What is everyone's opinion on photo etch parts
If used for the right things, they really add to a model. If used for their own sake, they probably don’t. That is:—
I ask myself, is this PE part going to add anything to the model?, does it replace an incorrect part?, does a 2D piece of etch represent a 3D component?. In certain areas, PE is the only way - grilles, for example, but a lot of PE parts seem to appear on the fret, just to occupy the space!
QFT. I remember buying both of Eduard’s etched sets for the
Tamiya Dragon Wagon (the initial kit, including the trailer), and having probably more than half the parts left over because I couldn’t see what they would add to the model except work and flat-looking parts when the real thing wasn’t flat — and the plastic parts had that right already.
and does anyone have any general tips surrounding them. I am building the 1/35
Tamiya Jagdtiger, and bought some pretty extensive PE parts to go with, but it seems hit and miss whether I can get them right, or just end up with everything superglued to my hands/tweezers, or it just not looking any good.
Like Steve said, make up the etching first and only then remove the plastic detail it’s supposed to replace. Other than that, get a few simple tools to help you fold it, and to make those folds straight and the parts flat (when they need to be). I mostly use a steel ruler, a sturdy hobby knife, long-nosed flat pliers, and a glazed kitchen or bathroom tile. Oh, and
Tamiya PE scissors and some modelling files.
Before removing anything, I sand the side(s) of the parts that will be glued with fairly coarse sandpaper, in random or circular directions. This will give the glue more surface to adhere to, and so make it easier to stick them to the model.
I remove parts from the fret either with the hobby knife, by pressing down (not cutting) on the attachment points, with the back side of the glazed tile underneath. If you do this on a soft surface, you’ll bend things, but on a hard surface you’ll be able to press through the attachment points and leave just a little bit on the part. Alternatively, I cut the part out of the fret with the
Tamiya scissors, if I think nothing will get bent when I do that.
Cleaning up the parts, I do by holding them in the long-nosed pliers to that only the remains of the attachment points stick out, and I then file those down. The sides of the pliers work nicely as a guide for the file, and you shouldn’t bend the material (much) because the pliers support it on both sides.
Next, look and plan before you fold. Work out how it goes together and in what order you need to fold it — especially try to visualise what bits may be difficult to reach when other sides have already been folded, and how you could do it differently to avoid that.
Small or narrow parts can be folded by holding them in the pliers so that the fold line sits just outside them, and then just pushing with your fingers. Larger parts I bend by putting them on the glazed tile, placing the steel ruler along the fold line, and while pressing down firmly on that, using the hobby knife to lever the free side of the part up. Again, this produces a nice, straight fold with no kinks or bends if you do it right.