photo etched parts

HawkeyeHobbies

 

Don Stauffer:

 

One can always buy more powerful magnifiers to see with.  My problem is the manual dexterity- I have found no aids that really improve that.  I have good tweezers, but the problem with those is that sometimes the part comes out, and then flies across the bench.

I have gone to using a homemade tool for picking up small PE parts.  I take a toothpick and place a BB sized gob of blue tack (poster holding putty) on the end.  Picks up the PE part and does not release easily (I use the tweezers in other hand to hold it in place while I withdraw the toothpick/blue tack.

Bending is something else- I do frequently use the tweezers when bending parts (a different set of tweezers from my "picking up" pair.

 

 

Do you have a set of Reverse Action Tweezers?

I do- don't use them very often.  Most frequent use is holding a small part while I brush paint it.  I can operate reverse tweezers with my left hand :-)

Don Stauffer

One can always buy more powerful magnifiers to see with.  My problem is the manual dexterity- I have found no aids that really improve that.  I have good tweezers, but the problem with those is that sometimes the part comes out, and then flies across the bench.

I have gone to using a homemade tool for picking up small PE parts.  I take a toothpick and place a BB sized gob of blue tack (poster holding putty) on the end.  Picks up the PE part and does not release easily (I use the tweezers in other hand to hold it in place while I withdraw the toothpick/blue tack.

Bending is something else- I do frequently use the tweezers when bending parts (a different set of tweezers from my "picking up" pair.

Do you have a set of Reverse Action Tweezers?

One can always buy more powerful magnifiers to see with.  My problem is the manual dexterity- I have found no aids that really improve that.  I have good tweezers, but the problem with those is that sometimes the part comes out, and then flies across the bench.

I have gone to using a homemade tool for picking up small PE parts.  I take a toothpick and place a BB sized gob of blue tack (poster holding putty) on the end.  Picks up the PE part and does not release easily (I use the tweezers in other hand to hold it in place while I withdraw the toothpick/blue tack.

Bending is something else- I do frequently use the tweezers when bending parts (a different set of tweezers from my "picking up" pair.

 I've done a few kits with them pesky hinges. I absolutely HATE them and think it's a stupid idea. I have no troubles with small parts, just a supreme hatred for moving parts, especially ailerons. With those hinges, gravity will pull both ailerons down, forcing you to glue them in place anyway, after you went through the trouble of making them movable, plus the PITA they are to deal with, flopping around, while you work on the wing. I either leave them out completely, or trim off that little tab that locks em into the wing/tailplane, so that they can be slipped in later on.

i agree....fine tweezers fresh CA and some accelerator becuase instant glue is not quite instant enough....also regular reading glasses from the drug store....1x or 2x depending on the detail and your eyes...I find them easier to see with than the visors or magnifc lights... i have 1 x because at 44 and after my Lasik it became impossible to see really up close and detailed

put a drop of accelerator on one surface and CA on the other..... touch and that should do it..sometime I just leave out the real tiny bits...they never stay on.....

Good Luck

Carlos

Good lighting, fine point tweezers, some sort of magnification system and patience is all I can recommend when doing tiny PE work.  Also, if you're not feeling it then stop before you mess it up.  Seriously, you can make it so much worse if you're trying to force the issue.

Are the parts you mentioned so necessary to the finished build that you must use them?  Cuz you can always leave them off...

I hate to admit it, but now that I'm looking at 40 this year, the old peepers ain't what they used to be.  I would suggest something along the line of an Opti-Visor, or a magnifying swing arm lamp, if you don't want to look completely geeked out.

Also, I try to brace my arms on my work desk, and lay off the caffeine and smokes for a while before attempting those little )*$#(*&#_ pieces.  Dragon seems to be the best.  I assume you're working on the 1/32 Bf-104E4.  I was trying to make braces on a 1/72 Dragon armor kit (Nashorn, I think) and it drove me absolutely batty.

Oh, and good sharp pointed regular and reverse action tweezers.  They work wonders, because I don't have the smallest hands in the world, and usually end up gluing more PE to myself than the kit.