I'm quite new to models with PE - sure I've seen the odd engine grill or exhaust cover in a Tamiya kit but nothing significant.

I'm making a Hobby Boss Panzer I - as you can imagine the model is small enough as it is.

But it has a whole fret of PE - over 40 parts.

Looking at some of the fasteners for hatches and they actual require a sub-assembly - a minute piece of PE stuck on a really small piece of PE.

The minute part is under 0.5mm in diameter. With my aging eyes I can barely see it, let alone model with it.

If I can cut it off the fret and if it doesn't fly off to be forever hidden, I can't imagine being able to pick it up even with tweezers let alone glue and position it.

Are these for real?

What do you guys do - do you really use these bits or do you just say "nice idea" before discarding them.

And the other thing with these tiny bits of PE - they may look fancy in principle but the blob of cyno is going to be bigger than the part.

Cheers,

Nigel

Place the etch fret on a piece of tape before you cut. It will minimize fly off.

I use poster tack to hold the tiny parts when I glue them. Twist it into a point and touch the part.

I also use a lamp with a magnifying glass in it.

I'm still learning with photo etch, working on my first major armor project right now, but I learned a lot with a couple of ship builds, which have even more insane etch issues.

Frequently a PE piece is just not neccessary. If it's very tiny and the plastic piece it is replacing looks good then it's not neccessary and sometimes detrimental to the model. Sometimes the plastic kit part is actually dimensionally more accurate than the PE. This is especially so when you are asked to cut away plastic kit detail for a replacement PE part. However, if there is no plastic equivalent piece, and the only detail part provided is PE, then you're probably stuck with it. Use very small dabs of CA glue applied with the end of a toothpick for the PE. It actually takes very little for a good bond. What I do is squeeze out a few drops of CA into a bottle cap and dip the tip of the toothpick (or similar tool) into that for application. Your little pool of CA will take hours to dry up, so there's little wastage. Never try to apply CA direct from the bottle, unless you're working on very, VERY, large parts, as it will just flow over your model and make quite a mess . Practice with small amounts of PE detailing until you get the knack of it and you will eventually be buying complete PE sets for all your models.

My eyes still work pretty well, so I use a fair bit of PE. I still probably skip 1/3 of it as not being worth the hassle though. Depends on the set though.

Hi Nigel,

I personally hate the stuff! Too many manufacturers have forgotten that the whole point of putting stuff in the box is to help make the kit better. If it is useful (like a screen) I'll use it, but most items are at best "AMS fixes" for those seriously afflicted with the need to scrape all the detail off a perfectly good plastic kit before remanufacturing it all from metal. I've even been known to reverse-engineer unavoidable PE parts with Evergreen plastic...

Bear in mind that if it's so small you can't see it well enough to build it, you won't notice on the finished kit if it isn't there! We were a lot happier before they invented digital cameras with macro lenses.

Tom

If you can't see it, you can't build it. Leave the piece on the fret and move on. If you are determined to build it, I agree with Jesse about the tape. Once the piece is removed, press the tip of a no.11 blade into it. You will want to apply a very small amount of ca glue, to its intended location. Very carefully, touch the piece to the glue. Allow a few seconds for the glue to bond and pull the blade free.

Thanks for the advice - especially the adhesive tape.

In this case the PE does not replace plastic parts - so I either put it on or go without the detail.

I do wonder whether sometimes it is just included because it is expected or to justify a high ticket price.

This kit has numerous weld seams missing but includes tiny tiny parts that you might not even notice.

Also I question whether using PE is underscale.

There are some lift eyes for the turret. These are in 0.13mm PE making them 4.5mm in real life.

Seems very thin for a lifting point.

Cheers,

Nigel

I agree with you,I use the grills,maybe some fenders and such,but I cannot handle the small stuff.The little padlocks really kill me,no way.

But my hats off to those of you who do,it is truly a skill

First time i dealt with PE i couldn't understand the point of one part, had a LAV-25 and i had to take the rear jerry cans, cut/sand off the already attached 'brackets' and the bend the PE to make a bracket for the jerry cans, do not get why that would of changed the look, it looked fine how it was. I took one look at it and for saw myself f#&£ing it right up and damaging the jerry cabs, used it for practice with using PE in the end.

Bronzey

Nigel:

PE has its uses however, I still believe a model is made with its fit and finish. The Aber PE is a work of art itself but I have never come close to using it all. The best tool I ever come across is a tool that I believe came out for model railroading. They look like forceps (tweezers) but have a cutter at the end. The cutter is engineered and beveled to cut things off flush. I found the stainless steel cuts PE flush without leaving a piece of the fret on the piece. No more fear of the piece flying off who knows where. I wish I could remember the name of the tool but the one that I got was made by Utica and are Swiss made. I can take a pic if it would help.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of PE. I like it for grills, boxes, shelves, fenders (sometimes), and other assorted items that I can see with my poor eyesight, and handle with my tweezers fairly easily . If I struggle to see the part, or actually need a magnifier, I don't bother, as no one else will ever see it.

Many times I'll opt for the plastic part, and then thin it down for a better appearance.

Joel

You guys don't do ship models very often! Half the model usually becomes PE.

I have done railings on ships,but thats about it.

The Akagi flight deck underside is unbelievable

for the small parts i use humbrol flat or gloss coat to attache them, also gives you more time to get the part in the right place. if you must use super glue go with the gel fomula

well, back in my day ship kits were carved from wood! Now where'd I leave that rockin' chair?...

(Only kidding! But I used to build ships before the PE revolution, and learned to do a lot with Evergreen and brass wire. The contents in the box these days scares me off.)