Questions regarding working with PE

You might have a bit of task specific Focal Dystonia. Stress makes it worse. It happens to me in a bunch of different tasks. Golf, tennis, modeling. Look it up

That could be, yes.

Yet whatever the cause of the shakiness I'd bet the stress of knowing you have mere seconds to work with is making it worse. That happens to me with various modeling tasks.

I gave up on CA for PE, except for CA gel for some PE applications which is very thick and sets very slowly, allowing lots of working time.

Usually, I use Gator's Grip Glue, and specifically the new "thin" formula. Not to be confused with the Gator Grip glue you find on store shelves everywhere. It is water soluble and very easy to work with IMO.

It's this stuff. (click the hotlink)

Hope this helps and I hope this helps lead to a solution of some sort for you.

Thanks guys.

Greg, I do have Gator's Grip both the thin and regular formulas. I just wanted, in the case of these tiny planes, to have the glue set quickly. In some cases I had to hold the part in position or gently nudge it back to its proper position with my index finger on my right hand while waiting for the glue to set. Gator's Glue takes a bit longer to set and I (and my shakey hands/fingers) wasn't making much progress using it.

I see, Mike. That makes sense. Sorry to have misinterpreted your issue.

I think you did a fine job on those tiny planes indeed, shakes or no shakes.

Yeah, that little aircraft looks good, sure can't use it to diagnose your shakes!

There's one trick you might want to use - put some lacquer thinner on both surfaces to be glued with thin CA just befor the application of glue itself. The lacquer thinner acts as degreaser to clean the surfaces, but also as an accelerator for the super glue, so this way the CA joint is stronger and dries faster.

Good luck with your builds and have a nice day

Paweł

sorry to hear about your condition mike , but that little plane still look's pretty good mate .

Mike,

Don't lose your patience!  I have been trying to work with 1/700 photo-etch railings for my HIJMS Kirishima for two years now, without any success.  I'm still trying.  My problem stems from the railings becoming invisible after picking them up with my tweezers.  One day, things will fall into place. But, for now, it is an exercise in controlling my frustration.

Bill

Pawel, 

Thanks for the tip. I may try that in the near future. 

Steve, 

Thanks for the kind words. I'm not sure what my "condition" is other than there are times when can't control the shakes and other times (most often) when I have some measure of control - if only after a few deep breaths .

Bill, 

In the dying words of James Lawrence in 1813: "Don't give up the ship". I might add, aircraft or any other model kit .

When I find my patience taxed beyond my comfort zone I stop what I'm doing and go find something else to do for a while. Often that pause generates some answers to my frustrations - sometimes not. 

I think the planes look great BTW. If it is Focal Dystonia there are many ways to circumvent the problem. Sometimes, when it's acting up, I use the opposite hand, in my case the left, to make the important movement or turn my hands the other way, upside down I guess, to place the pieces in contact. Sometimes I pin my arm down  with one hand and use the other hand to make the movement. It tricks the brain because it has never had to deal with such movements and this circumvents the Dystonia. It's a motor function ailment of the tiny muscles used for precise movements that I have been fighting for 25 years and I have read everything on it. The Mayo Clinic in Phoenix is the number one resource on this subject. Writers cramp is a form of Dystonia. It's quite common.  Musicians, surgeons, sports people all have suffered from it. I'm not saying you have it but I'm just sharing some information. 

Griffin25,

Thank you. I'll try some of what you've tried and see how well it works for me.

I think about Herrigel and his book Zen in the Art of Archery.

I used the ideas, basically that the conscious shouldn't try to overwhelm the subconscious in motor skills, in golf (total failure) and target shooting with an accurized M-14 (limited success). But it was helpful in photography and I suppose modeling. In a way, let your skills give you the results.

I find that ship PE is worth working with in a controlled environment like a box. Pinging off parts is depressing. I use Elmers to position.

I never join railings at corners, always in the middle somewhere.

And last, the people who design PE are probably not often the same people who use it.

I've seen and owned quite a few PE items where the desired results are frankly unachievable to us mere mortals.

I like those seagulls, well done. A little issue about the orientation of the stars on the upper wing. And there weren't two on the cats at the same time. I put my second one down on the deck on a dolly.

GM,

You said: " A little issue about the orientation of the stars on the upper wing." By that did you mean that there's only supposed to be one star on the top wing? It confused the heck out of me because the Trumpeter kit with just the six planes shows only one star on the top wing port side. The color marking page for the ship kit shows two stars on both the port and starboard sides of both the top and bottom wings. I tried to follow the main ship kit color and marking guide which is why I used two stars. Perhaps you meant they are placed in the wrong orientation? Oh well, they'll just have to do.

