Panel Line Scribing

By: Dan Baker

I took several suggestions from Hobby Heaven Model Message Board members and combined them into a procedure that worked for me. The topic was cutting doorlines on my "NeoPredicta", through a variety of media.

I wanted to keep the general lines of the 2002 TBird door. The process I settled on was this:

(1) I placed masking tape over a snapkit mule & traced the doorline. I used the bottom edge of the rocker panel as a baseline. The masking tape was transferred onto cardstock.

(2) The cardstock was aligned with the bottom of the rocker panel and then rolled to follow the contours of the body.

(3) The vertical doorlines were extended over the new doortops/fendertops and the contour of the bubble top fillet was creased into the cardstock. This defined the configuration of the door.

(4) This new pattern was cut out, then scotch-taped to .015 brass sheet. The brass sheet was cut along the pattern's edges, creating a pattern for the door.

(5) The brass pattern was rolled to match the body configuration and aligned with the rocker panels, and the door lines were carved by following the pattern with a scribe.

(6) The scribe was made from a T-pin by cutting the head off. The resulting scribe point was chucked into the trusty old pin vise. After an initial pass, a quick swipe with a file knocked the sharp point down a little, creating a wider cut for the second pass. Ditto for a third pass.

(7) The scribed lines were improved and squared by pulling the tip of a serrated razor saw blade along the scribed troughs.

(8) The brass pattern was reversed, the curvature reversed, and the other door was scribed in the same manner.

(9) After some repair of minor repair of slips, sanding and cleanup, the door lines are there, uniform, and exactly what I wanted!!!

Thanks to all who offered ideas, suggestions, and help!!! Now to add the rear fins, build the interior, and paint this puppy!