A tip for working with 1/700 Photo-Etch. Beware sharp edges

[MatthewB]

I would THINK this would go without saying.

But I just learned, the hard way (or rather the sharp way), that the very thin brass used for PE parts can slice off a pretty nice sized portion of a finger.

I also need to figure out how to safely clean CA thumb-prints off PE.

I don't think scraping would be a good idea. Maybe some sort of acetone, tested on the plastic to make certain it does not eat the styrene.

But.... Careful of those edges!

MB

[djandj]

Sorry to hear of your injury. Not sure how you did that, but hopefully it's not too bad. On the getting CA prints off PE - that is easy. Hold the PE pieces over a candle flame. The PE will instantly burn off without any harm to the pe.

[MatthewB]

Sorry to hear of your injury. Not sure how you did that, but hopefully it's not too bad. On the getting CA prints off PE - that is easy. Hold the PE pieces over a candle flame. The PE will instantly burn off without any harm to the pe.

Tried that... It warped some of the pieces.

Fortunately, it also annealed them, making flattening them back out easier.

I found some fine sandpaper, and discovered that wet-sanding them, while taped to a table works pretty good (depending upon where the print is located - I can see some places where this wouldn't work).

MB

[gott_cha]

You know Matthew you can also soak them in acetone (nail polish remover) in a small container...rinse with vinegar and repaint/reapply

[MatthewB]

You know Matthew you can also soak them in acetone (nail polish remover) in a small container...rinse with vinegar and repaint/reapply

I have been able to do that with some of them, and it did work pretty well.

The real trick has been a few parts that got CA in detailing after the part had been applied to the model (and it is a part that cannot be removed without destroying it and the part to which it is attached).

I have been using these dental tools that are like teenie-tiny Q-tips to slowly dab acetone into the areas where the CA has filled the detail.

And then I will take a dental pick to scrape at the softened CA, to lift it out of the detailing.

It is taking a long while, but it has been an invaluable lesson in what to do, and what not to do in attaching PE parts (never put tape over details you don't want obscured - the tape will allow the capillary action of the CA to fill in the details underneath the tape).

And, it has helped in learning what kind of glue (CA: Thin, Medium, Thick; PVA/White Glue; Contact cement; Soldering) to use for which parts.

And it has been very valuable for learning how to make precision applicators for CA and PVA glues.

The biggest problem with CA is simply getting the right amount to the right place.

With the thin and medium consistency CA, if you get just the right amount, capillary action will pull the glue right to where you need it, and provide a very strong bond.

But.... Too much and the glue gets everywhere, and the bond is weaker.

And... PVA/White Glue.... It tends to only work well where a large surface area is in contact.

Oddly, this can mean some railings work well with PVA, if the railing is long enough.

I am going to have to look into "Gator Grip" white glue....

PE is such a double-edged sword.

It looks really great when done well.

But it slows down a build by days to weeks.

MB