marijn van gils wrote:
Some people like to attach most PE after basic painting (and also painting the PE on the fret before folding and attaching), others attach everything to the model (or subassemblies of it) before painting everything together. I'm firmly in the latter camp, but both methods have their advantages and disadvantages and can be made to work just fine. Of course you can also combine both methods.
However, I see no point in painting PE items separately which are to be attached flat to a flat surface. Who would do that with plastic parts, so why would you do it with PE?
The important thing is not to see PE as something really different than the plastic parts of the kit. They are simply extra parts, which can be incorporated in your build any way or at any time you think is most convenient.
I never do any special preparation at all, no washing, soaking, sanding etc. and this has never caused any problem for me.
Cheers,
Marijn
This is my attitude.
Each part on a model will require a different approach.
Sometimes you will need to paint a part on the Sprue, other times, you assemble sub-units, and paint before assembly.
Other times, you assemble as much as possible, in the correct order, and then paint when finished.
The best kits I have found that use this approach are the Dragon Smart Kits, which have PE parts added (although not really enough).
But they include where in the build you need to add a certain PE part, and how to best assemble it.
I have been trying to make a guide like that for the Five Star PE kits.
I have not yet looked at how Flyhawk approaches their PE instructions (I only have three Flyhawk PE kits, and I have not yet opened them).
I do not do a lot of prep. I just "wash" the frets, slightly (I do not use a brush or anything, just run water over them, and then place them between two sheets of blotter-paper overnight to dry), but that is it.
I want to touch/handle the parts as little as possible, not because I am worried about grease from my fingers, but because I know that touching the PE can cause it to bend. And I want to reduce every opportunity to "bend" the PE that I can.
MB