Neat Trick I Stumbled On

I haven't used that techinique on the landing gear yet, but I've always used a .5mm mechanical pencil for the panel lines. Works like a charm!

HEY,
See, i could never think of some thing so simple yet effective. Would it be possible to put it on over a clear coat, cuz on my car ive already started the clear coats and i want to darken the panel lines.

Randy

The tip of that size lead is pretty(consistantly) sharp. It shaves the paint out. I think you could over a clear coat in that it would literally shave out a small line in the paint. You may have to reapply the clear after though to seal the lead in. I was able to color rivets the size of a pin tip with it using a magnifying glass, on the A-10's gear with no error.

Hard to say, dubix88, without testing it. When I get home tonight I'll try it out on a finished F-15 that has 1 coat clear gloss 2 coats clear dull and let you know.

I tried using a sharpened #2 pencil to scribe my panel lines on the F-15 but the roundness of the tip caused the pencil to slip too much causing unwanted errors that were hard to get out. I found that the skinny lead of a 0.5mm was more forgiving so I'll give it a shot and hope for the best.

HEY,
I dont have to worry about shaving out the paint and stuff, im gonna put more clear on afterwards anyway. Thanks for testing it out for me.

Randy

Thanks for the tip, I've never heard it before.

I've used sharpies to "paint" tires but when I sprayed with dulcote (spraycan) the black color streaked and ran. I wonder how the lead will stay put with solvent based overcoats?

For panel lines, it works best on a dead flat finish. It would'nt "write" at all on a glossy finish.
I sand it to a very fine point on a piece of 1000-grit sandpaper, and it fits right into any panel line. Drag, do not push, the pencil from point A to point B, and you'll have cleanly accented panel lines in no time.

QUOTE: Originally posted by I-beam Thanks for the tip, I've never heard it before. I've used sharpies to "paint" tires but when I sprayed with dulcote (spraycan) the black color streaked and ran. I wonder how the lead will stay put with solvent based overcoats?

Yup, Sharpies will run like crazy, but pencil is impervious to any overcoat.
In my experience, anyway!

I've used smaller technical pencils (like a .25 or even down to a .10) with great success at scribbing panel lines. One technique I use is to do a base coat of silver (or other color you may prefer, like deep brown or black) along all the panel lines before starting the regula paint job. Then later, I come in with a Tech Pencil with a hard lead (like a 7H) and basiclly shave off the top coats of paint, revealing a nice accent of the paint below. You can use a softer lead (like 2B, HB, or 2HB) to make great grease marks, shoe skids, exhaust stains, and general dirst smudges. Be careful though, softer lead smudges easily, and can sometimes be carried/washed away by clear coats.