Ok, I have tried and tried to use PE, even bought some tools to make it easier and I just can't seem to wrap y mind around this stuff. An example is, I got the dragon Marder II kit and it has the option to do working pe tool brackets or use tools with them molded on, I tried and tried and tried and gave up on them, how do you guys, and gals, get the fiddly bits to look so good?

Here are some suggestions:

-use a magnifying light to assist
-if you don't already have one, get either a Hold-n-Fold or Etchmate. I don't have either, but am planning to get a Hold-n-Fold on Boxing Day. (I'm currently working on Eduard's PE set for Tamiya's Quad Flak AA and some of the bits are too difficult to work with without clamping).
-for pieces you need to curl or form into shapes where there are no fold lines, a cigarette lighter helps to take the temper out of the steel and makes it easier to work with. Might work for brass too, perhaps someone can advise?
-unless something absolutely HAS to be workable, forget about trying to keep the parts moveable. You'll save yourself some headache.
-use two-part (5-min.) epoxy to attach to kit parts, it will give you more working time. CA is great when you can get a part aligned right away.
-plan (preferably before you build) which parts you plan to use. Don't feel obligated to use all of them, and don't beat yourself up if you don't think you can handle certain parts. For example, Eduard's PE interior set for Trumpeter's BR52 locomotive calls for brass parts to be rolled into cylindrical shapes for the instrument gauges. Total insanity. After a brief attempt I gave up on it; the kit parts look great so I used them.
-keep any spare PE parts you don't need, you never know when they'll come in handy!
-above all, put aside plenty of time and patience. This stuff takes longer than it would first appear.

I use various ways to bend stuff, most small pieces like clamps I bend them with postal stamp tweezers as the hold n fold is more trouble then it's worth. I also skip some parts in favor of the styrene ones, quite often the PE parts are too thin or flat when they should be round like a grab handle. It just takes a deft touch and planning, and a LOT of practice. After building ships before armor models, the definition of 'tiny' is a bit different between the model types I use medium CA almost exclusively, and that takes a bit of practice learning the properties and when you can and can't move something or when it will stick and how. I had a lot of experience with CA building dozens of R/C aircraft over the years too, so it wasn't so bad using it in other applications. If you are new to both CA and PE, it can be quite frustrating.

You also have to be extremely careful as the parts can pop right back off. There should be some tutorials on here, but there's a lot of hit-or miss that you just have to learn. Sometimes a big blob to make a part look like it's welded on works, sometimes a few dots around a lip for a screen(as a smear of CA will dry to quickly), or tacking one corner and putting more glue down on the other with a pin so it lines up will work. Like anything else, it all just takes practice. Don't feel the need to use EVERY part on the fret, just do what you can. Dragon's smart kits are a good place to start using it as the kits only use the simplest PE parts and the moldings are upgraded to not need it so much. The superkits/premium kits expect you to know how to use it so they don't upgrade much of the small stuff like clamps as it's expected the modeler will use the entire fret.

It's still up for debate about how wonderful PE really is. When you get to Voyager full fender sets, it gets to be mind-numbing for even a vet with PE. Quite a few times I've had to put projects aside and curse myself for not leaving the kit fenders alone. I have at least 10 projects, particularly ships, that I have flat out lost all interest in building, and even the panther I started this week has caused a volley of loud vulgarities being shouted-even with 'experience', it can be really annoying. No matter how many thousands of pieces of PE you do(the Nimitz I'm working on has roughly 10,000), the carpet monster still has you crawling on the floor every couple hours like a cursing crackhead. If it seems like a PITA to you, then skip it, it's supposed to be fun. Start slow-build a dragon smart kit or two, they look more then fine with just some mesh grilles.

I''ve put countless thousands of PE pieces on kits, and yet I'll see someone who soldered a set of slat armor on a stryker and I'll still say 'no way in hell'....

To say if those are what I think they are in the fourth pic you are insane and a great builder Kevin.

More patience them most.

Ugh, I know your pain. I'm getting back into modeling for the first time since I was a kid, and this PE stuff is new to me. The first kit I chose to work on was DML's Panzer IV Ausf.E, and some of the PE parts are ridiculouslly small. Some of the super tiny ones aren't so bad because there's no bending required, but there are a few that do require bending that aren't even worth the trouble. The little support nubs for some of the side stowage bins are about the size of a pinhead, and they have two folds each. After I lost patience with those pieces (and lost them to the carpet monster), I just fashioned some replacements in a few minutes out of spare sprue.

My current setup for PE bending though uses the tried and true razor blade, although I am using one of those kind that mounts into a little yellow scrapper handle. My hold down piece is actually a replacement blade for a hand-planer. It's a thick piece of metal about 6 inches long and 2.5 wide, and the tip tapers down to a razor-sharp point. It's great because it's nice and weighty so it hold well, and the tip is sharp enough to get a very fine bend into your peice. You could even mount it on a piece of wood to make your own PE workstation as it hase a hole in the middle where it would normally attach to a planer.

Well, I feel a little better about dealing with this stuff, not much but a little. I was told last night that I can't model while my inlaws are in town (they are staying at our house,) unless I can do it without the basement sounding like the fleet is in with all the cussing. I've done some reworking of my work station so hopefully I can keep the four letter words to a minimum and turn out some decent stuff soon