What is PE?

[boatman]

A dark art, some devotees actually solder it as well, no doubt the fumes effect their reasoning. For some people like Chris there is little hope as hes now an expert.
(J/R QOUTE )
COR John many thanks but exspert i ai'nt
chrisb

[boatman]

Ugh!!!! solder - another skill I haven't mastered!!! Someone I think, mentioned superglue to secure the PE. I could manage superglue I reckon!!

YES Doug it was me as i have solered small bits of P/E but on that big radar i did super glue it so you can get away with doin it but as i said if you super glue the very thin edges of the P/E WONT glue unless you do like i did but if the P/E IS JUST GLUED up to the plastic under your engine cover then should be ok on that
chrisb

[minitnkr]

Be aware some PE is stainless. This is a lot tougher than brass to work IMHO.

[Guest]

Be aware some PE is stainless. This is a lot tougher than brass to work IMHO.

Also: some that looks like it’s stainless steel, is nickel-plated brass, but you’ll only really notice the different if you cut or sand it.

[Blimp]

Soldering !
Ordinary electicians stuff will not work well , but this does -


... Apply with a cocktail stick or similar , and heat . I find a disposable lighter is good enough - no need to actually touch the job itself . finnish with a wash in water to remove any flux.
my micro gas torch is too fierce , it will melt PE :rolling: ask me how I know . . .




I can even do something delicate like this - part of an old groupbuild thing.


1914 Morane Saulnier 'L' ( 1/72nd scale )

[Tim Marlow]

Soldering !
Ordinary electicians stuff will not work well , but this does -
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1200774[/ATTACH]

... Apply with a cocktail stick or similar , and heat . I find a disposable lighter is good enough - no need to actually touch the job itself . finnish with a wash in water to remove any flux.
my micro gas torch is too fierce , it will melt PE :rolling: ask me how I know . . .


[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1200776[/ATTACH]

I can even do something delicate like this - part of an old groupbuild thing.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1200777[/ATTACH]
1914 Morane Saulnier 'L' ( 1/72nd scale )

Hi T.
Electricians solder will work if you use the right flux. The resin core stuff it comes with will just burn and coat the soldering iron unless a better flux is used as well. It needs a liquid flux like 2M phosphoric acid. It can be very useful if you need to set up a temperature hierarchy in your solder work. It melts at around 245 degC. It’s biggest issue is that its use can put a lot of heat into the parts and can cause them to distort when it cools.
Subsequent additions of parts using lower temperature solders like 188 degC and 143 degC types will be less likely to dislodge the earlier parts if 245 degC solder is used for the carcass parts. In particular, 143 degC solder using 2M phosphoric acid flux will flow like melted butter, so is ideal for long seams and small parts.
Solder paste was the “hot glue” of choice for those that used resistance soldering stations back in the day. Not sure if those devices are made these days though…..on full power they could burns holes in brass sheet.

[JR]

Soldering another black art .
Being asthmatic it's not something I consider.

[Tim Marlow]

Plumbers power flow flux works well John, and is fairly odourless. Just needs to be washed off in a meths and water bath afterwards. You can also get soldering stations with fume extraction to protect you, should you want to try it…..
Something like this….

https://www.switchelectronics.co.uk/desktop-solder-fume-extractor-absorber-st-1016?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgse9kZXz_gIVZIBQBh2ZiQftEAQYAiABEgK_bvD_BwE

[Ian M]

Carrs make a great range of solders with different melt temps. A mix of high and low, and adjustable soldering Iron and off you go.
Spray booths make good soldering stations too. Maybe not with a naked flame though...:tongue-out3:

[Tim Marlow]

Carrs make a great range of solders with different melt temps. A mix of high and low, and adjustable soldering Iron and off you go.
Spray booths make good soldering stations too. Maybe not with a naked flame though...:tongue-out3:

Agree with Carrs, they are very good solder suppliers, but I’ve never really got on with their fluxes, preferring phosphoric acid and plumbers power flow. Personally I’ve never needed a temperature controlled iron either Ian, but that may well be because I learned to solder before I could afford one…... I’ve soldered everything from locomotive chassis frames using electrical 245 degC solder to adding white metal spears to 15mm Zulu figures using white metal 85 degC solder with just a 15watt Antex iron and the appropriate bit.
Best technique is clean the parts, flux and pre tin the workpiece, reflux the joint (critical step), then tin the iron and make the joint as quickly as practicable with the minimum of solder. You just want to have enough solder on the tip to re melt the tinning and make the joint. With 145 solder and decent flux, using the iron then becomes almost like waving a magic wand. If the joint is taking too long to make then something is wrong. Stop, repeat the advice above, and try again.
The biggest issue with soldering is adding too much heat into the work and oxidising the areas to be soldered. Solder will not take to oxidised metal. That’s where liquid flux comes into its own. When you use the iron you can hear the liquid flux hissing away as it boils. If the hissing stops, then remove the iron before the metal oxidises, and reflux the joint.

[PsiFox]

I use a square of black Perspex for cutting my p.e. On, it gives a nice contrast.
I tape the sheet of pe down n all,sides and evolve the Perspex to make the cuts needed. To cut I use a Swann &Morton curved edge scalpel blade in a no.3:handle as the curve means I can just rock the blade back and forward over the cut site.