When adding PE to a kit, have you ever wondered: “What the hell did I get myself into?” I mean yeah, it adds a lot of detail, but this stuff is timeconsuming and extremely tedius.
I recently added an Eduard set to a T-55. Now im ading an Aber se to a JS-3. Man, do i miss the Eduard! Not only does the Aber come with practically microscopic pieces but the instructions have a lot to be desired.
I’m working on a Dragon kit, No instructions at all; have fun…Kenny
Eduard’s PE can have small parts. Aber will have small parts and an insane number of them. Three points of advice for the PE: References, references, references!
Oh yeah! one more thing. References.
If all else fails use your common sense that you were given. Remember, Not all parts have to be replaced by PE.
Cheers
Dave
BeltFed,
I can honestly say yes. Check out my build at:
/forums/1211943/ShowPost.aspx
and it is in 1/48 to boot.
What lengths we will go to for testing our limits!
Thats the kind of built in excuse I thrive on.[;)]
hughes2682,
Also Patience, Patience, Patience and know when to walk away!
IBuild148,
Ahhhh yes! Even more important that references. As for the walking away … there have been “a couple” of occasions where I have grabbed a cold one from the fridge and called it a night. But, not after staring at the part/assembly (with the cold one in hand) just trying to figure out just what happened.
Thank you for the reminder
Cheers
Dave
First I agree with the previous comment…references. Next, do what makes sense and looks good to you.
My current build, an M40, between kit parts, PE, indy tracks and some scratch work is WELL in excess of 1,000 parts. I have been working on it since Aug and won’t finish until Dec. Where ever I can I make my life easy and try not to scrifice detail.
I almost never use ALL the PE supplied. On my current build the Eduard set will be about 1/2 used when I finish. Manytimes what they will have you add will take a lot of work and will add very little detail.
There are many times I “go for a walk” and I try to moderate myself. After this build, I will build something simpler or less complicated.
PE can be a PIA…but can make a good build into a great build
Rounds Complete!!
For me, having the right tools makes PE work bearable, even enjoyable. While I have my “hold and fold”, the tools I use the most are my exacto blade, a flat needle file and a non-serrated hemostat. Once I cut the PE part from the fret, I grip the piece in my hemostat with the nub showing. I then run my file laterally across the PE piece to remove the nub.
If I need to do any folding of the PE part, I adjust the piece again, in my hemostat jaws. Then I bend the part using my Exacto blade. Voila. Very simple, very quick. Where’s my CA glue?
BTW, I built up my PE confidence when several years ago, I spent two full weeks’ of modelling time tricking out the DML 8.8cm Flak bogies for my 8.8cm Flak 41 build.
http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f74/ericadeane/Flak%2041%20buildup/
After completing this, I felt there wasn’t much out there that I wasn’t prepared to tackle.
PE can have its frustrations but also its rewards. The key is to use it selectively and be prepared for the time/effort required. As Roy mentions, having the right tools for the job is key. I have a whole set of tools that I use for only working with PE and I don’t use PE on every build although increasingly, especially with DML kits, some PE is usually already there in the kit for use. When buying sets for a kit, I don’t necessarily go for the set with the most parts/frets…I try to determine which set will give me the most value for the $$$ and what I want to use. All of the manufacturers will try to cram as much as possible into their sets for this reason but in many cases the PE can be a step backward from the kit parts given the 2-D nature of PE. Just because it’s in the set doesn’t mean you have to use it. [;)]
[#ditto] And even better, I spent the extra $$ on PE, spent 4 nights detailing the cockpit of a CH-53E…cargo belts, dashboard, controls, seatbelts, etc…only to realize none of it would be seen.
I did invest in a bending tool, that really helps with the longer ones, especially AFV’s PE, which seems to be thicker than most.
