When applying photo etch details onto molded parts, do people scrape/sand off the existing detail or apply over it?
I’m building the VeryFire 1/350 USS Wisconsin BB-64 with the matching detail up set, early stages. Working on the turrets, there are PE details that go over pre-existing detail, like on the turret tops, and I’m not sure why I would remove current detail to then add PE detail when they seem to be identical. I appreciate all input!
Welcome to the forum.
Yes, you will need to make the surface that you’re applying the PE to flat. you can scrape it off. You don’t to sand smooth, just a flat surface. It’s going to be covered anyway. the PE instructions will tell you what detail that needs to be removed.
I circled the remove and not the grind. But you get the picture. (hopefully)
Yes you do,and truthfully sometimes the PE part is really not even needed to be used.
That was my suspicion, but thought it wise to get other opinions. Besides the turret tops, there is a circle of rivets around each barrel opening. The existing detail is really good, and scraping it off just to replace it with the super-flimsy PE oval that came in the detail up set seems like a fools errand, TBH. I’m sure some people would enjoy doing it just for the challenge, but these 58 year old eyes need a better reason than that.
Unfortunately the pictorial instructions that came with my detail up set do not specify items that need to be removed. It does point out items that need to be bent or drilled though.
What company made the PE set? What set is it for?
VeryFire made the PE set and VeryFire also made the kit. That is one of the things that contributed to my confusion.
If there was no pre-existing detail and the PE added detail it would be clear. If the PE added extra detail and the kit had minimal detail, that would make sense. If the PE was made by another company and they were unaware of upgraded detail on the kit, that would make sense.
But the PE has, in many cases, the same detail as the kit piece does, for example the rivets on top of the turrets, or around the barrel openings. But VeryFire makes both, so why the extra engineering and manufacturing expense?
Everybody seems to have you covered in here pretty well but I’ll add my 
on this comment I quoted. If it’s identical, I’d save the time and install the PE elsehwhere on the model where you feel like it’s needed.
Looking forward to seeing a thread on your Wisconsin. 
BTW, welcome aboard.
Things like vents or piping maybe, but the PE has a ‘turret top’ piece that covers the top of the entire turret (x3) and it’s just flat with lines of rivets, which are already on the kit piece. Trying to get that to lie perfectly flat seems itself like a bit of a challenge with very little gain.
This is my first model since I was a boy, I am a former crewmember on Wisconsin (plankowner, actually) and when I saw the kit at my local hobby store I grabbed it without thinking, because I’ve seen Missouri and New Jersey, but never my old command. I’m keeping a photo log of my progress including my workcenter set up, and I hope to share that eventually.
I hope to do this version (1944) and then a ‘modernized version’ with the Phalanx CIWS and ABL’s for the Tomahawks and Harpoons but thankfully no 20mm Oerlikon or 40mm Bofors, because my Lord, there are a lot of those little buggers…
Man that is great! Looking forward to seeing your progress and don’t be shy…we don’t bite. We all started somewhere brother. 
Who says?
Well, some of us do…but we’ve had our shots. 
