Photo Etch Parts Bender - Master Tools/Trumpeter

[Paul A H]

Photo Etch Parts Bender

Master Tools/Trumpeter

Like most modellers, I only started to experiment with photo etched metal accessories when I came back to the hobby as an enthusiast. Those early experiments met with mixed success, but the more I have used it, the more comfortable with it I have become. Sometimes I find it virtually mandatory in order to make a model look realistic (railings on a ship, for example) and sometimes it is just a neat extra which helps a model come to life.

These days, many photo etch sets are designed to be as user friendly as possible, as well to add extra detail. Photo etch can still be a trick medium to master, however, which is why tools such as this are so handy. It is designed to hold your photo etched parts in position while you bend it, hopefully allowing you to create a perfectly sharp crease. The tool is fairly simple, but appears to be of good quality and the two halves of the clamp mate together perfectly when closed. The top part is made from aluminium, with a hard plastic knurled knob holding it in place on the base. A peg protrudes from the base, holding the top perfectly square, and helping to ensure that it doesn't rotate as you tighten up the knob.



I've only had the chance to use it briefly, but it seems to perform well. The edges of each finger are sharply milled and are angled away in order to allow bending over the usual 90 degrees. The top part can be removed and rotated to allow each of the four sides to be used for the task of folding. All you need to do to use the tool is rotate the knob to loosen the top, slide the piece of PE in, tighten the knob and fold the part in question. A number of plastic tools are included to help you do this. I would have preferred it if these were metal, but as it is they should still do the job.

Conclusion

These kind of tools are rarely cheap, but this particular item seems to offer quite good value for money. If seems well made and, if looked after, should provide years of reliable use. If you use photo etch a lot, or if you would like to but find it intimidating, then this tool may prove very useful indeed. Recommended.

Review sample courtesy of

[Radleigh]

Great, just what I need!

[Stalker6Recon]

Let me start by saying that I have not built a model in more than thirty years. Back then, photo etch was relatively new and rare. Today, it seems that PE comes with every kit (in military kits at least) and there are an abundance of aftermarket PE to spice up your models.

 

So, when I realized that conditions were proper for me to build again, I got excited about the prospect and bought a Hasegawa F-18F in 48. I used another site when looking for reviews and it showed all the aftermarket accessories available. Like an idiot, I ordered straight away for some interior details, including to NACES ejection seats in PE. Oh the shock and horror when they arrived, unpainted and flat as a pancake! So I took a really close look at the seats, as the color left my face and my legs went numb, there was NO WAY I would be able to fold those seats with just my finger nails, they are as complicated as your favorite origami!

 

Then I started looking around at how people handle these intricate details and saw my first bending tool. In fact, I realized that it was the strange looking tool that I had seen before online and hadn't the faintest idea what it was, then the lights came on.

 

Basically, if you plan to use eduard to spruce up your sprues (pun intended, is that a pun?), then you are definitely going to want to buy one of these, or similar. By and large, this is the least expensive version of a PE bender that I have seen, and if you don't unjoy blooded fingers and lots of cursing while you hurl expensive PE into the bin because you thought you could get away with bending it via finger tips, then buy this tool. Took me a while to get to this point in life, where you finally understand that using the right tool for the job, is a whole lot easier and saves money in the long run.

 

As a tip to those of you who are new at PE, remember this IMPORTANT tip. When folding PRE-PAINTED PE, put a piece of tape on the part you are going to bend, and use that as a lever to lift the edge so your razor blade does not damage the finish that is on the part. Having said that, I have yet to damage any PE with print on it, but better to be safe than sorry. Regular magic tape will do just fine, but a scrap of masking tape works just as well, just use something that won't leave a residue behind.

 

Happy modeling!

 

Anthony