One man's solution:

I constantly deal with itty bitty photo etch on my 1/700 ships.  Rather than locking tweezers, my solution has been to use really soft tweezers, and hold gently, very gently.  I completely agree that fingers are not the solution.

I bought my tweezers in a stamp collector's store.  Mine are pointed (not flat-tipped like you i,agine most stamp tongs), manufactured by Solingen, just under five inches long.  I think they cost $6 or so, about 25 years ago.

Hold gently.  :-)

Rick

I still have that problem from time to time.  I have to be careful but still have a small part, metal or resin, slip out go its merry way.  A couple time I have had to make the part out of scrap plastic, lith the switches on combat started of the M-706 I'm detailing.  I just wish there wasn't so mu detail left out of the kit.

As for the tweezers, I heard ther are some with a rubber coating on the tip.  I'm going to have to look into those I think.

In addition to a very light grip with the tweezers, you can just barely poke the part (PE or plastic) with the tip of an exacto blade...just enough to hold it. Put a tiny dab of CA where the part is to go (rather than on the part itself), then just touch the part to where it needs to be, give it a few seconds, the glue should be stronger than the "grip" of the blade...if ya didn't poke too hard.

A tiny bit of blue tack on the end of a toothpick can help here, too.

Good luck,

Gary

Dip the tweezer tips in liquid tape and let them dry, problem solved.

Well, they're on quarterback #3 tonight...  frustrating for sure. 

Oh, and I agree with Plastic.  Dip the tweezers in liquid electric tape.  

I am using tweezers less and less for positioning very small parts like PE and even styrene. I have had tweezers launch so many small parts to places unknown!

I am more and more using sticky sticks- small sticks with a sticky adhesive on end. I make my own with a toothpick, with a tiny glob of poster tack on end. I place the piece in its location, and use my needle point tweezers merely to help nudge the piece into final position and hold it there till the CA sets (I do not put it between the tips of the tweezers).

http://www.snmstuff.co.uk/ultimate-modelling-products-photoetch-placer/

Take a look at these from Ultimate Modeling Products. They are a wax based "pencil-type" applicator for placing photo etch parts. I havent recieved mine yet, but they are on the way. I am curious to seeing how they work, but anything has to be better than having a pair of tweezers shoot the parts across the room and loosing them to the carpet montser.

Mopar Madness

Well, they're on quarterback #3 tonight...  frustrating for sure. 

 

Oh man, last night was an utter embarrassment.  One would think a team with many of its goals still attainable would have shown up, but they looked like they just did not care. 

To keep this modeling related, thank you for all your responses. Hopefully I can keep going in other areas of the kit while I set about procuring the stuff I will need to rubberize the tweezers and get some ticky tack stuff.

You don't have to use all of the little parts. They are included to torment you only.

I get good results with toothpicks. Put glue on the model where the part goes with one end, flip it around and put a little spit (yes ) on the other end, touch it to the part, stick it on the model. Toss the toothpick in the trash, or set it aside.

GazzaS

A tiny bit of blue tack on the end of a toothpick can help here, too.

Good luck,

Gary

I'm working through putting PE on a 1/35 scale Simca.  Using my glasses and visor, the parts are still so freaking small.  I have a pair of pickups that came in a suture kit.  They have very fine, pointed curved ends.  But even then, the PE for this kit are just so small. 

I've taken to positioning the pieces, even the switches, with the tip of a wooden toothpick.  I've rounded the tip a bit with an Xacto blade, then running it over a fine emory board.  I thin moisten the tip with my tongue, and use that to pick up and position the part.  The dull end lets me rotate the parts some with just a little pressure and twisting motion. 

Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas

I often use a fine, precision paint brush slightly dampened to pick up and hold tiny PE pieces.

Not sure what the attractive force is called that holds the part to the brush, but it usually works well.

Trick learned from the fellow who makes Gator's Grip glue.

I avoid tweezers for all but a last resort for all the reasons you mentioned.

Yeah, a liquid like spit has surface tension that serves as a weak adhesive. Maybe it's gross but I lick the side of my pen knife and use it to pick up and hold tiny stuff all the time. 

Personally, I apply a bit of masking tape to the back of the etch sprue as I'm cutting each piece loose, and set the cut piece on a mat.  This way it doesn't fly away, and apply it with a toothpick wet with spit.  Works pretty well for me.   

Don Stauffer

I am using tweezers less and less for positioning very small parts like PE and even styrene. I have had tweezers launch so many small parts to places unknown!

I am more and more using sticky sticks- small sticks with a sticky adhesive on end. I make my own with a toothpick, with a tiny glob of poster tack on end. I place the piece in its location, and use my needle point tweezers merely to help nudge the piece into final position and hold it there till the CA sets (I do not put it between the tips of the tweezers).

 

i used Don's suggestion with moderate success this afternoon. I was able to get  lever in place on the IP but still having problems seeing these tiny parts. I probably need an optivisor or something similar.

Well, now for the Halloween block party and trick or treating with my daughter.

I dont know the status of your vision, but you may find reading glasses useful.  They're light and cheap and can be found in 1.5X, 2X, and 2.5X.  I have two pair that stay on my hobby table at all times.

There is no such thing as modeling without an optivisor in my workshop!

I always wear readers at the bench although I don't know what strength they are.

i have 3 sets of halogen lights over my bench, so I don't think lighting is my problem.  What I have noticed in looking at photos of some of my builds, I can clearly see problem areas in the photo that I don't necessarily see when looking at the actual build.  So I am thinking that an optivisor is in my near future.

That kit must have been designed by a tea sipper, to have so many problems.