German ID tags

Hello all,

I'm in need of some help in making German ID tags for my figures. Wondering if using plastic styrene or thin metal. The metal would be for detail as with the metal ones that Dragon issued with one of their earlier released figure (Burns). Then the next would be engraving it to the likes of their SS tags. Think my Dremel would be good for the engraving of name, rank  and etc.....

So, if any of you have  thoughts about what's good, please share them.  

Thanks,  
Ken (dti62 )

I have had some of the German ID disks In he past, that were photo etched. I doubt that you can engrave them, at least not in scale.

I'm going to try an see what I can come up with. May try the plastic first.

Sounds like a plan. They are very, very tiny and are oblong shapes with perferations down the middle.

Here are a couple of pictures of a real SS Tag, you can see how small the lettering is, Metal would be best as they are very thin.
GB
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Thanks GB, those will come in handy. A soft metal(sheel of brass) is what I'm thinking of using.

Hi,

At the size that these would end up at (tiny), i am wondering if you use the brass for the disc itself and the perforations. And then copy and print out the details onto clear decal paper, which you then cut out and stick it onto the brass disc. You could also paint the brass disc with Gunmetal paint, and the clear decal would allow the paint to show through. And the text in a darker colour would show up as the relevant details.

Just an idea.

As another idea, if you can work out the dimensions of the tag. When you make the clear decal with the details on it, you could in a Paint program add the three black lines for the holes. That way you get the thin material for the tag, plus also a consistant text and line of holes at the same time in a single decal.

Gary

Mike,

The one on the left is GIjoe's Dog tag and on right is Dragon's American Russell Carson dog tag. So making the German tags is going to be much hard like you said. I'm just going to make the shape an call it the day.

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Say Gary,

I really like your ideal, but I think just making the shape would be better. Thanks so much for your help, you too Bill. Shaping the Brass into a Oval shape and sanding the edges, drilling holes should be fine. Engraving something so small would be stressful, and with my eyesight. Ughhhhh.....      

Ken

Here's what I came up with far as German ID tags, it's from a Brass metal sheet from Home Depot. Used a small hobby file to give it it's shape. To drill the holes, I used a 1/32 drill bit. It's not perfect, but it will look good for detail photos. I plan on priming it then paint it Gunmetal color. Hope you like, as always, all comments are welcome.

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Here is some info for you Ken.... [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

khaoswarrior wrote:Here is some info for you Ken....  http://www.military-dogtags.com/id24.htm

Say Scott,

That's a great find, so aluminum and zinc  was used by the Germans. Way to go....

mutt71 wrote:Sounds like a plan. They are very, very tiny and are oblong shapes with perferations down the middle.

Say Jack,

You were right about the size, hell......what was I smokin when I thought about engraving them.

Kn dd you get my PM?

Yes, I just sent you one back.