cemcraft Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Looking at buying my first PhotoEtch bending tool. At the moment there seems to be two readily available - the Etch Mate 3c and the Hold & Fold 5-Speed. I have heard very mixed reviews of the Etch Mate 3c with some not liking the composite materials or the groove in the base unit along the fold line. This makes me lean towards the the 5-Speed. My first choice would probably be the Ausfwerks Fender Bender but that unit is out of production. What do others like or dislike about the respective designs - is there room for improvement, what would you like to see these units do that gives you a problem with their present design? Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsPhil Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I was going to reply on your other thread, but here's my input! I looked about at them for a while, decided the money was better spent on actual kits!! I made my own from a bulldog clip and 2 Stanley knife blades! Simply glue the blades (superglue) between the jaws of the clip (sharp side inwards) and Roberts your mothers brother! Phil 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidelvy Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I can't comment on the ones you are thinking of but I have one produced by Radu Brinzan, who has an online shop: http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_p...facturers_id=10 It is not as robust as the ones you are thinkng of, but is considerably cheaper. As I don't use a lot of etched parts it is ideal for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian1 Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 (edited) I have a Hold and Fold 5 speed and it's brilliant - easy to use, well made and very effective - very highly recommended! It should last you a long time but on the other hand it's not cheap and unless you're going to use quite a lot of PE on a regular basis a simpler and cheaper solution might be best. Brian Looking at buying my first PhotoEtch bending tool. At the moment there seems to be two readily available - the Etch Mate 3c and the Hold & Fold 5-Speed.I have heard very mixed reviews of the Etch Mate 3c with some not liking the composite materials or the groove in the base unit along the fold line. This makes me lean towards the the 5-Speed. My first choice would probably be the Ausfwerks Fender Bender but that unit is out of production. What do others like or dislike about the respective designs - is there room for improvement, what would you like to see these units do that gives you a problem with their present design? Bruce Edited January 21, 2012 by Brian1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I got myself the smallest hold and fold as I don't do too much PE. Well worth the £25 Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little-cars Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Personally I don't think the current etchmate is as nice to use or as robust as the hold and fold and personally found the tools made out of PE to be fiddly to use. I bought a 4" hold and fold when they were first brought over to Telford and it's still in my tool box, well made and does the job perfectly, although takes some people a while to get it perfect. The current US versions that I stock are developments of this tool. Which one you go for depends on the type of etch you are going to be bending. The current range has the early 2" tool mentioned earlier and the bug as hand held tools and are really meant for folding detail items, not large pieces. Above that is the general purpose 4" tool, the 5speed which was designed for armour modellers and has a number of extras on the top plate to fold grab handles and wire on the top plate. Then there is the 8" tool originally marketed to train builders. The popular ones at the moment are the bug, 4" and 5 speed. Paul 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abacus Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Something like this perhaps. Tempted myself but don't do a huge amount of etch. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tiger-model-Etch...#ht_6149wt_1185 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tank152 Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 The Bug is my weapon of choice. I started with pliers etc but but wouldn't dream of using them now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxus Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 We stock H&F (2" - 5 Speed) and the Radu (RB Production) Flips R5 and R10 - www.spruemart.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acky190 Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 (edited) I've got an etch mate 3C and its brilliant, it comes with 3 orange tools to slip under the PE. The groove in the base helps locate the tools and give a really good 90 degree bend. I can't recommend it enough! Edited January 23, 2012 by Acky190 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cemcraft Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 My thanks to everyone - it seems to confirm what it is that I've heard on the grapevine, that the Hold & Fold, in whichever size it is that you own - is the weapon of choice. I would still love to hear from someone about the Fender Bender as when it was available it seemed to be regarded as head and shoulders above the rest - but has the market moved on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) Personally I don't think the current etchmate is as nice to use or as robust as the hold and fold and personally found the tools made out of PE to be fiddly to use.I bought a 4" hold and fold when they were first brought over to Telford and it's still in my tool box, well made and does the job perfectly, although takes some people a while to get it perfect. The current US versions that I stock are developments of this tool. Which one you go for depends on the type of etch you are going to be bending. The current range has the early 2" tool mentioned earlier and the bug as hand held tools and are really meant for folding detail items, not large pieces. Above that is the general purpose 4" tool, the 5speed which was designed for armour modellers and has a number of extras on the top plate to fold grab handles and wire on the top plate. Then there is the 8" tool