For airplane
modelers, maybe one of the most difficult things to do when scribing panel lines
or adding rivet detail onto difficult, complex surfaces is to
use a tool, some sort of a guide that can be used to drive the scribing or the
riveting tool with confidence.
Usually, the literature suggests to use Dymo tape, a self adhesive tape, that
has a rather hard plastic strip, but doesn't solve two problems.
1. In corners or on small radius surfaces, it is hard to use,
2. When riveting, it gives no help for measuring the distances between the
actual rivet lines.
For helping these above shortcomings, I invented this flexible-ruler. This is a
0,2 millimeter thick copper strip with photo-etched millimeter or inch scale on
it.
Because of the properties of sheet copper, the ruler doesn't want to straighten
out unlike etched steel rulers. If bent in corners or in angled places, the
copper strip can easily be straightened with the back of a knife or a wooden
stick and this is also a benefit over the steel rulers that are instantly ruined
after a serious bent. If one uses it on a certain complex surface, it can even
be used to copy the actual outline onto another location - for scribing,
measuring, or riveting to mention a few possible uses.
Click on
images below to see larger images
The flexible
ruler is made in 15-centimeters or in 6-inches long versions with
millimeter or inch scales accordingly.
NOTE: The flexible ruler may crack in, or even break when bent a number of
times back and forth into small angles especially at the at the scale part
of the ruler. But when used with care, I think it can be a handy tool in
your modeling inventory for years!
The Flexible ruler
is available via http://www.pktinyland.tk/
Peter Kormos
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