Engrave plate (140 x 39 mm) - pattern 14

Aber embossing plate 140 x 39 mm - pattern 14

This is neither a kit nor a part of a particular model. It is a modeling aid: a precisely etched brass plate measuring 140 x 39 mm whose face carries a regularly repeating relief pattern listed in the manufacturer's catalog under number 14. The plate works as a die - the material is laid on it and pressed through, so that the texture of the surface is impressed into it. The maker is the Polish firm Aber, which has long specialized in photo-etched and turned accessories for plastic models.

Use

• Lay thin material on the plate - polystyrene sheet or brass or aluminum foil.
• Hold the material down and pass a rounded tool (a polisher, a bone folder, a rounded point) evenly over it until the pattern is impressed.
• Cut or trim the finished sheet to the shape you need and glue it onto the model.
• The pattern can be matched up side by side, so a larger area can be made from one plate as well.

Where it is useful

Typically in scratchbuilding your own parts and in modifying production kits: floors, platforms, panels, vehicle cargo beds, industrial elements of dioramas or railway models. Because this is a mechanical impression, the result is deep and sharp in a way that merely drawn or engraved detail is not, and once painted it comes out under drybrushed paint and under a wash.

Who it is for

For more advanced modelers who make some of their parts themselves, for diorama builders and for anyone who wants to replace a simplified plastic surface with a truer texture. The plate is reusable and with ordinary handling will last practically indefinitely.

After etching, brass has sharp edges - take care while working. Keep out of the reach of small children. Glue, paints and foil are not included in the package.