How you deal with photo etched parts?

[David Lovell]

That's interesting David. I use Gator Glue which sounds very similar. It has been discontinued and so the MIG stuff may well be a good alternative.


I've read about this black CA. Definitely worth a go.
Jim

Jim strange isn't it one mans poison and all that ,I can remember having a long conversation with Simon T about gator glue and how we both came to the same conclusion and binned it ,I almost bought the MIG stuff the other day but thought na probably another gator glue.With a pva type you can wick away the excess with a damp brush ,not that I've ever used it but can someone explain that if you use debonder to clean up why doesn't it debond the part that's glued ,if its that noticeable I flick it off with the tip of a scalpel blade. All I can say to Daniel is just as you think you've sussed it the next lot makes you feel like a first timer again. Dave

[JR]

Daniel I can stick PE to any thing other than the model , normally it end up on me !

Probably the hardest thing to work with when it's very small.Someone told me once to slightly abrade the surface of the larger part and ensure that all the PE is clean . When I do attempt to use it I place an amount of CA on a bottle top and use a needle with the eye part cut open ( thanks Paul )
Using that to apply the smallest amount of glue to the larger part then by holding the small part with tweezers ( clean ) offer it to the larger and give a very light spray with accelerator.
Paul's suggestion of using wire for those parts that need to be found is good .

Keep trying !

[Dave Ward]

Daniel,
with PE, I ask myself - does it add anything to the model, can it be seen? Is a 2D part better than a plastic part? Just because the part is on the PE fret, it doesn't have to be used! I regularly don't attempt to fit the tiny parts, life's short enough as it is!
When I do use PE, I clean the fret with IPA, I have a porcelain bathroom tile I cut the PE on ( scalpel ). I use fine tweezers to hold/fold the part. I apply CA to the model ( cocktail stick, or wire ), then apply the part - don't flood the area with CA. I do on occasion use a kicker ( accelerant ) to speed things up.
Dave

[Jim R]

The way I use Gator Glue is that I fix the part with it, plenty of wiggle time and water clean up of smears and blobs. Then when it is dry I wick thin CA into the joint. Gator Glue works fine on its own for PE with a decent contact area but for something like Daniel showed in the first post I would definitely use CA as well. You can buy CA which is reckoned to be more flexible which would be good.
Jim