Panel Line Scribers

[norscout]

What is your favorite panel line scriber tool?
I'm scribing hundreds of panel lines on an assembled scratch build ship, with multiple facets and components (not flat sheet on a table).
I have two scribing tools I'm using. Both work ok, one is better for flat sheet. I think there may be better scriber options.
Curious what tool you find performs best.

 

[vomvom12]

What is your favorite panel line scriber tool?
I'm scribing hundreds of panel lines on an assembled scratch build ship, with multiple facets and components (not flat sheet on a table).
I have two scribing tools I'm using. Both work ok, one is better for flat sheet. I think there may be better scriber options.
Curious what tool you find performs best.

well this is a very interesting topic which is rarely discussed. Personally, I bought a "replacement line engraver set" from Border Models a few years ago, which I'm quite happy with. The set includes 6 replaceable chisel tips that range from 0.1mm to 0.6mm wide. That's just of course A cheap beginner's set which I think cost 50€ back then. If you look at the panel line professionals (custom gunpla modelers) a chisel tip costs from 20€/$ upwards. The scribing tools from Madworks or Dspiae are very popular. Or The premier class of scribing tools BMC chisels... but unfortunately they only start at 80-100 €/$... per piece of course. in the video that i posted the gumpla modeler RAVI PLA gives you a very interesting tour of the tools he is using and what they are for....and without exaggerating, the guy is a machine on his tools

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

I actually use an old dental tool that I got at a stand at a local flee market. I also have some kind of tool that I think is for sculpting clay, which is hard to describe, but if I need a wider line, I will use the dental tool and then run that other one down the line and widen it. I also saw a tool at Krogers that is for pushing your cuticle down (I think?), but it looks like a good scriber. It was around $5, so I might get one and try it.

 

[Rogviler]

I second the dental tool.

The best scriber I've used is the method of making one from an old Xacto blade, similar to this:

You'll definitely never run out of them.

 

[Hunk a Junk]

Amazon.com I have this one and it works great.

 

[joberg]

I second the dental tool.

The best scriber I've used is the method of making one from an old Xacto blade, similar to this:

You'll definitely never run out of them.

That's what I did and it works well

 

[Supe]

x3 on Xacto blades.

I got too much chatter out of dental tools on tougher plastics, and a line usually too fine for what I was wanting.

 

[vomvom12]

ok yes you can make scratch with an xato blade or maybe some kind of panel lines but if you want to work a bit more precisely
and want to make the panel lines according to the scale you want get very far with a Xacto blade

 

[srspicer]

Actually, I get very far with x-acto blades. I use a combination of different blades. Let me explain;
Below is the full range of blades and other tools I use in all of my scribing.

From left to right; standard new blade, triangular file, various shaped blades, steel points.
I also have a set of the Tamiya scribing guides that work well for curved and odd shaped scribing as well as square and rectangular shapes.
I start all scribes with the new blade. I follow up with the steel points. The larger steel point is a precision ground tool I made from a broken end mill. If you can't make one of these, a steel sewing needle is an excellent substitute. The steel point widens the initial blade scribe to allow for the shaped blades or the file. The shaped blades will give you a desired width of line according to how far down from the tip you grind back. The squared blade end will give you a consistent .020" thick engraved line. The triangular file will allow you to open up the scribe line for even thicker scribed lines.
These are the tools I have been using for over 35 years.
The scribing sets that vomvom12 have posted look really good. I have always just made my own because the fancy sets did not exist all those years ago. Just my 2¢

 

[vomvom12]

Actually, I get very far with x-acto blades. I use a combination of different blades. Let me explain;
Below is the full range of blades and other tools I use in all of my scribing.
View attachment 1744010
From left to right; standard new blade, triangular file, various shaped blades, steel points.
I also have a set of the Tamiya scribing guides that work well for curved and odd shaped scribing as well as square and rectangular shapes.
I start all scribes with the new blade. I follow up with the steel points. The larger steel point is a precision ground tool I made from a broken end mill. If you can't make one of these, a steel sewing needle is an excellent substitute. The steel point widens the initial blade scribe to allow for the shaped blades or the file. The shaped blades will give you a desired width of line according to how far down from the tip you grind back. The squared blade end will give you a consistent .020" thick engraved line. The triangular file will allow you to open up the scribe line for even thicker scribed lines.
These are the tools I have been using for over 35 years.
The scribing sets that vomvom12 have posted look really good. I have always just made my own because the fancy sets did not exist all those years ago. Just my 2¢

hahaha nice....sure it is always a question of: how much money do i want to spend on the hobby/specific tools/machines, do i realy need it, how often will i use it in the end etc. i am also a big fan of searching for alternatives in terms of tools and materials to the expensive hobby brands...i mean who doesn't want to save money? Many of the "hobby" things simply don't make sense...too expensive and alternative products are often even much better. This panel line scriber set did make scence to me a while ago so I bought it and it very usefull

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Actually, I get very far with x-acto blades. I use a combination of different blades. Let me explain;
Below is the full range of blades and other tools I use in all of my scribing.
View attachment 1744010
From left to right; standard new blade, triangular file, various shaped blades, steel points.
I also have a set of the Tamiya scribing guides that work well for curved and odd shaped scribing as well as square and rectangular shapes.
I start all scribes with the new blade. I follow up with the steel points. The larger steel point is a precision ground tool I made from a broken end mill. If you can't make one of these, a steel sewing needle is an excellent substitute. The steel point widens the initial blade scribe to allow for the shaped blades or the file. The shaped blades will give you a desired width of line according to how far down from the tip you grind back. The squared blade end will give you a consistent .020" thick engraved line. The triangular file will allow you to open up the scribe line for even thicker scribed lines.
These are the tools I have been using for over 35 years.
The scribing sets that vomvom12 have posted look really good. I have always just made my own because the fancy sets did not exist all those years ago. Just my 2¢

I've got a few steel point things like those that I got in one of those cheap hobby knife sets (I think a relative got it for Christmas ages ago). I usually use them as a center punch, but I never thought of trying to scribe with it!