Why why PE metal parts

[locomotive]

I hate PE.

The end.

 

[Edbert]

I hate PE.

The end.

Steer clear of building model ships!

In general I like PE, my biggest issue is filing off the "sprue" tabs I get sometimes. I have bending tools and dollies, but nothing for flattening. Any recommendations?

 

[BarleyBop]

Sorry if I'm repeating myself...

If by flattening, you are referring to removing those sprue tabs, the best thing I've found are the carbon fibre sanding boards. Different sizes, different shapes, different grits.
The advantage they have is their rigidity and true flatness, making quick work of nubs and jagged edges by efficiently applying the abrasive force to the edge.
I also use flat pliers to keep the jaggies on same plane with the part as they tend to curl when sanding across them.
Since I started cutting on glass with sharp rounded knife blade, I sand a lot less and with the dark card under the glass, it is much easier to see.

 

[Edbert]

Sorry for not being more specific. I meant a slab of flat plate (thinking of it as the anvil) and another piece of flat, or rolled stock to be the hammer.

I've had trouble with keeping a larger PE art flat while cutting/bending/filing on it. I'd just like a better way to make sure it is flat and square.

 

[kevin]

How about duckbill vice grips?
I have some plate pliers I use to re-flatten small PE parts if they get bent.

 

[GCB]

I was having the same issues, and started using this glue from Ammo.
Not perfect, but it works well with PE parts and easy to clean if excess.

 

[Littlemarten]

Sorry for not being more specific. I meant a slab of flat plate (thinking of it as the anvil) and another piece of flat, or rolled stock to be the hammer.

I've had trouble with keeping a larger PE art flat while cutting/bending/filing on it. I'd just like a better way to make sure it is flat and square.

I use HDPE for cutting with a hobby blade. This deforms the part less (usually not at all) and doesn't dull the blade. To remove the burrs or clean up the cut edge, I sand with a 320 grit sanding stick while holding the part with parallel jaw jewelry pliers. or flat nose pliers.

I also have a dedicated parallel nipper that gets used only on PE.

 

[Edbert]

Thanks for those tips. Speaking of the glue I was wondering what to use to attach PE to clear parts. I use CA almost always on PE to plastic, but I know it will fog the clear.

 

[Littlemarten]

Thanks for those tips. Speaking of the glue I was wondering what to use to attach PE to clear parts. I use CA almost always on PE to plastic, but I know it will fog the clear.

This is what I use for attaching canopies and clear parts, as well as not-clear (unclear? ) parts to clear parts. (This reminds me, I need to buy more.) It behaves exactly like Micro Krystal Clear™.

 

[Belugawrx]

I disagree. Not sure which Gorilla glue you using that says so. The Gorilla super glue in the blue cap and yellow cap with handy brush I often use does not say so on the label. Maybe certain types of Gorilla glue do say that but neither mine instructs to do on the label.

which is why I gave my next post under that one

 

[stevethefish]

This may be difficult to find outside of Japan, but Cemedine's High Grade Model Glue. I mostly use it as a canopy glue because it comes out clear and dries clear. It is also helpful for PE parts. Hasegawa Phantom kits in 1:72 scale have zero detail on the inside surface of the engine cans, so I bought some Eduard PE sets for those. You curve it around the inside of the engine cans. I first used CA, but it dried too quickly and wouldn't let me reposition it slightly. So the next Phantom I made I used this Cemedine glue, and it gave me plenty of time to move the brass around until it looked right.

I made a big mistake with trying to use the PE set for the Polar Lights 1:350 Star Trek K'Tinga ship. It comes with PE bands to make the windows look crisper, but I really wish I had not bothered with it because I ended up really screwing up the plastic by drilling out the areas behind the windows, which proved to be problematic. Now I'm trying to putty up the gaps left behind and the end result would have looked better if I had only just left the kit parts as-is.

 

[locomotive]

That's my feeling with PE. It's often there just for the sake of it. I think it very rarely adds anything.

 

[Jim62]

Not really into PE either. Some of my kits have it and I really wish they'd just leave it out and let those who like it buy it aftermarket, or also include plastic parts for those of us that don't want PE parts.

 

[Heavy 7]

@

Littlemarten

Hello,

Mercury Adhesives was a great tip !!
The CA with some working time allowing for the positioning of a part. Strong bond, I have yet to figure out how the tip works.

The webpage describes how. But the cap looks like it's missing something. Anyway, figured out a work around for now.
Open to suggestions...... amazing how some of the simplest things are beyond our reach LOL.

Made here in Atlanta was a suprise......
Pep

 

[Littlemarten]

@

Littlemarten

Hello,

Mercury Adhesives was a great tip !!
The CA with some working time allowing for the positioning of a part. Strong bond, I have yet to figure out how the tip works.

