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Hello

Currently painting some GW Deathwing Terminators and one thing I've always had problems with, despite having a pin vice/bits, is drilling the barrels out on the storm bolters.

I just cannot get them perfectly lined up/spaced.

Does anyone here have any tips on doing this so that it looks right?

Is there any trick other than mk1 eyeballing it?

Thanks in advance.

I would say that I eyeball it but when I think about it
I treat them like individual barrels and try to get them
in the middle, if they do go off centre I just angle the drill
to centre it

I use a smaller drill bit than the hole I want, drill them as best I can and then widen the holes by sticking a hobby knife inside and twisting it around to scrape the holes wider. That way you can even them out by eye, removing more material from one side or another till they're even

The drills but will tend to wander a little when you start to drill into a smooth surface on the plastic. Use a smaller drill first and apply little pressure so that you can focus on starting a hole precisely, then move onto a larger drill once a hole is established. Alternatively you can use the tip of a knife to poke a bit of a hole in the surface to give the drill something to latch into.

The first step I always, always do when drilling into plastic is to use the tip of my hobby knife and give it a little twist, so there is a tiny divot for the drill bit to set in. Keeps it from wandering.

I use a Draftsmen "Divider" which has two precision ground "pointers" one of which can be used to create a small starting point for the drill bit.

Push pins are also a good way to stop them wandering, just line that up and then the rest is easy

Use a knife, put a thin score horizontal in the varrels, then put two vertical lines where you want them to be. Drill on the X.