Problems with ladder PE parts

[jrkob]

Dear all,

New joiner here.
Quick background: 48yo, French living in Hong-Kong since the late 90s for professional reasons. I will post a separate intro in the relevant section of this forum, I see there is one.
Experience in modelling: low to medium. The last model I completed was... a while ago.

My wife offered me for my birthday the 1/350 Birmingham CL-62 from VeryFire, Deluxe Version. The kit comes with PE parts which I "think" are manufactured by Blue Ridge Models (I see their name on the box).
My experience with PE parts is very very limited, and given the intimidating number of PE sprues... I was considering not using them at all, or just may be the easier/bigger ones. However... I thought I'd give it a shot and try to use them all. Or at least... try.

1) I have a problem. Already. With some ladders. They are everywhere so kind of important !

Anyway. I post a picture of how I have put them on one of the gun turrets, but it doesn't ressemble what I see on the instructions manual. The manual shows they should be "raised" above the turret, like in 3D. But as you can see, all I did was just glued the ladder flat. It isn't raised. First, I don't think that's how it should be done, I must be missing something, I just don't know what, and second... I think these ladders going to disappear under my primer coating (and if not... the paint that will be on top of it).

2) these parts are extremely small and as you can see... the drop of CA glue I've used for this ladder is clearly visible so I'm concerned this will show when I paint. I've taken the picture at an angle so this is clearly visible. Is this concern valid ? Considering how small the part is, I don't see how this can be avoided. I'm not even sure it can be sanded properly.



Thank you.

- Jean.

[Ian M]

The outer side of the rail has four small tabs each side. They need to me bent back to a right angle. It is the tabs that need to be glued to the turret part.

[Tim Marlow]

The outer side of the rail has four small tabs each side. They need to me bent back to a right angle. It is the tabs that need to be glued to the turret part.

Looking at the ladder it seems there are half etched lines just inside the runners. These usually denote fold lines, with the half etch being the inside of the fold. Without seeing the instructions, I may be wrong here, but it seems the runners on the ladder should be folded at ninety degrees to the rungs and the small tabs used as locating points on the superstructure. What do you think Ian?
The CA overspill can be scraped back by gently using the edge of a modelling knife. Better to avoid it in future though. I would put a drop of CA onto something disposable and non porous, like a clean, dry, milk bottle top, and transfer small amounts to the joints using a pin. That way you will have much more control, and will minimise the clean up afterwards. Using CA straight from the tube makes it very difficult to control how much you put down.

Oh, and welcome to the forum Jean. Lots of helpful guys on here, so keep asking questions :thumb2:

[boatman]

Looking at the ladder it seems there are half etched lines just inside the runners. These usually denote fold lines, with the half etch being the inside of the fold. Without seeing the instructions, I may be wrong here, but it seems the runners on the ladder should be folded at ninety degrees to the rungs and the small tabs used as locating points on the superstructure. What do you think Ian?
The CA overspill can be scraped back by gently using the edge of a modelling knife. Better to avoid it in future though. I would put a drop of CA onto something disposable and non porous, like a clean, dry, milk bottle top, and transfer small amounts to the joints using a pin. That way you will have much more control, and will minimise the clean up afterwards. Using CA straight from the tube makes it very difficult to control how much you put down.

Oh, and welcome to the forum Jean. Lots of helpful guys on here, so keep asking questions :thumb2:

YES Ian an Tim you are both right them small tabs should have been bent 90 deggrees then be fitted to the turret but if it was me id mark out where the tabs fit on the gun turret an then drill some small hole for the tabs to fit in but makin sure the ladder is kept high from the turret edge
chrisb mtb

[jrkob]

Looking at the ladder it seems there are half etched lines just inside the runners. These usually denote fold lines, with the half etch being the inside of the fold. Without seeing the instructions, I may be wrong here, but it seems the runners on the ladder should be folded at ninety degrees to the rungs and the small tabs used as locating points on the superstructure.

Thanks fellas, appreciated the responses.

