USS Ward

Ah, OK, I saw this post after your other one.

Photo etch can be a blessing and a curse. Gold Medal Models is one of the originators of the industry and makes good stuff. That said, if you've never used it before there are a couple of things to know.

1. It won't attached with regular model glue
2. It sometimes has to be bent or folded, and this is one area that can make it look great, or terrible.

I have a small glass cutting board I bought for cutting PE. It works better than other surfaces because it's hard - cutting mats or other softer surfaces will flex under the pressure of cutting, allowing the edges to bend.  I generally prefer the curved #10 style blade in XActo's line and their conventional #11 for really small spaces (when there's not enough room for a #10. I find that I can "roll" the curved blade over the attachment point more accurately and with less chance of a sudden "zing" of the part departing to points unknown.

The most common glue recommended is cynoacrylate, aka "Super Glue." I have a few issues with it though; it's brittle and gets even more so over time, so that if you have any pieces that have tension on the joint, they could spring free a couple of years down the road.  Brass expands and contracts more than plastic with temperature changes, so you can get this tension just in the natural course of changing temperatures. What I like to use is Gator Grip Glue (not to be confused with Gorilla glue).

Some people like to prime the PE before cutting, others wait until it's on the model and prime everything then (the theory being that the joint will be stronger  if you don't have paint in between). I like a little of both. Some pieces like doors or vents I'll glue on unpainted or primed, but generally I'll bend the rails, then paint, and then attach and touch up. This is mainly because I  mask off the decks and bulkheads for painting, and don't want to destroy the photo-etch in the process.

Bending is the last point I'll touch on. There are lots of tools you can buy, some more expensive than others, but I find that with practice, you can use inexpensive tools to great effect, such as a straight razor blade and a metal ruler, or some smooth grip pliers (smooth on the inside, so they don't "tooth" the brass and leave an imprint. If you do go the razor and metal ruler method, the glass cutting board is a great surface for this as well. Simply put the brass down and lay the ruler on top of it, with the edge serving as the bending point. Then slide the razor underneath the brass up to that edge, and lift it up so that it bends the brass.

Mr White is both wise and experienced.

Allow me to add that metal, when bent, "responds" to the character of the edge it is bent against.  If the edge is rounded, you will get a rounded bend.  Which is very handy for small-scale ships.  

Which is where a machinist's style ruler, with it's very square edges can be handy.

As can a dowel for bending a curve.

One of my favorite--now gone astray in the chaos of foreclosure--was a broken half a scissors.  The beveled edge made for e very precise bending point (if not very helpful bending up an SPS-10).

One other consideration is that it's a good idea to lay things out so that corners turn on a stanchion

Bend at the corners; splice in the middle. Look at pictures. Runs of railing get interrupted by davits, ladders, gun shields, bitts. This business of long runs of railing with regular spacing of stanchions is kind of rare on warships.

Thank you, Tracy. That's just the information I need. Does Gold Metal send instructions?

Thanks again, Kab37

Thank you, CaptainMac82. I like the scissors idea.

Kab37

Thanks for the tip.

kab37, yes, Gold Medal Models has very detailed instructions about where the photoech goes, how to install it, etc. That is one of the very strong points of using products from that company, as opposed to some others, which tend towards, the "here ya go, YOU figure out where all the tiny bits belong ..."

There have been some real gems of advice you've been given .

Here's what I use .Glass , for the work surface

STANLEY knife blades (their utility knife type .Two very sharp edges do make for awesome bends .For round bends ,I use anything from a very excellent but expensive bending kit all the way to brass rod one size smaller than what I need . Remember , metal has " memory " so it will spring back and when it does it will be the right size curve . Now there is one step you need to do first .When you open that wONDWERFUL package of GOLD MEDAL P.E. with it's great instructions you should prep the metal for paint , BEFORE , you bend or cut anything .This I do by soaking the metal in lacquer thinner and then let it air dry under a dustfree cover . You will then have an awesome shipo , plane or piece of armor .I first started with P.E. in 1/350 and the U.S.S. NORTH CAROLINA ( TRUMPETER KIT ) and EDUARDS P.E. Both are great and I especially liked the EDUARD product .I still go to GMM because when you go to the EDUARD site nothing is in our money values and I couldn't find a conversion .So It's GOLD MEDAL MODELS for me .I think of an old saying when I order Like CURTIS -MATHIS Televisions (an old brand ) "EXPENSIVE , but DARNED WELL WORTH IT ! " I used to use TOM'S too , buty have had difficulties getting straight to them . So stick with GMM and good luck .    TANKER-BUILDER

After cleaning, DO NOT wipe with a rag or anything else. Don't ask why I know.

Worst PE ever? Bronco.