Scribing Tools? What are the cheaper alternatives to Tamiya's Fine Engraving Tools?

[Thunderbolt]

All, 

 

I am interesting in scribing all of the following diameters: 

0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mm. 

Tamiya offers blades in all six diameters, but the cost is quite high. 

What are some cheaper alternatives that you guys like to use?

Thanks in advance, 

Christian 

[wmoran]

Are you asking about scribing or riveting tools?  The term diameter for a scribing tool is throwing me.  Any way, you can't go wrong with any of Radu Brinzan's tools (radubstore.com), and umm-usa.com has a really good selection of tools for reasonable prices.  From UMM, I have the following two scribing tools:  http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=21_105&products_id=5580 and http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=21_105&products_id=8751.  They seem to cover my needs, but I try to minimize my scribing because I screw it up nearly every time.  I'm sure you'll get input from members with much more experience with other makes of scribing tools, but those two vendors are a good place to start.

Bill

[Thunderbolt]

a scriber scribes a certain diameter line 

 

I am interested in cheaper alternatives to Tamiya 

thanks 

[red Dog]

Well, rather a certain line thickness …

 

I still use a needle and the old squadron tool for scribing.

Up there I gave my feeling about the tamiya scriber Tools I bought.

And I came back to use the needle and the squadron tool, which is getting old.

 

 

[Radub]

Because I was mentinoed above, I would like to  clarify what types of scribers we have. 

We have two types of scribers: 

 

- A scriber that "trenches" a line by removing material in one long "swarf" in one stroke: http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_110&products_id=329&zenid=30eaa5186feb3f8889c74d8c528eeb2b
This is ideal for all scribing, especially on "uniform" materials. 
 

- A scriber that "files" away material like a file and this has to be used "back-and-forth" like a file: http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_110&products_id=417&zenid=30eaa5186feb3f8889c74d8c528eeb2b
This is ideal for scribing across leagind edges, top of fuselage, and very useful when scribing across dissimilar materials such as a panel line that comes across a puttied area on plastic, where the "regular" scribers usually yield non-uniform lines. The tips can be bent sideways to get into difficult areas such as inside engine intakes or wheel wells. 

 

We also make scribers that are set at a varity of angles or can scribe two lines at a time: http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=77_110&zenid=30eaa5186feb3f8889c74d8c528eeb2b

 

HTH 

Radu 

 

 

[thierry laurent]

Tamiya scribers absolutely need a guide. They are indeed far from easy to master but as soon as you get the grip, you get terrific results (zero clean-up required). However they are far to be the 'jack of all trades' I was hoping for. 

[Subodai]

I was just going to ask about scriber alternatives but then found this thread, I picked up a Tamiya scriber for Christmas and it wants to walk about all over the place!! Even on existing lines, it just wants to wander off in another direction

I've just seen the stuff available on Radubstore and my eyes widened  Gonna have to pick up some of those. Thanks!

[thierry laurent]

4 hours ago, Subodai said:

I picked up a Tamiya scriber for Christmas and it wants to walk about all over the place!! Even on existing lines, it just wants to wander off in another direction

 

As I wrote, using them without a guide does not work. So, this essentially limits their use to straigth panel lines. 

[Subodai]

24 minutes ago, thierry laurent said:

 

As I wrote, using them without a guide does not work. So, this essentially limits their use to straigth panel lines. 

 

Indeed, I wish I'd known this before it was purchased. Live and learn!

[Juggernut]

Sewing needle and pin vise....