[ARC5] Fall Project: 160 Mtr AN/ARC-5 Set

[Mike Hanz]

On 10/8/2011 9:44 PM, swkb4dmf at windstream.net wrote:
> I have had limited success using dental burrs mounted in a pin vise and spun slowly with your fingers while watching the whole process under magnification. This method works okay on the deeper engravings but isn't worth a hoot on the shallow stuff. Some of the engravings are so shallow that they only removed the paint and barely scratched the aluminum. Very few are deep enough, in fact, the one that worked best looked to be stamped and not engraved.

That has been my experience as well, Steve.  The only saving grace with 
the masking fluid is that it does come up out of the groove with a 
fingernail, or even with a thumb or index finger (those fingerprints 
prints have amazing gripping abilities!:-) )  It is possible with care 
to lay down a "humped up" line of masking fluid with the needle that is 
easier to grab with a fingerprint area of the hand after the paint has 
cured.  Then with even a small fragment of the groove exposed, the rest 
of each letter can be cleaned out with a dental tool 'cause you then 
know where the sucker is located.  Over time I've gradually collected 
broken dental tools from my dentist to offer a huge variety of end 
shapes and angles to work on different aspects of the engraved groove.  
It does take a lot of patience.  I find that with some panels it is 
easier to use a big lighted magnifying glass rather than the stereo 
microscope...it all depends on your individual preference and eyesight.  
I would say that it is an acquired art that gets better with practice, 
though...I wouldn't be looking for perfection the first few times out.  
At least I surely didn't achieve it, and sometimes it still eludes me...

73,
Mike