What is PE?

[Waspie]

Seen a few references to 'PE' what exactly is PE?

[boatman]

Seen a few references to 'PE' what exactly is PE?

HI Doug P/E is photo ecth bit of the kits done in brass .as my big radar scanner is done in P/E to fit on my tigers main mast
chrisb

[Waspie]

Ahhh. I have a flat yellow sheet of something in the CH2 kit I have waiting in the wings. Says it has to be bent and shaped then added totes kit. Would that be it?

[John]

flat yellow sheet of something in the CH2 kit I have waiting in the wings

That might be a mask, PE is metal, usually brass

[boatman]

yes Doug John is right like my picture is but this is the biggest bit ive ever had to build an very fragile so when you handle yours take care
chrisb

[Waspie]

yes Doug John is right like my picture is but this is the biggest bit ive ever had to build an very fragile so when you handle yours take care
chrisb

That looks like what I have. Not too much of it. Grenade launcher frames and a couple of other bibs and bobs.
Can't get access right now as new carpets going down so everything is upside down today!

[boatman]

That looks like what I have. Not too much of it. Grenade launcher frames and a couple of other bibs and bobs.
Can't get access right now as new carpets going down so everything is upside down today!

YES Doug WHEN you come to use it handle with care an i superglued my big radar together bit i suppoce you could as well on small bits but have your S/G acelleraror HANDY to spray it so it glues in an instand
chrisb

[eddiesolo]

Have a PE bender/shaper, John sells them in the shop. And make sure you are steady as they have a tendency to ping all over the place.

[Jim R]

Hi Doug
PE (photo etch) is used to add or improve detail in a model. Be careful though as quite often the PE is not an improvement over the kit part or is simply too small and fiddly to bother with. A lot of PE is bought as an aftermarket item. Sometimes it can be as expensive as the kit itself! Some manufacturers do provide some PE in the kit itself. Some is a replacement for a plastic part but some manufacturers only provide the part as a PE part.
PE is usually stuck with CA (superglue) or white glue (PVA) although it can also be soldered. The PVA does not provide a strong bond on small parts so the join needs strengthening with CA.

This is the gun shield of a 1/48 scale 88mm Flak gun and the PE parts to replace it.


This is a case where the PE is better as it is much more to a scale thickness.

This is it assembled.


Much better and worth the effort in my opinion.

I said earlier that the PE was sometimes not that useful. If you look at the fret of PE for the gun shield you can see a handle (about half way up the left side). It's flat not rounded like a handle should be. On the finished shield you can see I have made the handle from a bit of bent wire with flattened ends which is more realistic.

[Airborne01]

PE is the Marmite of the modelling world - some love it, others loathe it! As the guys have said it can actually enhance the model , or prove so problematic as to be unworthy of the effort!
Steve

[Waspie]

No mention in the instructions as to using a different glue!!!! Glad I brought this up. Every day a school day!! :thumb2:

[Andy T]

The work of the devil, that's what it is :smiling2:

[Guest]

Agreed with what has been said above: some photoetched parts really add to a model, others replace plastic parts with inferior versions. The ship’s radar Chris (boatman) showed, for example, is where it really adds something, because there’s no realistic way to make that in plastic, and scratchbuilding it would be even more work than building these parts. Jim’s gun shield is also where it will clearly add something to the model’s appearance, because all of a sudden it will be of (nearly) scale thickness. But you also get sets tjat tell you to replace hand grips or brush guards, moulded as round plastic parts because they’re made from steel rod or tube on the real thing, by flat etched parts, for instance. In other words: consider if it’s worth it or not before you add these parts — and also before you even buy the set.

[Tim Marlow]

The work of the devil, that's what it is :smiling2:

Yes Andy, but the Devil has always been in the detail LOL……

[Mini Me]

I would rather scratch it out of plastic no matter how small it has to be.......but, there are always exceptions and mitigating circumstances that sometimes get in the way! :thinking: :angry: