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Detail Master Stuff


JDM Wagon
05-24-2003, 11:08 PM
anyone know where i can find info on how to build some ofthe photo etch stuff detail master makes. their instructions with the kits are very limited and only a drawing. i built one of their racing steering wheels but it looks bad. of course this is my first time using this type of stuff so if anyone has any tips or know where i can find some more thorough insturctions with pics would be great help.

ZoomZoomMX-5
05-25-2003, 07:05 AM
Those parts are meant for experienced builders, so sometimes they forget that inexperienced builders buy them too.

Little photoetched parts are difficult to work with (even for experienced builders), as they can get lost easily, and gluing them can be a nightmare. Stay away from superglue! You can attach small parts with clear acrylic paint, or the thick white glue (canopy glue) that aircraft builders use. Even tiny amounts of epoxy glue are better, since you can clean up excess/glue spots/mistakes with water before it dries. Superglue is dangerous with small photoetch, since it dries instantly between metal and your skin, and basically will end up making a huge mess of your parts and likely your model. You don't want superglue fingerprints on your paint or any of your parts, and it will happen. So use a glue that will clean up with water! I prefer Formula 560 canopy glue, and a lot of guys like Micro Krysal Clear. Don't know if you can get these overseas; though I'm sure there's a product in Japan that works just as well if not better. Regular white glue isn't strong enough. Tamiya acrylic clear is good.

Many of these parts are assembled in layers, so you need to carefully attach/glue each layer, clean any excess glue (cotton swab dampened w/water), before adding the next layer. Don't do work like this when you're stressed or tired. If it's not going well, put it down and come back to it later. If you rush the job, use the wrong glue, and don't pay attention to keeping parts clean and aligned, it's bound to look bad.

You should use tiny tweezers to place the parts together.

Work in a clean area, have a good spot where you can arrange the parts you are working with so they don't get lost. Have a good cutting surface to trim the parts if you trim them w/a knife, use tiny pieces of tape to hold the parts to the photoetch tree while you are cutting them out. I use special photoetch cutters which work much better than the parts cutters used for trimming parts from sprue, and much better than a knife blade. It allows very precise trimming of the metal part, for a clean appearance right to the edge of the part.

As with anything new, your first attempts may be disastrous. Try it again the next time, and it may come out much better because you hopefully learned what did/didn't work. Practice is key, and good luck!:)

JDM Wagon
05-25-2003, 08:31 AM
hey thanks zoomzoommx-5, that is pretty much what i was looking for. jsut some guidance and i really appreciate your help with this. i made a detail master 13" steering wheel fo rthe first time and your definately right about taking your time and have the spaceand tools readily available.

also i think my major concern was the type of glue. all the instructions that come with the kits say super glue or expoy. i used thick ca and it did not turn out too bad, but very time comsuming. i did some madel car garage gauges tonight and they turned out pretty good being it was the first time i have ever done this.

my other question i was looking for an answer to was the gauge faces. how to attach them. i ended up using regular ol elmers white glue mainly because i know it dries clear. i didn';t know you had to cut the gaguge face out though. i thought maybe it was like a decal, but i learned and it worked.

again thanks for the informatin it will and has helped out already.:smoker:

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