al49
Tech Sergeant
Honestly I don't know if this is the correct place to start this thread, in case isn't, admin pls move it in the right place.
In any case, a couple of weeks ago I decided to purchase a Portrait cutting plotter made by Silhouette, this one:
Main goal was to use it to make my own painting masks.
First project was to get correctly (???) sized David's stars for my Avia S-199 1/32 scale model.
Once I had what I hope are the correct sizes, I first did a drawing using an autocad type software:
The above dwg was exported to a vectorial software (Corel Draw) and then into the proprietary Silhouette software.
I loaded into the plotter an adhesive vinyl sheet and I made my masks that I used to start painting:
Above pictures aren't too good but what I think is clear is that the amount of vinyl masking material around the circles is much more then what you get from manufacturers of those masks, so the handling is much easier.
Next step will be to fit the negative star masking and spray the blue colour.
NEXT STEP
Next I tried something else.
Not yet posted in the relevant session, but I will do it soon, but on my just started MIG-3 model I had an issue: according to other modellers to get a more realistic cockpit it would be advisable to add a couple of ribs behind pilot's seat.
Standard approach is to cut them out of plast-icard, but I wanted to try my machine.
Drawing process is the same as above but different is the stuff to be cut.
I firstly tried with card-stock:
the output isn't too bad but, as it can be appreciated in the middle picture, the cut itself isn't very sharp.
The greyish colour on some of them is an attempt to seal card-stock with MR. Surfacer 1000.
Therefore I wanted to try with plasti-card.
The 0.5 mm one is too thick, unfortunately but 0.30 mm works: the only little problem is that you must cut two each and glue them together, very easy done by the plotter.
So here are they dry fit in their relevant position:
Summary: these have been well spent money, at least i.m.h.o.
Any question I will be very happy to try to answer.
Alberto
In any case, a couple of weeks ago I decided to purchase a Portrait cutting plotter made by Silhouette, this one:
Main goal was to use it to make my own painting masks.
First project was to get correctly (???) sized David's stars for my Avia S-199 1/32 scale model.
Once I had what I hope are the correct sizes, I first did a drawing using an autocad type software:
The above dwg was exported to a vectorial software (Corel Draw) and then into the proprietary Silhouette software.
I loaded into the plotter an adhesive vinyl sheet and I made my masks that I used to start painting:
Above pictures aren't too good but what I think is clear is that the amount of vinyl masking material around the circles is much more then what you get from manufacturers of those masks, so the handling is much easier.
Next step will be to fit the negative star masking and spray the blue colour.
NEXT STEP
Next I tried something else.
Not yet posted in the relevant session, but I will do it soon, but on my just started MIG-3 model I had an issue: according to other modellers to get a more realistic cockpit it would be advisable to add a couple of ribs behind pilot's seat.
Standard approach is to cut them out of plast-icard, but I wanted to try my machine.
Drawing process is the same as above but different is the stuff to be cut.
I firstly tried with card-stock:
the output isn't too bad but, as it can be appreciated in the middle picture, the cut itself isn't very sharp.
The greyish colour on some of them is an attempt to seal card-stock with MR. Surfacer 1000.
Therefore I wanted to try with plasti-card.
The 0.5 mm one is too thick, unfortunately but 0.30 mm works: the only little problem is that you must cut two each and glue them together, very easy done by the plotter.
So here are they dry fit in their relevant position:
Summary: these have been well spent money, at least i.m.h.o.
Any question I will be very happy to try to answer.
Alberto
