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PHOTO ETCH for dummies (Me)


Sean_M

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I have this habit of buying PE to enhance the cockpit. (Sad I know). I diligently look at reference pics and read the instructions. I have even bough a "Bug". However in 1/48 scale I sometimes (most of the time) don't see how part a will ever fit into part B or attach to it using tweezers, cocktail sticks and the minimum of super glue. My other most frustrating issue is when I have to part X's when the instructions only call for 1. is 1 a spare or are the supposed to be glued together. I had this bright idea on the Hurricane I am working on until I tied it. It sound easer than it is placing one part over another to make an exact match. Oh, by the way I have a magnifying headband just to see the D**mn things. I tried one of the pick up sticks (with a red tip) but it does nothing.

EDFE252.jpg

Note part 31 and 12 for example. Part 12 is the compass and does not need to be double sided.... :huh:

I have a set of PE flaps which I would love to do depicting the Hurricane coming in to land but at this stage I am thinking that I need to go to Yoda Modelling School first. The force is definitely not with me!

I await words of wisdom from my fellow Jedi Modellers out their who have mastered this. :please:

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Hi Sean_M, welcome to HELL!!! :D

Etched brass is a sort of modeller's Marmite -love it or loath it. I'm well in the former class; I think it adds a huge attraction to a finished project, even if it's just the instrument panels, etc. If you're doing flaps and whatnot too, even better!

Rule #1 is treat the stuff like a bleedin' cobweb -except for the impossibly thick variety used by Dragon and Flightpath, it really is pretty fragile.

Eduard often dupe items on their frets. They don't mention it, so just use intuition. It's good to have a few spares anyway.

Using pre-coloured bits, slop some Johnson's Klear (or Pledge, or whatever they call it now) on the coloured surface to protect it during work.

Even the smallest forceps are hopeless for the tiny stuff, as is the pick-up tool, which never stays tacky more than five minutes. Try a toothpick with a very small bead of well-used Blu-Tak or latex adhesive on one end. If you just touch the part you want with that, it will hold it OK but still release it when it hits the adhesive, which you always apply to the target surface, NOT the component itself. Fine application of liquid superglue is best with a white vinyl toothpick (these have very fine points) or a #10 hypodermic needle.

After a little practice (read 'screw-ups'!), I found I could jockey the smallest bits of grief around quite easily to where I wanted them.

I'm not a fan of folding tools (waits for sniggering at back of class to abate), but a 15cm steel rule, some flat-end tweezers and assorted diameter 'rolling pins' (paint brush or scalpel handles, etc.) are essential to form shapes with.

When working on etched parts or detaching them from the fret, place the sticky bit of a Post-It under them. This will keep them from flying across the room if you happen to breathe out!

Infinite patience and delicacy of touch are the key factors here; persevere and learn to love this thin, sexy foil: your models will thank you for it, and you will be a better, stronger person!*

(*Actually, that last bit didn't quite work out for me... :blink: )

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This all sounds very well

but

I'm about to use etch for the first time

And it's got me petrified

The destruction sheet says prime before cutting out

Should I?

With what?

Humbrol model primer, Halfords grey primer or fairy tinkle dust?

I'm worried whether the primer will obscure the delicate detains in the etch (Thinking Airwaves Wasp/Scout set)

Or should I just dive in and then just paint when finished as my (treacherous) instinct keeps telling me?

Heeeeeeeee......elp

Edited by perdu
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I know this habbit all too well. And freequently ask myself what good it is. I am currently working on Eduards Tempest and it has a lovely resin cockpit with etch parts. It took me hours to finish it and once it is enclosed in the fuselage halfs you need a flashlight and magnifier to see anything :wall:

Anyway - good to know it is there :doh:

And yes: some parts are as extras on the fret. But you have to work through the instuctions to figure out which. Usually those that I did not loose.