Yes Tim I think you're right, that's what it looks like and how it has to be done I think. The manual doesn't show clearly enough but I found a video on youtube from the same manufacturer, different model, and what it looks like, the entire runners have to be folded. I think it would work like that.



If I want to go down that path I think I'm gonna need to invest in a magnifying glass for modellers or I risk losing my eyesight on this model !
And also, I will need to look into getting something proper to bend those things. So far I've been using my daughter's school metal ruler with a razor blade but I may need something more precise. This won't do.
OMG I'm going to lose my mind :tears-of-joy: !

[Guest]

TBH, a steel ruler and a sharp knife blade are often the best tool for bending photoetched parts. There are dedicated tools for it, that generally look something like this:

[ATTACH]459111[/ATTACH]

(the front side with all those “fingers” is for small parts, the back has a straight edge for long parts) but a lot of the time, a steel ruler, a knife blade and/or long-nosed, flat plyers work just as well.

[boatman]

Thanks fellas, appreciated the responses.

Yes Tim I think you're right, that's what it looks like and how it has to be done I think. The manual doesn't show clearly enough but I found a video on youtube from the same manufacturer, different model, and what it looks like, the entire runners have to be folded. I think it would work like that.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1181066[/ATTACH]

If I want to go down that path I think I'm gonna need to invest in a magnifying glass for modellers or I risk losing my eyesight on this model !
And also, I will need to look into getting something proper to bend those things. So far I've been using my daughter's school metal ruler with a razor blade but I may need something more precise. This won't do.
OMG I'm going to lose my mind :tears-of-joy: !

HI YOU NEED one of these to help with your eye sight
chrisb

[Tim Marlow]

Thanks fellas, appreciated the responses.

Yes Tim I think you're right, that's what it looks like and how it has to be done I think. The manual doesn't show clearly enough but I found a video on youtube from the same manufacturer, different model, and what it looks like, the entire runners have to be folded. I think it would work like that.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1181066[/ATTACH]

If I want to go down that path I think I'm gonna need to invest in a magnifying glass for modellers or I risk losing my eyesight on this model !
And also, I will need to look into getting something proper to bend those things. So far I've been using my daughter's school metal ruler with a razor blade but I may need something more precise. This won't do.
OMG I'm going to lose my mind :tears-of-joy: !

That’s exactly how I visualised it. Just remember the etch line usually (there are times it doesn’t, but they are quite rare) goes inside the fold……..

[jrkob]

Thanks again all for the advice, I think I will at the very least need some magnifying glass, will check what I can find on amazon.

Now, coming back to what I've done so far with my ladders. Unfortunately all have been placed already on my 4 152mm/47 gun turrets. Is there anything I can do to salvage those ?... I presume I just leave them alone and move on ?...

[jrkob]

(guys how can I edit my posts ? I can't see an Edit button)

[Gary MacKenzie]

(guys how can I edit my posts ? I can't see an Edit button)

I think that is only available to the Supporters, as per https://www.scale-models.co.uk/threa...8/#post-618171

[Andy the Sheep]

Welcome, Jean, bienvenu.
I see you already got a full load of answers and this is how things go on this friendly forum.

Andrea

[Steve Jones]

Hi Jean

If you are not used to the world of PE then I strongly suggest you use black superglue. This way you can see where you do any overspill. You then use some super glue debonder on a cocktail stick and wipe away the excess glue.

As for the ladders you have already glued you can still use the debonder to remove them. Take your time as the PE ladders will very fragile. Just keep applying the debonder and gently tease the PE off the plastic

Good luck!

[Jim R]

One thing to remember about PE is you don't have to use it all. It is not necessarily better than the kit part. Study the PE and the kit and you'll often find the PE is no better than the kit part. Sometimes the PE part is simply so small as to be just too small to fit and if you did manage no one would see it. I have heard these unnecessary PE parts described as "fret fillers"
Steve is right about the ladders. Just be patient, remove them and carefully bend and reattach. A good magnifier is pretty much essential when working with a lot of PE - I couldn't manage without.