PE benders, live and learn - Do not buy the Mission Models Etchmate 3C

Im glad my misfortune served as a warning to others   Im really impressed with the quality of The Bug and will definitely buy from them again.

After reading the comments here, I purchased The Bug. I was looking for a bender anyway, and the good info here as well as the price are what attracted me to this particular one. I have to agree, it works like a charm. I have another one, I don't know the name or brand, but it is one made of small plastic / composite, which has warped over the years.

I got my Bug from Sprue Brothers. I ordered it on a Monday, it was here on Thursday. It's tough to beat that.

I didn't realise they changed it to plastic either. I purchased my Etchmate years ago when they first came out and it 's the machined/anodised aluminium version and it's always worked flawlessly. I too wondered why the newer version now had extra tightening knobs and plastic bending tools instead of the single edge razor blades.

Now it all makes sense, sometimes when manufacturers "improve" things that already work perfectly you have to wonder what the motive behind the "improvement" is.

Cheers,

Snowy.

Yeah, one of the first things that I was shown was how to use two razor blades as benders.  After seeing that, I wanted someone to show me what First Aid steps would be necessary.  I have all the grace of an 800lb gorilla and the last thing I need to do is have two single edge razor blades, tiny parts, and pushing in opposite directions.

MikeV

I have an Etchmate as well and have had no problems whatsoever and I only use the plastic benders it came with.

Maybe you are all thumbs?  

LOL...theres no maybe at all about that!  Seriously though, since I moved on to The Bug, PE bending is not a chore anymore.  Maybe I just got a bum Etchmate.  Im sure it has happened before.

I have an Etchmate as well and have had no problems whatsoever and I only use the plastic benders it came with.

Maybe you are all thumbs?  

Man, for $60 I can get 5/6 decent kits!!!!  My PE bender was ZERO dollars!!!! A little 6" ruler that was laying around and razor blades, which are always around. Never had any problems!!!!

First- Sorry to hear about your Bad Luck with the Etchmate PE bender.

2nd- I had no idea that a switch in material was made. I too have a Etchmate PE bender, but mine is the older style which IS made from machined Aluminum & came with 1 single-edge razorblade ment for bending. Mine has just One(1) tighting knob located in the center & Two(2) metal guide/holder pins, 1 at either end and It was $59.99.
I can only think that a design change was made because Etchmate was tring to save money somehow by switching from aluminum to plastic polymer. I had wondered why the need for more tightening knobs on the new model & why the 3C came with red plastic bending tools instead of steel razorblades.

Plastic polymer not as stiff but much easier to chip than aluminum, now it all makes sense.

I've also bought Etchmate's Grab Handler & use it often. Very "handy" I must say.
It also is made from machined aluminum.

As for The Small Shop, I have purchased from them as well.
Not The Bug like you but other product they sell over the internet and I've been very pleased with the results so far.

-Ray

The old etchmate was made of metal, and it came with razor blades and plastic blades. But the tolerance was really good and the slight groove in the base gave a positive feel when the plastic blade was in perfect position. Didnt' think it was a good idea when they redid the tool in plastic.

Ah! You got rid of the plastic folders and fabricated some aluminum ones?  Nice!  Ill make you a great deal on a gently used Etchmate 3C

Alright youse guys!! Now, is that nice! I bought my ETCH-MATE when they first came out. I do a lot of commission work and I have to tell you. That tool has worked every time ,all the time without any problem. I have seen ads for the "BUG"but I,ll stick with my ETCH-MATE thank you!. I find it to be one of the most fool proof tools I have.The one thing I did do is put the plastic blades aside(I was afraid of breaking them) and took aluminum and created three new blades from metal.Other than that, as I,ve said,I have never had a problem with that tool!     tankerbuilder

Oddly enough, when I bought my Bug today, I got to the car and unpacked it to check to make sure it was a solid fit across the base and I saw an awful lot of daylight between the teeth and the base.  A quick check to ensure that rotating platform was seated good was all it took to get it to fit right.  Works great so far.

If you already have the Bug, forget the Etchmate.  Ill probably try to sell this thing at a show or a meet. :great big thumbs down:

Sorry that happened to you. I was deciding between the "Bug" and the Etchmate and didn't know if I liked the resin construction. I did my homework, and though I never found anything bad about the Etchmate, I found more positive reviews of the Bug. The only bad thing I heard about the Bug was a few people that used Kung-fu death grip on the knob and over tightened it. Been happy with my Bug.