get some?

Thanks,

-Tchail

[JadedMonk]

Dymo embossed label tape will do the trick quite nicely. The older tape is better but even the stuff now sold at office supply stores will work. I bought a 3pack for about $6 the other day.

Cheers,

JM

[Rogviler]

Yep, I can almost guarantee that's what he's using. Make sure you get the kind that's in different colors of plastic where letters would be punched into it, not the thin tape that gets printed on (both are labeled "Dymo" brand). Office Depot usually has it in a combo pack of red, blue, green, and black.

-Rog

[Alex Dumas]

I use 3M flexible tape and it works very good http://www.scihighmodels.com/howto_scrib.html

[Lt. Z0mBe]

I've used the Dymo tape and others. The only bad thing about it is it will pull up putty, even Aves, when you need to score over an area that's needed filler or is sculpted.

Just use a flexible metal straightedge and hold it down. These can be had as cheap as a pack of the old Dymo and work far better:

http://www.starshipmodeler.com/newshop/ ... uct_ID=171

Get yourself a tungsten carbide machinists scribe and you'll never have a dull scriber again. They're less than five bucks on Ebay.

Can't get one of those template sets? No problem. Cut up some of the metal protective slats on some 3.5-inch floppy disks. They work great and are cheap. I have a whole arsenal of scribing templates like that - flexible metal that are found and some are purchased.

Here's the way I scribe. It's a little unorthodox, but it works for me and allows for easy fixes on the fly over any substrate:

viewtopic.php?t=42752

I hope this helps.

Kenny

[starmanmm]

On another site, came across this vid....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuDk28a2 ... 8&index=11

At 6:54, it looks like he is mixing glue and what.... I don't know to fill the seams in. Was wondering if he was mixing glue and microballoons?

[Underlord]

At 6:54, it looks like he is mixing glue and what.... I don't know to fill the seams in. Was wondering if he was mixing glue and microballoons?

I believe he is using a CA glue and baking soda. The Baking soda fills gaps and causes the CA to instantly harden, ready for sanding.

[Mark Yungblut]

I use the dimo tape for round or heavy curves otherwise I use a thin metal straight edge with 3M crepe double sided tape. This keeps the edge from wandering on you and thus giving you an inconsistent straight line.

[No_6]

Just to throw my .02 in there, but I use Staedler-Mars stainless steel replacement compass tips to scribe with. They are very sharp, and I have yet to have one dull on me. And they sell for like .69.

[TER-OR]

You can remove some tack from the Dymo tape by sticking it to your hand first. It will pull up putty or primer as Brother Kenny said. It doesn't need to be on super-strong, but secure.

[Mr. Badwrench]

I stick Dymo tape down to a piece of glass two or three times to reduce the tack.