1. For cutting I use a scalpel and a glass plate. I once used the glass plate to align a float plane build (with blue tack) and also spray primed the plane on this plate. I found that the now grey primed glass plate is even better for cutting as the contrast between plate and parts is better and I imagine that the rougher surface helps to avoid any slipping too. It does not however help the cut etch parts from flying straight into the dark side of modeling from time to time. Some very low tac tape can hold the part while it is cut. The tip above with Post-It for this is a good idea.

After cutting I check if there are still some rough spots at the cut. If so I use a curved nail scissor or a file to remove these (if the size of the PE part permitts...)

2. Those smaller parts which are not imidiately lost after cutting can be picked up with so called rhinestone pick up pencils - you find them on the bay for chips. They are really low tac so waving the pencil around while a PE part is picked up with it is another way of loosing it.

3. For bending I mainly use the long nose Tamiya bending pliers. This usually is very expensive but I once got it cheap from Lucky Models as a special offer. It is not as precise as a folding tool but more handy IMHO. At least I use my bending tool not very much...

4. The prepainted etch parts have a semigloss finish so you maybe want to clear dull coat some of them before assembling. Especially the instrument panels should be dull coated first (makes life a tad more easy).

5. Other than a clear coat I would not prime the parts. The sweat of your fingers will leave marks on the parts but who cares? After painting these will be gone. I would say: Trust your feelings.

6. I use Superglue. But Some use clear varnish to attach PE parts. This should help to correct misplaced parts. I tried it and returned to Superglue in the end for personal taste maybe.

Hope this helps.

Rene

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I always try and take short cuts DON'T.

1. work slowly

2. Think things through

3. Instructions are a guide and sometimes useless

4. DON'T forget the postit!!!! I think that I will add a part and woof gone as it separates from the PE Frame

5. I tend to work in small time "bytes", leave things to dry and come back tomorrow

6. I use a magnifying headset

7. drop glue on to where you are going to place the part.

8. I have a office carpet protector under my work bench and a small brush and dustpan to hand. Its not foolproof buts it goes 70% of the way to defeating the carpet monster

9. use common sense - I mix n match between PE and kit parts and sometimes even leave a piece or two off. Knowing it will never be missed when the fuselage halves are put together.

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The destruction sheet says prime before cutting out

Should I?

With what?

Humbrol model primer, Halfords grey primer or fairy tinkle dust?

Definitely best primer for etched bits is Tamiya Fine Surface Primer (works on plastic and metal). Do I prime everything? Dear God NO! Just make sure it's all clean before painting -a wipe with a thinner-dampened paintbrush should do it.

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My thoughts (im new to this):

• Use a scalpel to cut out each part and make sure the last cut doesn't launch the item only to end up feeding the mighty carpet monster (put a finger tip onto the part as you make the last cut, cutting it loose)

• Maybe consider using regular plastic kit glue on some parts (pretty sure the thing won't just fall off by itself)

• Never bend the sheet of photo etched parts, else you have to try flatten one or more pieces which shouldn't be necessary in the first place

• Use a specialized file to remove excessive metal, very carefully, use a white background to better see the contours of the photo etched part to be filed down (Tamiya Diamond File #400)

• Use a flat plier to hold the photo etched part firmly, but gently (mine has a pink handle for some unknown reason)

• If you require a piece of photo etched part to stand upright, as if being glued fixed in its place, forget it :) it will fall down, better think of something clever

• Keep a cup/container nearby (with a lid if necessary) to keep loose parts in one place and not having them lie around on a table

• Use a super pointy tweezer to gently pick up pieces of loose photo etched parts

• Never drop that tweezer down onto your feet

Letting a piece of photo etched part dry as it rests against the side of your finger/thumb might be an easy way to steady the parts, as long as the finger/thumb actually rests onto something and thus doesn't shake.

Edited by Decoman
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Definitely best primer for etched bits is Tamiya Fine Surface Primer (works on plastic and metal). Do I prime everything? Dear God NO! Just make sure it's all clean before painting -a wipe with a thinner-dampened paintbrush should do it.

1. If I have problems painting I use Tamiya FS - Base coat needs to be a dusting otherwise you loose the detail and then what's the point?

