Howdy yall,
I am purchasing a photo etch kit for my sherman tank, I was looking at it and I was jsut wondering if you had any appliction tips and assempbly tips, such as how to do it.
That would be great if you could answer me,
Thanks Again
Awasoda
Check in the tips section of this site. I’m sure there is a section there on using PE.
You will need at least:
A pair of cutters that you won’t be using for any other purpose (PE will notch the edge severely)
Cyano glue
A GOOD pair of long nose pliers (preferably without deep corregations as they can scratch the brass)
A BETTER pair of tweesers, or two
A steel ruler
A single edge razor Blade
Lots of Patience[:p]
and a small wire or something similar for applying the c/a glue…
Awasoda
Everything mentioned above. Make sure at least one tweezer is a very fine pointed one. I bought some from ModelExpo.com and they are labeled as being a #1. I’d also recomend another one that is normally closed. Mine are curved at the end and I find them helpful. Note that these are not the hemostat type that are normally open and can be latched closed. Another is a square ended one. They type ladies use for their eyebrows. (Very useful for bending small parts). Make sure they all have smooth “jaws”.
A flat, square nosed pair of pliers. Again, great for bending parts.
An Xacto knife with a #11 blade used for cutting the parts off the frets. It will be quickly dulled, the very end of the point may even break off, but that’s okay. Just take your time slicing through the fret attachment point.
I use a pair of small, manicure type, scissors to cut the parts from the fret, if I have room to get the scissors in without toasting the part. I find they cut cleaner and closer than my #11 blade.
A fine file or course sanding stick (my preference) for cleaning up the remaining attachment points from the part. You shouldn’t use it for anything else as the little brass “grains” that get imbedded can really scratch up plastic.
A metal ruler for bending the parts.
Some small diameter dowels or metal tubes/rods for bending curved parts.
Either superglue debonder or fingernail polish remover, the type with acetone.
Toothpicks and cotton swabs.
Good eyes and lighting to find all the parts that are bound to be tweezerpulted and dropped.
A magnifying headband is a must (for me).
Good lighting
A third hand tool is often helpful, but not manditory.
Techniques:
Wash the frets (gently) in something to remove manufacturing oils. I use lacquer thinner, others use paint thinner or alcohol.
Stick masking tape behind small parts before cutting them from the fret or you’ll probably never see them again.
Cut one part (or parts for one assembly) at a time from the fret.
Put parts in small parts box with a tight fitting lid to keep formed but as yet unused parts. I like the ones that have small partitions in them.
Use fresh, gap filling super glue, and use a little glue as you can.
Compare the pe instructions to the kit instructions. Often I mark the pe instructions with the kit step where it will be used. I also circle the part on the kit instructions that is
being replaced or enhanced. Note that the order of the steps on the two instruction sheets is NEVER the same, usually not even close.
Study the assembly drawing carefully and compare it to the part your going to work on. Make sure you know exactly where and in what order you want to bend the part. For multiple bends in a part, USUALLY you will want to work from the center of the part toward the outside folds, but this is not always true.
Dry fit the part before you glue it on. With superglue, you don’t get a lot of second chances.
Work away from the edge of you table. You have a better chance of a dropped part staying where you can find it.
Don’t feel like you’ve got to use every part in the pe set (like I did on my first build). Look at what a part is replacing or detailing and decide if it’s that much better than the molded part. If not, don’t do it. Put the part in the spares box for another project.
Hold off putting the small parts on as long as possible.
Don’t get overwhelmed. Just take it one part at a time.
Prime your model before you paint. With photoetch, this is pretty much mandatory.
Good luck.
Bill
Absolutely brilliant advice by all!
The only thing I might add is that if you find yourself totally enamored with PE and using it all the time, you might want to invest in one of the convenient folding tools, such as the Etch Mate or Hold-n-Fold. I have the Etch Mate, and it really makes folding a breeze. A rather pleasant experience, actually! None of the anxiety of trying to valiantly hold onto a wee bit o’ brass with tweezers whilst folding it.
Of course, that handy tool won’t help you put the bits on the models, so don’t forget your tweezer technique![:D]
Good point, Brian. I’ve got the little, 2" Hold 'n Fold and I like it because I can hold it up close to my blind eyes and work up there. But I’d like to get a “table top” model, too, to work up those long pieces. The 2" isn’t much good for them!
Bill
The best cynoacrylic (aka superglue) glue dispenser is home made. Take an ordinary sewing needle and clip the end of the eye off. The eye end will now look like a “Y”. Heat the pointy end of the needle (holding the needle with a pair of tweezers or pliers) and insert the hot point into a end of a straight piece of sprue.
Use a piece of sprue that is off sufficient diameter and length. It becomes the handle to your glue dispensing tool. Depending on how well the needle went into the end of the sprue, you may want to place a drop of c/a glue there to insure the needle does not come out.
When applying glue, just place a drop into the Y and use that to affix the PE part to the model.
Cool, Maj. Rob. I’ll have to give that a try. Thanks.
Bill
If the Y ever gets clogged with dried glue, a quick flick through a lighter’s flame will burn away the old glue.
Thanks for the tips. I will be needing help when I start building my Sherman calliope.
mark956
No fair, no fair!!! Where did you get a calliope??? (Envy showing)
Bill
I won it on E-bay. I also won a verlinden Sherman calliope conversion kit.
mark956
Thanks everyone your tips have been soo good. I will let you know how the progress goes and I am sure I will be in here again complianing about something. HAHAHA.
Oh well thanks again,
Me
Awasoda, If you can post some progress pictures of your build.
mark956