Advice needed on cutting Waldron Gauges

[Adrian A.]

Hi guy's

While waiting for the inclimate weather here in South Louisiana to clear up so that I can gloss coat my P-40 & P-38 to decal them, I decided to pull out my Airfix P-51D.

This is my first 1/24th aircraft & I love it! (My eyesight ain't what it once was!!)

Anyway, for the last 2 day's I've been working on the cockpit. I've done most of the side panels (painting & Waldron placards) and am ready to tackle the instrument panel.

My biggest problem is that I don't have a miniature punch & die set. So...... what is the easiest way to cut those puppies out without ruining them. Or do I need to put it on hold until I can afford to get one? (They ain't cheap I've found out!)

Any help you guy's could offer would be greatly appreciated!

And, while I'm on the cockpit subject, what width and length should I make the seatbelts? I've got the buckles and I've found what I think will be a good material to make them (Has anyone tried using the 'Do not remove under penalty of law' tags on furniture?)

Also what color were they?

I'm planning to finish it as 'Petie 3rd'. I have an old 'Air Classics' with Pete McManus' aircraft but I'll be needed other references.

Any help on any of the above would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

Adrian A.

[LSP_Ray]

Hmmm, the punch and die set is really the way to go....If you do the ole' sandwich method, you can roughly cut the instruments out in squares and simply arrange them on a backing piece, put a sheet of clear acetate over them, then the final instrument panel over that. Probably more work than you want to do, though.

[Gene]

Hi Adrian,

True, the punch & die set is a hit of money, and then you'll want the matching drills, but your situation reminds me of a similar situation. I needed to make very small round holes in some material (don't recall if if was paper or decals) and found that I could angle ream the end of a brass tube till the edge had a nearly knife edge and tap it against the material (if you have a steel tube, so much the better). I would imagine the tapping should be done against something very flat and hard (glass, metal). The brass is relatively soft and will need to be resharpened frequently, but it just might work for the Waldron instrument film.

I have found the punch and die set almost as essential as a package of #11 blades. There is so much than can be done enhancing a model when you have access to precise holes and 'hole' pieces.