2. I usually find (and I battled with this) airbrush biigger sufaces and use fine point paint brush to detail

3. Seal with Klear. (Paint comes off PE pretty easily)

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A word on painting fine details on p/e (or anything else): The 'Spanish School' method is intensive, but works a treat. Paint background first in your chosen paint; seal this with Klear or clear satin acrylic varnish -it has to be acrylic to withstand the next bit. When it's all dry, paint the raised details (instrument bezels, etc.) in enamels. Unless you are unbelievably skilled, you will overpaint these areas. Get a very fine-tip paintbrush, keep the tip slightly moistened with clean enamel thinner and wick away the overpainting around the edges before the paint dries. It is surprising how much easier it is to remove paint accurately than to apply it! When this paint is dry, shoot a layer of clear varnish of choice, and you're done.

Edited by AngstROM
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  • 3 years later...

Looks like an old thread, but I was googling for tips about photo etch flaps. Here are a couple of tips for working with small fiddly bits.

1) a moistened 000 paint brush is great for picking up small parts.

2) varnish is good for fixing small parts in place. I find it more precise than superglue and easier to work with.

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  • 3 months later...

I've got some underwing stuff from Flightpath to load my Tomcat FGR1..

Resin and lots of PE. 

 

I've never worked with PE metal before... so this thread has been a Godsend... thanks chaps. 

I'm still somewhat apprehensive, but will give it all a go! 

But first I'll buy a magnifying headset, the old eyes somehow don't see small stuff at close range the way they once did!!  

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  • 1 year later...

I use photo etch for almost all of my builds especially my 1/12 Moto GP kits now the extra detail kits you can get for these kits are coated each side with a plastic cover so not only do your parts not fly off when you cut them they stay in place one car kit I built you didn't even have to cut the parts from the fret it was already done for you so all you have to do is peel the top layer of plastic off then peel the etch part you want off the backing strip. Let's just hope that one day other manufacturers of etch parts catch on to this in the very near future 

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25 minutes ago, gsxrdave1974 said:

I use photo etch for almost all of my builds especially my 1/12 Moto GP kits now the extra detail kits you can get for these kits are coated each side with a plastic cover so not only do your parts not fly off when you cut them they stay in place one car kit I built you didn't even have to cut the parts from the fret it was already done for you so all you have to do is peel the top layer of plastic off then peel the etch part you want off the backing strip. Let's just hope that one day other manufacturers of etch parts catch on to this in the very near future 

If they thought people would happily pay triple the cost to have someone else prep the parts and lay them in plastic they might :)

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that maybe so but it doesn't half make a difference when cutting etc and fortunately if you buy a full set of eduard photo etch for say the 1/24 scale typhoon it can cost approximately £80 where as a full set of photo etch. resin and a few other auxiliaries it will cost you about £50 to 70 for the full set you can buy it singly but it works a lot more   

Edited by gsxrdave1974
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  • 8 months later...

I should have come here first. Better late than never. First, thank you to all who share info. Helping others helps the hobby and keeps the fun factor up👍👍

 

I just bought the large eduard set for my Airfix 1/72 F4F wildcat build. It has all the bells and whistles. I am a lil' sceptical of their cockpit parts. I'm OCD and they dont match up to my photos I have. It's not completely wrong, but it's not 100% correct either. Plus there's a few bits I am sure the could of done but didn't.

 

Anyhow, my question is. I guess I could spray the parts with a matt varnish but. I just feel the enamel, which I believe is screen printed on. Is kinda glopopy and thick to me. Also the colours of my cockpit, dont quite match up to thier colours. I prefer my colours. How to I remove the enamel from the part?

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  • 1 year later...
On 2/26/2020 at 4:35 AM, Plastimic said:

 

 

Anyhow, my question is. I guess I could spray the parts with a matt varnish but. I just feel the enamel, which I believe is screen printed on. Is kinda glopopy and thick to me. Also the colours of my cockpit, dont quite match up to thier colours. I prefer my colours. How to I remove the enamel from the part?

try a fiber glass abrasive stick

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