Hey Guys! Texxx here,
Excuse some basic questions here, but I’m just gettin’ back into it… I’m really new at this photo etch stuff, so here goes… What glue is best for photoetch?
Do you paint the photoetch prior to gluing it? So far it seems real slow to dry! I’m using a 5-15 second drying glue but it seems really messy.[xx(]
I am wiring up solenoids and wiring to the 50 cals in my machine gun bays on my 1/48 Academy P-47D… wiring is .010 gauge solder… I like the look, but the glue is really messy!
Any ideas??
Thanks! ~354~Texxx
[xx(]
I’ve just finished putting my first p/e into a 1/72 warbird. This stuff is ultra detailed, so if you’ve got ‘glue-mess’ then chances are it’s gonna ruin the effect of the p/e. Here’s what I ‘learned’
- I assembled as much p/e as I could prior to painting. I primed it, then put paint on. Worked fine.
- I used ‘thin’ ca for glue, but you have to use it sparingly. I’ve also read that other people use clear enamel to attach p/e parts
- I use solder too and the trick is to use as little glue as possible. One trick is to drill a small hole where you are going to put the solder, and then put a small amount of glue in the ‘hole’. Insert the ‘wire’ and it should be done.
Good luck.
M.
Hey Texxx,
I love that .010 solder! And as far as brass is concerned, well, it’s a love-hate relationship!
I almost always use CA (superglue) for attaching solder and brass. I have been known to use plain 'ole white glue now and again, but CA is my favorite. I use nothing but Zap-a-gap CA, which is a bit thicker and takes a bit to fully set.
When using CA on brass and solder, or any other small pieces-parts, the key is to use a very small amount of glue. That way, when you place the parts, the glue bonds almost instantaneously. Also, if I’m using solder, or any other wire, I always drill a pilot hole in which to insert the wire. This ensures that it won’t simply fall off of the spot that you’re trying to attach it to.
Another adhesive I’m trying out is Microscale Liquitape. With this stuff, you put a bit on the mating surfaces of each part that you’re gluing together and let it set. The glue is still very tacky when it sets up, and you simply put the two mating surfaces together and they grab onto each other. It’s neat stuff, but I dunno if it’s still made. This bottle has been around the house for years.
Hope this is some help!
Fade to Black…
Well the best stuff is CA (super glue) and the key to it is to use very small amounts, applied using something like a cocktail stick, or a pin etc. Put a drop of glue on a scrap piece of plastic and transfer it to the place on the model you want the PE part to stick to, then using tweezers place the PE part and (hopefully) it will stay were you want it.
It is important to wash the PE parts first using IPA or some similar solvent to get rid of any remaining masking solution or grease, this will help the part stick. Some people recommend heating the part with a flame (annealing), but that is not usually required with modern PE parts., as these days the brass is pretty soft. (early PE sets were made from quite stiff, thick brass)
Parts should not be painted first, as the paint will stop the part from ticking to the model, you will find that you have a nice piece of paint glued in place, and that the PE part just falls off!
This will also go for your solder, although you could try drilling .010 or .011holes where you want to locate the ends, and this will make fixing the solder much neater as you wont need very much glue, the solder should be pretty much an interference fit in the holes.
I hope this is of help.
Phil
If you need a little time to position the part, try 5 minute epoxy. I love it, you get some time to position the part, plus, after a few minutes, you can pull off any excess that may have squeezed out.
Give it a try!