Your CA-38 is magnificent! Your rigging job is superb along with every else about your build! (I perused your shots of the Frisco on Photobucket).

I have another problem with the AM stuff I just got from BNA Model World. I mistakenly ordered the standard wood deck instead of the blue stained one. Does anyone know if using acrylic deck blue via airbrush on the deck will ruin it? If not, do I have any alternative other than measure 21 for this kit?

The stars are ok insofar as two on the wing. The points should be forward, ie looking at them with the nose up, upright. Small matter, no big deal. You got the struts in just fine. That was a deal for me too. I bought the 6 pack to do an pre 1939 Arizona, we'll see.

Thanks for the compliment. More the model than me. I really think the treaty cruisers were beautiful ships, I have lived most of my life in the City, and she was the second most decorated USN ship in WW2. So I really did let my emotions about that inform the amount of effort I put into her. Herrigel again.

Imagine in the year after Pearl Harbor, the 8" ships were the battle line. They fought like hell at Guadalcanal, and got a Japanese battleship plus saved the beach head. 

As far as the wood deck, I would go at it with a series of light coats. I would think that will work. Other than M21? Yes, after 1942. But the deck was never natural then.

Thanks GM. I'll give the deck some light coats and let them dry between applications.

I'm off to the land of nod.

And me too. One last thought. There was a really nice LIFE Magazine article on the life onboard of a USN ship and it was a New Orleans class, I think the Astoria. I'll find it and post it.

You should start a WIP. In my opinion this is the best 1/350 USN model ever sold, maybe the Trumpeter Fletcher comes close. But it's a beautiful ship, and pretty accurate.

I bought aftermarket 5" guns, but the ones with the kit were good.

My biggest flub was trying to replace the anchor chains.

There was also the not uncommon problem with Trumpeter where the lower hull pie ce didn't mate well with the above waterline piece, producing a step. I could have cleaned that up a little.

Where could I find a couple of these little airplane models?

Big Jim,

Here are a few links to the floatplanes and the PE you'll need for the struts/braces.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/trumpeter-soc-3-seagull-scout-plastic-model-aircraft-accessory-1:350-scale-6205

http://www.redfroghobbies.com/products.php?cat=18&scat=105&prodline=Trumpeter

https://www.scalehobbyist.com/manufacturers/Trumpeter_Models/Model_Aircraft/soc-3-seagull-scout-plane/TRP00006205/product.php

https://www.megahobby.com/products/soc3-seagull-scout-aircraft-set-6-bx-1-350-trumpeter.html

http://freetimehobbies.com/1-350-trumpeter-soc3-seagull-scout-aircraft-set-6-bx/

https://www.whiteensignmodels.com/product-search/SOC-3/1/

https://www.google.com/search?q=WEM+1%2F350+Curtiss+SOC-3+Seagull+Details+%28PE+35113%29&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

I must say, the SF really challenged my PE abilities!

I try to support both hands. If I am working on a small part, I have the part in one hand, but the hand resting on the bench top.  The other hand, with the PE and whatever I am using to move/place the PE, also rests on the bench.

If I am putting the PE on the ship, I keep small blocks of wood of various sizes on hand, so I can raise my hand higher but still be supported, so with the ship on its construction base sitting on the bench, my hand placing the PE is on a block which is in turn resting on a bench.

Don,

Thanks for chiming in. I appreciate the info regarding your methods for working with PE as I do appreciate the info from all who've contributed. I'll be using some of the suggestions I've gotten in this thread.

By any chance did you build the floatplanes with the WEM PE? If so, would you provide me a link to a picture of one of yours? I'd also very much like to see finished pictures of your USS San Francisco if they're available to view. I like to see the work of expert modelers to give me some inspiration and motivation to do better.

Mike,
    Thank you very much for the links.

1943Mike

Don,

Thanks for chiming in. I appreciate the info regarding your methods for working with PE as I do appreciate the info from all who've contributed. I'll be using some of the suggestions I've gotten in this thread.

By any chance did you build the floatplanes with the WEM PE? If so, would you provide me a link to a picture of one of yours? I'd also very much like to see finished pictures of your USS San Francisco if they're available to view. I like to see the work of expert modelers to give me some inspiration and motivation to do better.

 

Here are the planes;

And here is a better shot of whole ship

Big Jim,

You're very welcome.

Don,

Wonderful model! Thanks for posting the pix.

Question about blast bags ... were they not painted the same as everything else in measure 21 or were they just dirtied and grimey and not in need of darkening?