The webpage describes how. But the cap looks like it's missing something. Anyway, figured out a work around for now.
Open to suggestions...... amazing how some of the simplest things are beyond our reach LOL.

Made here in Atlanta was a suprise......
Pep

Don't try to apply it straight from the bottle unless you get an add-on fine tip that fits over the rather wide tip on the bottle. I think Mercury sells them, but I've seen them online elsewhere, too.

However, I don't use those very often. I put a small amount of the CA on a flat piece of glass, then apply it with one of these. Here's a close up. for applications that need more, I use a toothpick. These make application very easy to control.

 

[BarleyBop]

apply it with one of these.

... also good for harpooning mosquitos!

I do something similar, only with a 'PE' tips that fit my knife handle, and push pins. A slight squeeze with pliers shatters any crusted on glue. I also like using the plastic (seems impervious to CA) applicator handle after the fuzzies wear off.

 

[Littlemarten]

... also good for harpooning mosquitos!

I do something similar, only with a 'PE' tips that fit my knife handle, and push pins. A slight squeeze with pliers shatters any crusted on glue. I also like using the plastic (seems impervious to CA) applicator handle after the fuzzies wear off.

View attachment 142373

A de-fuzzed microbrush! Why didn't I think of that? Now what do I do with all these toothpicks?

 

[Edbert]

Here's a close up.

Thinking how cheap sewing needles are in bulk, they also come in HUGE variety of sizes.

How do you keep the tip clean, like Barley does with pliers? Seems dangerous to the tip, do you replace them often?

 

[BarleyBop]

Barley does with pliers

In my case, pliers for pins, careful scraping for harpoons! Dried CA is brittle, so just enough force to remove without damaging the metal.

 

[Littlemarten]

Thinking how cheap sewing needles are in bulk, they also come in HUGE variety of sizes.

How do you keep the tip clean, like Barley does with pliers? Seems dangerous to the tip, do you replace them often?

I wipe the tip after use, and I have a small vial of acetone set into my work bench. The stopper on the vial has a tiny hole in it. I just insert the needle through the hole into the acetone. After each session, I take it out of the acetone and use a stainless steel brush to clear any that's softened but not dissolved. I also decant the acetone into a small, sealed bottle when not in use to prevent evaporation.

 

[BarleyBop]

The stopper on the vial has a tiny hole in it.

Holy maintenance Batman! That is at a whole other level! (Secretly envious)

 

[Belugawrx]

For years before this site went dark, the only sponsor they had was "The Looper", a C/A glue applicator made of p/e. Fit in your exacto handle...had a tiny loop on the end ....so I made my own from a stick pin and bent the end around into a tiny loop...fits in my old worn out pin vice. I've been using this for 12 years, and when it gets bogged down I throw a match at it and clean it up with some 800g sandpaper...
Oh and tea lights, with or without wax (with wax the glue lasts a couple hours before going goopy) makes a great C/A puddle holder.

 

[BarleyBop]

tea lights

Finally! IKEA has a reason for being!

 

[Edbert]

I keep a small bottle of acetone at my bench, an old square bottle that used to have Testors Enamel thinner in it. The larger square ones with 1.25oz.

Could I just swish the tip in there a bit and wipe with a paper towel?

I've been using those tiny flexi-tubes with luck, and I have 100+ of the little buggers, but sometimes I need a smaller 'blob', think I'll be giving the half-loop pin idea a try.

 

[Littlemarten]

What I now use is one of these. They are called "welled test plates." I cover the well with a plastic cap between applications.

 

[Littlemarten]

I keep a small bottle of acetone at my bench, an old square bottle that used to have Testors Enamel thinner in it. The larger square ones with 1.25oz.

Could I just swish the tip in there a bit and wipe with a paper towel?

That's basically what I did before coming up with the "self sealing" cap.

 

[Jakko]

welled test plates

Plenty of people also use empty strips that pills (and some chewing gum) come in, either for glue or as a palette for mixing small amounts of paint.

 

[Heavy 7]

Don't try to apply it straight from the bottle unless you get an add-on fine tip that fits over the rather wide tip on the bottle. I think Mercury sells them, but I've seen them online elsewhere, too.

However, I don't use those very often. I put a small amount of the CA on a flat piece of glass, then apply it with one of these. Here's a close up. for applications that need more, I use a toothpick. These make application very easy to control.

Hello ,

Flat glass is the way I roll, just checking if it was just me that is confused or nuts. I did look at the site for some type of tip. That more than likely would clog and be a pia.

My fix, a piece of safety wire with a small loop, fits the hole just fine.

Pep

 

[BarleyBop]

more than likely would clog

Surprisingly, my experience with medium and thin CA is that they don't. And the odd time that they do, and I'm talking months, I snip off the clogged bit and I'm good!
I still use the glass though, for those times I need to pick up a tiny bit on an applicator or pin.