Advanced Photo-etch tips needed

I'm ready to tackle my first model utilizing a Top Studio Super Detail-Up kit. I'm building the F1 2000 Tamiya kit with TS' kit added. A few questions about the photo etched parts included in the TS kit.

1. Many of the parts are minute! It would seem that the normal PE sprue/part-removal tools may remove half of the part as well! What do you use to remove the super tiny parts. A knife blade almost seems too large.

2. Are jeweler's tweezers the way to go to manipluate/place these parts? If not, what do you use?

3. Any other tips/tricks I should know about? I'm confident in my building skills, just haven't had to deal with parts this tiny before.

Thanks!

Alex wrote a brilliant tutorial: http://italianhorses.net/Tutorials/Photoetch/pe.htm

Alex wrote a brilliant tutorial: http://italianhorses.net/Tutorials/Photoetch/pe.htm
Awesome. In all my searching, I didn't run across this. Thanks!

Alex Kustov's tips are GREAT! Especially about cleaning, holding and sanding PE.

But I really don't agree about using an Xacto knife. It's hard to cut in an exact spot (the blade tip slides around on the slippery PE), you have to bear down so hard that the tip of the blade will bend, and it will be dull after you cut just a few pieces. Even a brand new blade will often just bend the PE instead of cutting it. The very thought of trying to cut PE with an X-acto blade gives me brain warts.

I get excellent results with a small pair of fingernail scissors - the kind with thin, narrow curved blades about 3/4" long. The scissors grip the PE as you cut, so there's no sliding around. You get precisely the cut you want. And because of the curved blade, you can see exactly where the scissor is cutting. And they actually stay sharp!

(Don't waste money on those curved, serrated hobby scissors. They're too thick and they're clumsy to handle. And they can't fit between the narrow spaces on PE sheets.)

Because you can cut so precisely with fingernail scissors, you won't need to spend a lot of time filing off fret material. I use a diamond riffler file for that purpose, and it works beautifully. A few passes and I'm done.:grinyes:

Alex says one thing that can't be repeated too often: "Do not squeeze the part with tweezers, it might slip out and fly away." I'll go a step further and say the part will slip out and fly away. If you're working with small PE items, avoid tweezers! They are the most effective PE propulsion devices ever invented. Use fingers, tape, toothpicks, Blu-Tack, pliers, snot, anything but tweezers.

PE parts hate tweezers, and once they feel their grip, they will fly away and hide. I've spent many humiliating hours on the floor proving this. (I model in 1:43. I know: I'm really asking for this kind of grief.)

I don't want to take away from Alex's tutorial in any way. He offers excellent tips that should be followed - except the one about X-acto blades and PE.

Diddy

... Alex ... offers excellent tips that should be followed - except the one about X-acto blades and PE.

Diddy
:iagree:
Exacto blades don't work well for me either except on the thinnest of p/e sprues. I also used nail scissors and they are easier to work with and are sufficiently accurate for a close cut.

Good, side-cutting sprue scissors also work well but they are quite expensive and I begrudge blunting their edges on p/e sprue ;)

I use an exacto to cut the parts but use a curved blade instead of a no. 11. This can be rocked on the sprue and cuts great. I also have a kit that I bought from a hobby shop years ago that is basically a piece of acrylic with a clear acrylic piece that can be held over the part to stop it pinging across the room!!!

For the really tiny pieces I find a wooden toothpick / cocktail stick to be invaluable. Lay the part on the bench, add the glue where you will be placing the part, lick the toothpick and pick up the part with the wet end, works great! The toothpick can also be used to adjust the position as neccessary before the glue sets up.

Good luck and post pics!!!!

Hi, I've found through using quite a few different types of cutters, that Xuron make the best range of tools for this sort of job. Try this link to see their product range of shears.

http://www.xuron.com/consumer/shears.htm

Shaun.

Thanks for all the replies. Great ideas all around. I'm intrigued by the wet toothpick trick.

Diddy, I'm a little confused. Tweezers are bad? :p

Shaun, Any source for the Xuron tools online? They look very high quality.

Thanks again!

Tweezers are not evil by nature, mj71. :wink: They are often very helpful. But they do have an evil side that comes out when you force them to pick up tiny PE bits. And the tighter you squeeze, the farther they fly!

I too like the wet toothpick trick. Ah, spit. It works wonders.

Willster27, do you actually use that acrylic box or whatever it is? If so, do you know where to get one?

Diddy

I too like the wet toothpick trick. Ah, spit. It works wonders.
Especially when you cut a fraction of a millimeter off to make blunt end

Thanks for all the replies. Great ideas all around. I'm intrigued by the wet toothpick trick.

Diddy, I'm a little confused. Tweezers are bad? :p

Shaun, Any source for the Xuron tools online? They look very high quality.

Thanks again!

You can get Xuron tools from www.hobbylinc.com. Their photoetch tool is excellent. I also like their plastic cutter, the one with orange handle.

Thanks for all the replies. Great ideas all around. I'm intrigued by the wet toothpick trick.

Diddy, I'm a little confused. Tweezers are bad? :p

Shaun, Any source for the Xuron tools online? They look very high quality.

Thanks again!
http://www.xuron.com/hobby_catalog.htm
check the links and they also have an e-mail you can write to for your local dealer.

Hi, I've found through using quite a few different types of cutters, that Xuron make the best range of tools for this sort of job. Try this link to see their product range of shears.

http://www.xuron.com/consumer/shears.htm

Shaun.
I had a pair of these and they got blunded on PE is weeks, they were for PE as well, I'd perfer a No.15 Blade or Tamiya's Scissors For Photo Etch.