Hi people. Great site.

I wish to pick your brains on using photo etch parts. I have never used them before and wish to make my first attempt.

Is there any kit and photo etch parts that you can reccomend for a first timer?

When using pe parts how do you know which brass part replaces what on a kit?

Can be any military kit, any era.

Mike

PE is pretty straightforward to use. My experience has been that Eduard PE is pretty easy to use, and the instructions supplied in the package will tell you where everything is. Check out the Eduard website to see the instructions that come with each set: Eduard (Go to the set you want to look at, and click the link to the instructions.)

You will need a few tools (flat-jawed pliers, round nose pliers, an Exacto knife or flush cutting pliers, and a firm cutting surface). You will also need CA glue (superglue). I use a medium setting time (15-30 secs), but others use the faster types. You may also want glue accelerator (instantly sets the glue on contact).

There are several places that you can find tips and techniques for PE, here and on the net. I suggest searching through the Armorama site to find some of the links. Others here will probably provide links when they reply to your post.

Hi Mike,

First of all welcome to ArmoramA.

As ARENGCA said at Eduard and Aber PE sets you have instructions that clear mark the place of the parts and the parts of the kit that they replace.

For a starter I sugest you pick a kit that has a simple set, because there are sets that have plenty of parts with some of them very dificult to use even with some experience.

Here at EDUARD site you have some tips about using PE.

HTH

Welcome to the site, Sir Tanksalot. To start with, I'd suggest getting a set with bigger parts, like fenders or side skirts or something. Those little PE brackets can be a real pain and are difficult to work with (plus I drop and lose them all the time). Royal Model also includes instructions with their PE kits, though it is sometimes difficult to tell just what the end product is supposed to look like. Good luck.

Nic

When working with PE for the first time, I would suggest starting with a relatively simple model and a modest sized fret of PE parts. The best thing I've used to cut the PE is one of those chiseled X-acto knife blades (not the flat one, it has sort of an angle to it). I use a piece of metal as my cutting surface (one of those child seat adjusters). It has engraved numbers and I use the groove of the number 1 as the cutting mark.

Any way, don't feel likeyou have to use every single PE part. Some parts are better done with bent wire (like grab rails) and sometimes the kit part is better.

Welcome to the site, Mike !!!! The only piece of advice for PE that I can give you is....*Have alot of patience !* Hope this helps ya in some way...

Welcome aboard try an easy set first something simple like say a Jeep. Take my word it will be easier and ask treadhead he does it all the time.

Thanks guys and gals! This site is great. (okay I'll stop saying it noe) But you guys make the site what it is...Oh and Jim too!

Yes a jeep sounds like a good idea, maybe a kublewagen???

Any ideas on company Tamiya, DML etc Does AFV do a Willy?

Mike

I can't answer your question about Jeeps or Kubelwagens, but I can recommend another kit that has a very simple PE set. Try out the Italeri/Zvezda T-26 and the Eduard PE set for that kit. There are no parts that are hard to make and it really spruces up the kit. Good Luck.

I agree with Rob, some of the parts that you get with an Eduard (or other manufactuers) set you will not have a need for. Sometimes, the PE is not better or even less accurate than the original kit part.

A recent example is the Tiger II I'm working on. I was replacing the tow hook brackets with pieces from a PE set. When I checked out my reference photos, I relized the kit parts were more accurate than what I had replaced them with! And it would have taken a lot less time to use the originals too...

So be sure and check your photos to see what the real thing looks like first.

And, some of the PE items are just beyond my abilities. Things like working hinges, teeny tiny parts...

Also, remember that the PE is flat (2D) and is meant to replace round parts (like the grab rails, etc.). Some people will try to overcome this by using thick paint on the PE to give it some body.

I think the best PE to work with at first may be engine or exhaust screens. These are easy to work with and will certainly make your model look 100% better than a molded plastic piece.

Oh, one more tip. Use a small pice of wax paper and place a small amount (drop) of your CA on this. You can then take small amounts of the glue off of this with your needle, toothpick, etc. The wax paper keeps the glue from drying right away and is easier to work from than the CA bottle.

Steve

As far as doing a Kubelwagen, get the new Tamiya's offering, its awesome, straight out of the box or with a simple conversion such as a work shop addition. As a starter the PE would be an easy addition also.

Yes I agree good kit and easy on wallet $$$$$

Oh, one more tip. Use a small pice of wax paper and place a small amount (drop) of your CA on this. You can then take small amounts of the glue off of this with your needle, toothpick, etc. The wax paper keeps the glue from drying right away and is easier to work from than the CA bottle.

Steve






[/quote]

The above is the single most important tip for me ever. I used to dread PEs because I cannot glue things down at the spot I want, once I tried out the wax paper and pin method, it totally renewed my PE work. Now I totally enjoy it.

Another Tips : Always shoot for the best equipment you can afford for the tools that will work with PEs.

And if you can, get the "Hold and Fold"

HTH.

Its great when somebody else asks the questions you want answered! Good one!

Thanks for the great tip about the wax paper. Im sure that would work when glueing on all the smaller parts of a kit as well!