What is best way to model lines into tanks

[RoninRtist]

I am scratch building a looted Blanebalde for my Ork army and would like to know the best way that I can model the undercuts and plate lines on the armor. Xacto blades do not work too well, they leave a raise edge along the cut from pushing the plastic. Filing the lines would be too clumsy. There must be a tool that would suffice out there somewhere. Let me know if you guys know what it is. Thanks.

 

[Jericho]

Well, you could always do a bare bones layer of plasticard underneath, and add the plates over top leaving a small gap (1mm should do it) to make it look like a seam. Or just to a frame where all the plate joints would be.

Either way, it\'d cost you more for plasticard but just might find this easier than trying to remove the gouges from the surface afterwards.

 

[Badaab]

You might try asking your dentist for an old tool with a sharp edge on it. I\'ll get back to you with the exact name of the tool...

Joe

 

[Dragonsreach]

Look on Micro-mark for a seam line tool they sell one for about $8 Us .(www.micromark.com) You\'ll have to hunt on the tools & accessories but it is there.
Hope it helps.

 

[RoninRtist]

thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Warpfangs]

gouge or scratch

There\'s a medium size x-acto kit that comes with some gouge blades (like chcisles with a V shape edge)- they are designed for removing material from a surface t create a depresion or sunken line. You could use one of those, but the depth would be hard to control and you probably would get a croked line. The same kit comes with a tiny plane- if you could mount the gouge in the plane, it would control the depth and make using a guide very easy.

A similar concept (in reverse) is to scratch away the surface by dragging something hard and sharp across it. I think this is the approach I would take- it allows multiple, controlled passes. All you need is a ruller and a large sewing needle, or something similar. Best would be the corner of a very thin, hard piece of metal, or maybe glass (cut or broken). You may have to clean up after with a little sandpaper, but the raised lip (if any) will be smaller than an exacto might leave.

I think in many cases, multiple layers would be easier, and look better. You could even cut the outer plates so the edges were beveled.

 

[Burzmali]

Maybe try using some scraper type tools, designed for printing with lino or something. (I never used them in art - I just scoused them and used them for sculpting...).
Should be available from an Art materials shop. They sort of look like little arrow heads and are good for scraping an\' stuff...

Burzmali

 

[Hiemdal]

http://www.dxmarket.com/micromark/products/60728.html

http://www.hobby.uk.com/cgi-bin/hobbys-cgi/ProdSel.pl
(sorry, no picture but probably the better of the two.)

 

[Sturmhalo]

You could do the reverse of what you originally intended! Create weld seams instead of the sunken gaps! Ok so you have to cut or file a groove anyway to do this but it might ultimately help disguise those rough edges. Anyway, once you\'ve got your groove cut, glue a piece of very fine guage plastic rod into it. Once dry you can melt the rod using a soldering iron or heated screw driver to look like a rippled weld seam. This is only theory though on my behalf as I\'ve only read about it and never tried it (yet).