I bought an ABER PE set for my Tamiya Schwimmwagen and didn't realize how in over my head I was going to be.

I'm having trouble doing folds that are only a milimeter or so and I cannot(and haven't tried) making the moving parts using sprue melted into the holes. Does anyone do this or do they just glue the pieces side by side?

Specifically the roof supports for the schwimm, and I also fudged up the windshield I bit. I bought the PE to be fun and learn some more but it seems I'm just mangling my Schwimmer. I hope paint helps that a little bit.

Can anyone help?

use a hard surface, anneal harder peices by burning them, and just take you time and be careful!
i wasnt very good at etch, but i kept challenging myself, then i was able to do hinges after a few months

that works !

keep hoarding different types of tweezers, use a fresh blade, and the longer bend are going ot be the hardest. its easier with a modelling tool, i dont use on, but it is much easier.

Jaredt:

Hi!

Hey, I can empathize! I'm an old modeler just recently returned to the hobby and pretty much still a noob about most PE... I've managed to get thru a couple of Bronco and Dragon kits and their kit PE and built a few simple AM PE bits (2cm mags, ammo boxes, couple of can racks, etc.) - nothing really fancy. I've got a lot of learning yet to go...!

My suggestion? "Pick and choose" the bits you'll use. Build those which seem pretty straight-forward first. Work up to more complex and multi-part bits. Nothing says you have to add all of the PE bits on to every kit! Each new build may offer a few new things to work on, and you'll become better with experience.

Cheers!

Bob

thaks for the tips. being a pe rookie myself it gets quite challenging. i bought a dragon tiger, mod 6406, and i looked at the pe, set it aside until i can give it what it deserves, will use some, but will learn on the side, and willl have extra parts for othr mods, lol.

thanks again
reb

i remember getting a kit at the age of 10 or 12 or so. it had phot etch parts in it. at that point i had no idea why there were metal parts in it. i pretty much threw them out. now, PE parts are expensive. i got frustrated with trying to glue the parts. thats why i said F this..

Yes Jesse, PE for a 10-12 year old is a bit confusing. And Aber's instructions are a bit on the small side. Older eyes have issues with some of the small details and simplified steps. It helps to scan them at 300-400 dpi (which is what most scanners can do easily.)

I have nine Aber aviation sets that I am doing reviews for. Aber is a fine company but I have suggested that they do expanded instructions on their site to help with this concern.

I thought that too, some instructions looked like they pointed to one part of the model for assembly but a circle and line for another part goes through this area touching all lines in its path. I was confused with a few parts but just had to take a second to look at it and references etc.

I have gotten better even just as this build has progressed so thats a good sign.

Don't feel bad...The older you get.... I also have trouble with pe ..I have a jeweler's magnifier it helps, but because your only using one eye..sometimes perspective is tough...some stuff I just shy away from...Modeling supposed to be fun..some pe is not.

Even some of the instruction were tough to read one company offered their instructions on line. I would print them on plotter at work it helped a lot.

Michael

Can a human make a working folding roof from Aber PE and rivets made from heated sprue? Yes, I'm sure it's possible. I have never attempted it, however, and I am comfortable with building intricate PE. I go completely the other direction - I make sure everything on my model is securely glued in place and will not move or fall off. I would glue the roof frame together and glue tiny Grandt Line bolt heads to the pivot points for a realistic appearance.
I have this vision in my mind of the design room at Aber. On every fret, the engineers draw in a certain number of parts so tiny that a neurosurgeon couldn't fold them. The group lets out a sinister chuckle and one says, "This will drive them insane! Hahahahahahaha!".

I completely agree. Being a pe rookie myself, I bought the Trumpeter BMP-3 and a full set of Voyager etching. I got about 10% of the bending done and put it on a shelf to keep from destroying a great kit. I'll practice on some others before I return to it.

hint: Gator glue Doesn't help with the folding, but practically zero residue...







http://modelshipwrights.kitmaker.net/forums/173316&page=1

This thread helped give me the "get it done" boost I needed. I have nearly completed my BMP with full Voyager pe. The key is patience and determination.

Tim:

"You gotta be kiddin'! You mean you can actually SEE those things?" Surely not when they get to your carpet!

Glad you posted nice, LARGE pictures of that stuff! My old eyes are watering just looking at your pics! Sure does look mighty cool (what I can see of it, anyway!)!

Bob