Opening up 1/43 diecast

Anyone know the best tools to use to scribe the panel lines on doors and bonnet to create an opening panel.

would a dremel with one of the wee thin 'grinders' blades attached do the job rory? or would that be a bit agricultural?  

bmd wrote:would a dremel with one of the wee thin 'grinders' blades attached do the job rory? or would that be a bit agricultural?  

The heat build is too much-I have tried this before trying to cut the front end off a Trofeu Zakspeed Escort-then they beat me too it in the end. The metal gets very hot and there there are sparks too if you try a Dremel.

Its needs some kind of scribe or engraving tool to cut the panel lines-who was it who opened up the Metro 6R4-how was that done.

Am I understanding you right Rory, and you want to make a model with an opening door, bonnet or boot?

If yes then I doubt it would be possible to remove the panel in question from the one same model. As far as I know when Vitor and Olivier made their open Metro 6R4s, they used more than one body casting - one for the body without the panel, and another for the individual panels. Likewise, I'd have assumed that they'd have used a Dremel to grind off each opening / panel.

I want to remove the bonnet to replace it with a different bonnet I have cast in resin. Just something I am trying to do with a view to altering a model into another version!

Try sending Vitor a PM - he's usually more than happy to share his experiences.

you could try these rory, accurate and safe but prob very slow and tedious..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Expo-720-74-115mm-Machinists-Scribe-with-Tungsten-Tip-/380717235633?pt=UK_ToysGames_ModelKits_ModelKits_JN&hash=item58a483fdb1

Possibly more suited for scribing 'on' than scribing 'through' Billy, but at £1.50 BIN, it might be worth a try... ...if you have lots of spare time on your hands that is!

if you have lots of spare time on your hands that is!

em.............er...........well david i don't want you getting the wrong idea about me having no work to do!  

Jewellers saw could work maybe?

bmd wrote:if you have lots of spare time on your hands that is!

em.............er...........well david i don't want you getting the wrong idea about me having no work to do!  

Billy, I'm not sure about you having no work but I AM concerned about you getting no sleep!   3.45am?!  

Intersting thread. Don't know how I missed it before! Having cut various parts of several 6R4 bodies, I've not had any problems with heat build up, whether on a painted or stripped model. The one issue that I have noted is that the grinding wheel or whatever tool I'm using does create a wide gap, simply due to the width of the tool itself. This would create a very wide and unrealistic panel gap unless you were building a Land Rover model!  

For the project you've suggested, removing a front end and replacing with resin, a grinding wheel on a Dremel, finished off by hand using a small file to work into the smaller crevices and gaps/ angles should work very well.

Let us know how you get on - and piccies would be neat too.

Cheers, Steve