originally marketed to train builders. The popular ones at the moment are the bug, 4" and 5 speed. Paul Paul, slight thread digression here, but I get a little confused - from memory there was at one time someone in the UK making H&F under licence - is he out the game these days? I have a Bug, and it's a great little tool, but it's a slightly different design from that on the Small Shop website. Also, what's in the Hold and Fold Cutting set for Photo-etch that you list? Edited January 23, 2012 by Dave Fleming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little-cars Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) Paul, slight thread digression here, but I get a little confused - from memory there was at one time someone in the UK making H&F under licence - is he out the game these days?I have a Bug, and it's a great little tool, but it's a slightly different design from that on the Small Shop website. Also, what's in the Hold and Fold Cutting set for Photo-etch that you list? The UK manufacturer used to be Cammett, it was not a formal license agreement and two of the Hold & Fold range were UK designed. But it's a long story, so I won't go into it here... When Cammett stopped trading the 'rights' were bought up by a model train tool supplier who initially manufacturing problems. There is a version of the tools still made in the UK, it now has a head that slides, rather than rotates and is about 15% more expensive than the US made tools. The Smallshop in the US tried the sliding head idea some years ago and found that the head tends to stick after a while, so kept to the traditional design. As far as I am aware there hasn't been any big updates to the Bug, the only thing I can think may have been added are the grab handle formers on the head. Paul Edited January 23, 2012 by little-cars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) As far as I am aware there hasn't been any big updates to the Bug, the only thing I can think may have been added are the grab handle formers on the head.Paul Helps if I look at the right photo - I was looking at the mini!! Doh!! (Small Shop EU is the name on my baggie, google suggets they were bought by Cammett, probloem solved!) BTW still interested to know what's in the Hold and Fold Cutting set for Photo-etch that you list? Edited January 23, 2012 by Dave Fleming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little-cars Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 The etch cutting sets I sell is a very simple tool and consists of two sheets of black perspex, about 6*4 inches, giving you 4 cutting sides and a small press tool. You put your etch fret on the black base to give you a good view of the pieces and cutting lug. Put the press tool over the piece you are cutting and line it up with the edge of the piece and the lug. You then use a sharp curved knife blade to rock over the joint to cut off the piece. The idea is that you get an accurate cut, with minimal cleaning up. The perspex keeps the piece flat and doesn't blunt the knife blade like a tile or glass. And the press means that cut piece stays on the base and doesn't ping off and become prey to the carpet monster. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxus Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 What Paul said ditto! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) The etch cutting sets I sell is a very simple tool and consists of two sheets of black perspex, about 6*4 inches, giving you 4 cutting sides and a small press tool.You put your etch fret on the black base to give you a good view of the pieces and cutting lug. Put the press tool over the piece you are cutting and line it up with the edge of the piece and the lug. You then use a sharp curved knife blade to rock over the joint to cut off the piece. The idea is that you get an accurate cut, with minimal cleaning up. The perspex keeps the piece flat and doesn't blunt the knife blade like a tile or glass. And the press means that cut piece stays on the base and doesn't ping off and become prey to the carpet monster. Paul Thanks Paul, I can see myself getting one of those - you coming to Perth for the Scots Nats this year? Edited January 23, 2012 by Dave Fleming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little-cars Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Have the Hotel booked, just got to check I have the tables booked! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1958 Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Hi I use one that looks exactly like one of the Hold & Fold Tools, I say it looks like a Hold & Fold as I bought it new from the USA and it was Half the price of the Hold & Fold version, which made me think either Hold & Fold rip us off with their prices or someone in the USA is copying them and making a damed good job as I have sat it side by side with a full price genuine Hold and fold and I cannot tell the difference. I suppose there is a third option and that is that someone who works for Hold & Fold or their supplier if they don't actualy make them themselves is making a few on the side for themselves. I wont post a link, just incase they are of dodgy origin, but they can be found on eBay.com. eBay the home of counterfit goods. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hootch732 Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Hi Last month I was given a Etch-Mate 3c as a birthday present and it does exactly what it is suppose to do, I have been able to bend PE into what its supposed to look like. My only con was that I thought it was made of metal rather than resin. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spider Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Hi, Just received an 'Etch Partner' and can't fault it, It's all metal with a sprung loaded clamp and seems to do all i ask of it and the best thing of all is that it was only £20 from China with free delivery and no import duty (marked as a gift, value $10). See http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tiger-model-Etch-Partner-Photo-Etched-Fixture-Tool-/261084023841?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc9d20c21 Seems to be cheaper than the other offerings and works well. Spider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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