Net 0,5 x 0,5 mm

Photo-Etched Mesh 0.5 x 0.5 mm — Aber

This is a modeling stock material from the Polish manufacturer Aber, not a kit. It is a sheet of thin photo-etched metal with a regular square aperture measuring 0.5 x 0.5 mm. The mesh is cut to the shape you need and glued in wherever a model should be seen through, that is, where injection-molded plastic offers only a blind imitation of a grille. The usable area of the sheet without the surrounding frame is roughly 75 x 42 mm, so one package covers several smaller grilles or one large area.

Use

• Grilles over the radiators and engine compartments of tanks and vehicles
• Outlets and intakes where the depth should show
• Protective screens for speakers, lights and instruments
• Ship ventilation grilles, filters and covers
• Conversions and scratchbuilding where an open area is needed

How to work with the mesh

Draw the shape on paper first and lay the template on the metal, because the mesh is thin and the cut cannot be undone. Cut it with sharp metal shears or with a scalpel on a glass surface, then level the edges with a fine file. It is bonded with super glue applied in a trace layer around the edge; never put the glue in the middle, or it will flood the apertures and the see-through effect will be gone. Before painting, degrease the metal with alcohol and apply a thin metal primer; a thick coat of paint will seal the apertures, so spray from a greater distance and in several light passes.

Who the stock material is for

For modelers who want to replace blind plastic grilles with a genuinely open area. The fine 0.5 mm aperture suits the smaller and medium scales above all, where the grille should be dense and unobtrusive.

This is a modeling stock material, not a kit. The edges of cut metal are sharp, so work carefully. Glue, paints and tools are not included in the package.