Looking for a high resolution photo-resist.

Photo-resist is used in several processes for preparing plates for fine printing (e.g. photogravure), but I am fairly sure that those photo-resists are coatings that are applied in liquid form, not as films. I doubt that a film thick enough to be handled and applied could get better resolution than that which you quoted.

Just as a matter of curiosity, what is the scale of your model?

Dear Captain:

If high resolution photo-resist is available as a liquid only, it's rather bad news for me. I'm simply not equipped to handle the resist in liquid form. I imagine it would have to be sprayed onto the substrate under safe lighting conditions.

The model will be 1:72 scale and is based on the Revell 1:72 Gato kit. L.O.A. will be 51.944". SS-408 Sennett was a late war Balao class boat built at the Portsmouth Naval Ship Yard and launched in 1944. She had a distinguished career during the remainder WWII.

Dear Perfectionist,

Oh my, that's a huge kit to build, much like Revell's U-Boat kit....just massive! One of the guys in our chapter is from CT and is very keen on building ships, but especially subs. He entered his U-Boat into our annual show & contest. I think he also did the old USS Washington SSBN kit as well.

You can see most of the models entered into last October's show at our official IPMS Chapter Website:

www.hvhmg.com

So exactly what PE parts are you looking to manufacture for you Gato-class boat? Handrailing and stuff like that, or are you cutting away a part of the hull to depict the interior workings and need a ton of PE????

Looks like we both like our big models, eh?!!! LOL

3 years ago I built the 1/48 scale Revell B-1B Lancer strategic bomber and added a whole lot of PE and aftermarket Resin pieces. I chose to paint in Euro I camouflage scheme which is pretty tricky to get good results with. Anyhow, I entered it into the Region I IPMS contest that year and receive a first place finish in it's class. The overall length of the model was slightly over 39-inches I believe. Even the "swing wings" pivoted and all 3 bomb bays were open for display, which I had tricked out very heavily with PE and resin......also displayed were the Short Range Attack Missiles (SRAM) on their rotary dispensers. I also had scratch-built a whole bunch of exterior antennas, bulges and black box add-ons to the fuselage that Revel had omitted to include on the kit. I later placed in in Ebay Auctions and the Winning Bidding went over $1,250.....it was bought by a representatives of the Bomb Wing at Minot AFB (they fly the B-1B Lancer) to present tp their retiring Wing Commander. Well that was pretty touching and I hope the Retiring General is enjoying it on display in his house! Nice to know it found a very nice home as I had no spare room here to display it,,,I do however miss having it about because of all the hard work and long hours that went into building it to museum standards and quality.

I wish I could help you with the PE problem, but it's beyond me how to make any sort of PE......I'm better at building casting patterns and then making the molds and casting resin parts of all types.

Good luck, and I hope you can visit of chapter website to see the sub models!

Cheers and Beers, or is that the other way around!? LOL

Dear Captain:

The model is a 1:72 scale model of the SS-408 Sennet (Balao class submarine) as she was at the end of WWII. She will be APR 52" long.

I want to be able to make a wide assortment of photo-etch components in order to super detail the model hence my question about the photo-resist. On a model this size, there is certainly a large area to detail! I am not interested in "blast etching" I wish to use a photo-chemical etching process to make any required parts as I proceed with the build.

I have never been an IPMS but I am a member of the SubCommittee, an international submarine modelling group.

Hello and Greetings Fellow Modeler!

Always glad to run into another fellow plastic-eater online!! *GRINZ*

I've always used Photo-Etch from the Aftermarket companies. Good enough resolution for my 1/32 scale aircraft models.

Frankly, I've never heard of the resolutions you are seeking for you DIY PE, but doesn't mean it cannot be made.

Have you asked any of our fellow modelers at any of the following online modeling forums: Modeling Madness, Hyperscale, and ARC???? I know some of the guys in those forums have made their own PE and may be able to help you out. Ditto with some of the guys in our local IPMS chapter.

BTW, what sub are you building, and to what scale?

Do you know Tony Hayes up your way from Hamilton ON? He's a IMPS - Canada Chapter Prez in his area and also affiliated with the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, and an old friend of mine...also my Best Man in my wedding. If yes, please say hello for me if you see him about! My name is Mark.

You may also want to try a Google Search about making DIY PE.

Good luck,

Mark (aka CaptMoosie)

Hudson Valley Historic Miniatures Guild / Mid-Hudson River IPMS Chapter

Are you blast etching or chemical etching? Actually it sounds like you are chemical etching based on you reference to printed circuit boards. If you are not familiar with blast etching, you sand blast the material you want to remove. For this method the resolution is affected by the depth of the etched area and the fineness of the blast medium. It is possible to get resolution of 0.002" or better with 220 grit medium and just frosting the blast area.

I use this method for etching glass (hobby level) with a gizmo that looks like an air brush called an Air Erase. I am amazed at the level of resolution I get by exposing half tone photographic images printed on an ink jet printer.

A good source with wide selection of films and one liquid is Ikonics Imaging. They all use UV light, but can be an ordinary black light...some even activate by sunlight. All require high pressure washer (200 to 400 psi) to remove unactivated mask. This sounds like a problem, but its really very easy.

Good luck with your project.

BTW awsome avatar