Engrave plate for making anti-slip surfaces

Aber embossing plate for creating non-skid surfaces

This item is neither a model nor a part of one, but a tool. It is a brass plate with a precisely etched relief that imitates a non-skid finish of a surface - that is, the rough, regularly textured area that real vehicles have everywhere they are walked on. The plate works as a die: the thin material laid on it is pressed into it and takes over the texture, which the modeler then uses as the surface of a part. It is made by the Polish firm Aber, a long-standing specialist in photo-etched and turned accessories for plastic models.

Use

• Lay thin polystyrene sheet, or else soft brass or aluminum foil, on the plate.
• Pass a rounded tool without a sharp point evenly over the area until the non-skid texture is impressed.
• Proceed in several lighter passes so that the material does not crack.
• Trim the finished sheet to the shape of the part and glue it onto the model, for example onto fenders, platforms or walking surfaces.

Where it is useful

Everywhere a production kit has walking surfaces smooth or merely indicated. A non-skid texture is one of the most visible details of military and civilian vehicles alike, and once painted it responds strongly to a dry brush, to a wash and to pigments. The plate will also come into its own in dioramas, on platforms, stairs and industrial elements.

Who it is for

For modelers who make their parts themselves or want to work the surface even where no ready-made photo-etched part exists. The die is durable, usable over and over and is not used up.

After etching, brass has sharp edges - handle with care. Keep out of the reach of small children. Foil, glue and paints are not included in the package.