I've just encountered photo etch for the very first time.

Just a little bit that comes with the AFV Club Churchill.

There are no specific instructions, each bit is just shown in its finished form in the instructions just as if it were another piece of styrene.

But that's okay, the shapes are pretty obvious but I have a basic question - what way the fold should go.

As an example imagine a rectangular strip that has two folds to make it into a square-shaped 'U'.

The strip has two partially etched (to half thickness) lines where the folds are to be made.

But does the etched line go on the inside or outside of the fold. It is not obvious by the shape because both ways will form the same shape.

In origami terms will the etched fold line be at the bottom of a vally fold or the top of a mountain fold?

Thanks for the help.

Cheers,

Nigel

Hi Nigel, generaly the partialy etched line would be on the inside of the fold. The partialy etched line acts as a guide to show where to bend or if you own a photoetch metal bending tool like an "etch mate", you could set the etched line up to one of the fingers on the tool before clamping it down and bending. Hope this helps.

R.J.

R.J. is correct, pay special attention to the word "generally".

To my frustration I found out that this rule does not apply to all PE sets Complex shapes sometimes make it impossible to always to put the etched line on the inside.

I also found out, that if you try to correct a mistake with thin PE (like Eduard), the part will break at the etched line.

Matthijs

I have discovered that some PE pieces may have fold lines on both sides for a complex shape. ... Pays to look CLOSELY at the piece and at it's likely finished appearance before doing any folding!

Right on the head there and always seems to be the one with only one part.