Hi All; It has been a while since I have posted and gotten on line, and resumed modeling in general. I had to make a move from Wyoming to Nevada which disrupted life in general. After two years I finished a Polikarpov Rata that I had started, then repaired several dioramas the movers trashed. So, I now am starting the first new model in 4 years. Yay.
Anyway, I am fixated on the history and aircraft of the German Soviet conflict in the east and am now going to build the He-111H 1/48 Monogram model. The main thing is I am going to try the photo etched parts from Edouard for the first time. I would welcome any tips on using these parts that people may have. For example, do you use, or what kind of glue for these parts? Any techniques for bending these parts? Painting them? Are there any good articles out there regarding these products?
I used to use CA exclusively. However, I saw a demo at a club meeting on using thnned white glue- tried it and it works well. It is not as strong as CA, but good enough for most uses. I still use gel CA where I need strength, as for an antenna mast or control horn, but use the white glue for everything else. It sets slowly, which gives me a chance to position carefully, and seems to look better, especially on flat finishes. The thinning ratio is 1:1. You do have to have more patience because of the slow drying.
Tell us more about the Gator Glue. I can’t find it locally, but I’ve read about some similar glues that i was able to find. I’ve tried “The Ultimate” by Crafter’s Pick, but I was not happy with it. It’s a bit like paste out of the bottle. When it dries, it’s till rather “rubbery”, kind of like that adhesive used on FMS mag’s mailing labels that resembles boogers.
I tested the glue on two pieces of K&S brass strip. After letting it dry over night, it pulled apart with relative ease. I’ve read that Gator’s is actually sandable after it is dry; The Ultimate is not.
Hi; Thanks for the replies from all. I just googled Gator Glue and there are all kinds of sites that have it available. Cool. Thanks for the tip. Will give it a try. The review sites are quite encouraging, they say it is ideal for photo etched parts and for clear canopies (think He-111H). A water based, non toxic, non-yellowing, transparent acrylic polymer adhesive. It has been tested with PE to plastic, plastic to plastic, PE to resin, plastic to resin and all hold up well. I just ordered some!
Now, any similar constructive tips on bending, handling, or painting these parts? Any techniques on snipping them away from the frame? I dread flinging any into the carpet. Man, some of these parts are tiny and the accompanying instructions are rather cryptic. I have had to break out the 3X power old fart glasses to even see what they are.
You can put the parts in a zip lock bag and cut the parts off through the bag with a sharp exact o blade. I have a Xuron 440 PET High Precision Scissor that works great; I just have to hold onto the part or stick it to some masking tape when I cut it free. You can cleanup any burr that might be left over with a fine whetstone.
As for bending, if the part is small enough, you can use a couple of single-edge razor blades. One on top of the part where you want to bend it, and slip the other under the part, then pry it up. You can also start a bend by placing the part on a flat piece of styrofoam egg carton. Place the razor blade on the line you want to bend, then press straight down until it bends a little. Then you can finish the bend with two blades on a hard surface.
If you want to spend some money on a PE bender, you can purchase one. There are several models out there. Mission Models makes some as well as The Small Shop. All of these are well reviewed, just do a search here or on Google.
Before you paint the PE, you might want to soak it in vinegar for about 20 minutes. That will ‘etch’ the metal a little so the paint will stick better.
Hi m@; This link is exactly what I was hoping to hear about. There is a bunch of leads to follow up on now. I’ve got two of the Xuron snippers, but may look into the folding mechanism if they are not too expensive.
I actually just broke out a set of Eduard seatbelts last night. My first-ever color PE set on my first build in over ten years. I’m still feeling a touch rusty, but I ended up learning a few valuable lessons last night.
1 - I’ve been using a sprue cutter to cut the PE parts. On the seatbelts, at least, the cutters work like a dream. In my past experiences with PE, using an xacto always seemed to result in tiny PE parts going flying, never to be seen again. The cutters don’t seem to have that problem. But I really like the idea of cutting them inside a ziploc to keep any little shards from ending up on the floor.
2 - I was using CA last night, and I’m curious about this thinned white glue idea. Thinned with what, exactly?
3 - Bending. So far I’ve only had to bend buckles and such, but I found a method that’s worked pretty well. I take the PE part and place it on the very edge of my cutting mat, with the portion that’s to be bent hanging off. I then hold the main portion of the PE part flat beneath a part of tweezers (though any longish flat item should do fine), then use the back of my xacto blade to bend the part up. I’m sure the technique will have to change for larger pieces, but for buckles and various cockpit bits, it seems to work very well.
4 - DO NOT BLOW ON TINY PE PARTS TO HELP ADHESIVES DRY!
Thanks everyone; for all the input. I am still waiting for the gator glue and some RLM colors to arrive. Besides, during the work week it is a bit tough to get to it working 14-15 hrs/day. But, when I do get going on this, I will report with any observations and comments. Hopefully, little cursing.
Depending on how good the quality of the tap water is, some folks add just a tiny bit of dishwasher detergent. This reduces surface tension. Use a fraction of a drop. If your water is very good, very soft, you may not need this.