Hi all,
I've got a few kits with photo etch & I've never used it before and I'm unsure on how to fold it & shape it. I've seen an etch mate http://www.historexagents.com/shop/hxsearchresults.php?SupplierCode=ET Is it a worthwhile purchase or can anyone help me with something simpler? Thanks in advance.
Kenny

There are lots of ways to fold etch and if it's just for a few kits it might not be worth the price.

But if you're an etch maniac, or likely to become one, I cannot recommend the etch mate highly enough!

Literally it turns folding etch into a tv-tray while watching the tube laptop exercise.

I really like mine for folding boxes and Panther fenders.

I am 100% satisfied with mine. I got the 6 in model and the longer folding blades and have made good use of the whole length and long blade. I have only had one time I needed a deeper (front to back) field to work with, and with a little ingenuity (turned the part sideways) I still got it folded.

My US$0.02 before taxes
Mike

stormin,
try looking for flat nose pliers with no teeth/ grooves in them you can pick them up
at local tool shops cost a couple of quid and will help you bend basic shapes ect I picked mines up for £1 at a car boot sale if you have a hobbycraft shop near you you can buy them there for £7 in the jewelers section or
small shop eu
also as a similar tool which comes in different sizes/prices

glad to see you back bud

I bought one, and love it. Makes PE work much more "stable" for me.
If you're going to be using a lot of PE in your modeling, I'd recommend it or the Hold 'n' Fold, or something similar.

Yeah, really depends on how much photoetch you do. I'm planning on getting a hold and fold in the next month or so. I've done the pliers and door hinge thing long enough.

I've got an etch mate too. For standard pe is not that essential in my view. because they're easy to bend with other tools like a knife or a flat nose pliers without teeth (as somebody already mentioned). I fin it extremely handy when I scratchbuid metal parts from foil...
Ciao

Hi all,
once again many thanks to all your responses. have a on me. Hi Mike, hear you've got yourself a lammy, what did you get? Mike, thanks for the shop EU link, after having a good look through it, I'm going to go for their version, I've a few kits with PE & I'm sure to get more if it all works out okay. Thanks to all the other guys tips, but I'm kinda clumsy & shaky hands with fiddly bits for trying it with pliers. One other question do you know where to get the jewelers double eye peices? It looks like a poker hat with 2 eye peices with adjustable & changing magnification lenses?
Kenny.