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How "adhesive" are self-adhesive p.e.parts ?


roginoz

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I'd welcome advice about using self-adhesive photo etch.

I've got the Eduard Cockpit set for my Xantong DB-3/Il-4 but I'm finding the etch not as adhesive as I anticipated it would be, or had been assured it was. Despite advice to keep fingers away from the sticky surface, I'm finding this just about impossible on account of the size of the parts, nevertheless limiting handling to an absolute minimum and using fine tweezers or craft knife where ever possible.

I wonder if applying them to a matt-painted surface gives them sufficient "grip" or should I perhaps attach them to a gloss surface. As it is, I'm assisting their adherence with the traditional CA as a backstop.

Any advice and guidance will be much appreciated.

Cheers……Rog

PS …….it's a challenging kit !!

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I put mine directly onto the bare plastic and they'll not shift for anything.

A useful tool is a pick-up pencil;

7ca31428e886f1d6d112daa94a2dc410.jpg

Its actually beeswax in the centre. Handy for picking up small flat parts and placing them.

About £3.50 each through model shops or 99p for 5 through ladies 'nail-art' supplies.

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From experience with several Eduard sets, they are useless. I wish they would revert to un-sticky ones. The 'self-adhesive' bits will stick, but not in any serious way -thus requiring cyano or Gator's Grip anyway, so what's the point? The only difference I notice is that they find every tiny speck of dust/hair/fluff that I went to enormous pains to clean out of my work area five minutes previously!

:banghead:

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I've seldom had any problems with Eduard SA etch parts. If you find them insufficiently sticky, though, or if the contact area is too small for them to adhere well, run a brushful of Klear onto the edge and let capilliary action take it under the part. When it dries, it will give you a pretty firm attachment, without the risk of damage or loss of detail as you might find with super-glue.

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Me too :)

As others have said I find they stick to everything while handling and don't settle very well on the parts... I'm using Gator Grip thin now - capillary action and cleans up with water.

Black Knight thanks for the tip about 'nail art' supplies... looks like the same effect (volume sales) you get when buying from medical suppliers (scalpel blades etc, and now paper points). I guess the LMSs have to pay the rent? It took me a while to realise that the UK supplier of Badger Stynylrez primer (great stuff) 'Barwell Bodyworks' probably doesn't repair cars! :D

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  • 4 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Another thumbs down for S.A. PE from me. For such tricky to fit parts that arent cheap I reckon glue or klear is the way to go.

To be fair, I only ended up with self adhesive bits as I found what I wanted cheaper than the regular bits.

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