Practicing the Techniques of P.E. Handling
Hi!
Are you new at P.E. work? That's okay. There's many of us that started off with a bang that led to a whimper. Thing is, it isn't that bad. I recommend two things to get you started. One - Build a paper plane or ship model! Two - Try the same in Aluminum can material.
Why this? Well the paper model can teach you a lot about folding and curving a flat piece of material. No Mikey, I am not talking about folding a Paper Airplane! Paper Models have some very delicate parts, and unlike plastic you have to shape and glue all of them !
My 1/200 models of the famous ship pair( The Andrea Doria and the Stockholm) have many pieces of deck hardware that must be cut out, shaped and glued together -Then glued to the deck!
This is a good tutorial for handling P.E. That's why I said Aluminum Can Material. Make the Paper Model Part, Into a pattern of sorts and remake the part in Aluminum and glue together with C.A.
Now if you get good at this, Curving, Folding, Cupping etc. Oh! don't forget Rolling! Then hit the P.E. and go slowly. I didn't try a P.E. or " Metal Earth Kit" Gun Barrel til I could roll paper into a perfect tube, or aluminum! Then I started with my first set of P.E.-The Trumpeter set for the U.S.S. North Carolina in 1/350!
I must warn you though! By a cheaper set of rails, ladders and stuff from Tom's Modelworks or Gold Medal Models and practice on a Lindberg ship study. Their Bismark is a good starter or even their U.S.S. Butler. It's a Blob to most of us, so you cannot really mess it up!
Do Not start with a Hasegawa or Tamiya kit! The kit Costs to much to practice on. If you can, get a 1/200 or 1/350 or even 1/400, paper kit and put the P.E. on there. By the way, I took my Andrea Doria and Stockholm to the last I.P.M.S. show here, for Display Only. The visitors were surprised at the P.E. and such that I used. They couldn't believe they were paper Ships at first, and all the P.E. on them.
You see, I used the techniques I discussed on this forum for curling, folding and making curves for ships and planes in paper. If you've ever curled ribbon then you know where I am coming from. Does your Wife, Mom or Lady friend do wrapping? Let them show you their techniques and you will have a good idea where to start.
Good Luck!!