|
There are four main items that should be carefully completed to preserve the model:
- Make a fresh copy of the Plan Sheet. I have been successful in carefully reinforcing the original plan sheet with
high quality 3M Scotch Tape (disappearing) on the back - at all folds at the edge and center where the paper is beginning
to split or tear. I use Kinkos (luckily close by) oversize self-service scanner to carefully hand feed in for reproduction
to their plotter / printer. This setup can take up to 36" plans and cost $7.95 per reproduction. The quality is
excellent. You may have to find a blueprint service where you live, and the cost may be higher.
- Carefully read through the plan instructions and catalog all nouns (parts and pieces) by construction phase. See
my example below. Once completed, a kit Parts List can be created and checked against your kit's contents to see if
everything has made it through the decades.
- Get a color scan of the decals and any other instruction sheets or scale materials needed to complete the kit. I
use my home 8.5" x 11" flat-bed scanner for this.
- The hard part - trace each die cut part while in the sheet as it came from the Sterling factory. You can use a soft
lead pencil to draw a darker line in the cut around the pieces in the sheet to help see them through the tracing paper.
If parts have escaped the sheet or all have been removed, I have successfully reconstructed die cut sheets from parts in the
box where the previous owner kept the scrap wood. If the scrap wood is missing and all you have are the pieces, then
carefully trace around these and label them. Anything that can't be traced should be described with measured dimensions
as much as possible. Formed landing gear should be considered in this regard.
- Submit your contribution to: Old Sterling, 330 Sablewood Drive, Alpharetta, GA 30004
Check these examples:
| Die Cut Parts Template Example |
|
|
| Parts List Example - created while reading plan |
|
|
|
