How to bend
Photo Etched Parts
ISM Guide on How to Use Photo-Etch & The Tools Involved
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hi guys is pull of my Sam we got a photo
to watch video today I'm going to run
through my techniques working with photo
etch as always a little bit the right
way but the way I go about it so we get
a few ideas or pointers offers then fair
enough
I'm going to go through various tools
and methods
we'll start with cutting the photo etch
off the fret finishing it up files or
not have you will then move through to
working with bending tools wrong
machines to manipulate the photo she's
different shapes and at the end we'll
cover gluing these are various mediums
and other tools and I have you so we'll
start off with cutting the photo etch
off various tools in front of me as
always in modeling you know I started
off with a cheap warm pan pair of pink
scissors I don't mind saying they were
pink and the cheap file which I've
actually still got which is this one it
worked
I'd cut the photo etch off a fret and
it's a far the flat art admit to
probably destroyed more photo actually
used and anything a dig on didn't always
look great but it were so as always in
the Hobby the choice is yours what
you've got I've got a lot of tools yeah
I'll admit see but I got them gradually
throughout the time figure out what I
like to use in the way I like to use and
this is where I've got today I've got
three methods here to I use all the time
one I very rarely use and I'll explain
why in a second but it's up to you what
you use and how you use it but this is
how I do so we'll start off with cutting
first off is this is a pair of
photographic plastic sprue cutters they
could be used for a multitude of things
but that's what they're marketed at this
is the second set I got this is my Tamia
set I use for plastic that's all I use
these for so the blades never get
damaged on likely's
I believe you brokers have cutting some
wire I think it was I got these cheap of
hair that I use for cutting led wire
thin bitter narrow gauge wire will have
you for various you know adding details
and models I also use them for cutting
photo etch you know scrap it to photo
etch office on the need because you know
it's soft brass there's not going to
damage the steel tips quite a cumbersome
tool not the most what's the word
precise tool but it works so all I'll
use these for they're no good for
getting in further doing the likes of
this it may not do on camera because you
cannot quite get in if you do you end up
damaging it bending it as you can see
that part bent so they're not the most
precise but literally I'll use this that
okay I need a scrap photo etch I need
that bit there so cut cut didn't quite
cut the first bit here we go my finger
so there we go that's what I'll use
those for so anything that doesn't need
any precision or you know and it's
worried about damaging the part that's
where I'll use I was finally getting a
similar effect off the cheap scissors
they worked and they did get the photo
etch off but because they're not a
precise tool the blades are quite thick
I was found I was damaging more than you
know I was using so don't tend to use
that unless it's for something that
really need to keep my next progression
from the cheap scissors was a pair of
Tammy as photo etches and these things
absolutely brilliant I'll zoom in a bit
you can see super buff fourteen pounds
in the UK very very well made cloak we
can close actual scissors together they
form actually perfect point curved so
you can get nice angles in a lot
struggling and a very precise tip as
well so again it's not the most precise
of tools but for getting larger parts
off we pick something that's quite
difficult to remove there we go all the
photo etch is making the white bound
together so I do apologize there we go
we got upon the end so it's literally a
case of popping it in via want a and a
little bit further away they like to be
from the photo etch so
bear with me pop it in obviously because
it's curved it allows you to get right
in there and there you go so nicely
neatly cut down a case of what I'll
normally do is if it's left a little bit
at the fret I'll just go in and snip it
off like so then it's just simply a case
of tidying up of whatever medium you
garment I start off a chief file like
this is the exact one I used to use
problem is it's quite coarse running
along the 32s use to damage it quite a
lot I bend it an awful awful lot and
then moved on to Talia's diamond file
which works absolutely superb at this
for nearly two years now it's just a
case of very lightly passionately of the
edge it takes a couple of passes bit
more on that one it's quite a big one
there we go perfect edge same with the
other end
job done as always doesn't need a lot of
pressure just let it do its own thing
and away we go so that's the method I
use probably 60% of the time the other
40 I use a small tool shop I believe
there they make a roll machine which
have gotten they also make a bending
machine which I've got as well and they
make this very neat small little set for
cutting photo-etched parts off sprues so
it's a case of popping there on there
pick the part you want among a disc I
bring my camera back I'll do because I
need to get a bit closer with this we
can get it out of there that's better
stuff the white box going
so if initially the knife curved blades
more preferable because you want to use
that rocking action to cut your part off
so I'm going to pick apart I'll go for
that one just there it's a case of using
the place until which is this little
perspective piece of a sham pad edge
right on the edge before you want to cut
like so that's a case coming in leaking
with your knife quite a v2 cigs I'm not
right over top there we go a little
click normally indicate you cut through
round to the side pop it in Bulleid just
up to the edge and there's a second
click so there we go cut off probably
not the same kind of neatness we got
before of the scissors because it's a
little bit more precise and the major
factor of it is as you saw on a cut with
the scissors the park and fly away
because you hold it with this part it
doesn't fly off basically so it's a good
way keeping over the part
carry with fiddly but I'll use that on
really small part I mean some photo-etch
can be my me news I mean that's not the
smallest you can get you really are my
new part so things like you cut those
are scissors that's going to ping off
and I'll be gone forever
Cartman's really that you'll never see
it again so always a very handy tool and
again clean up yet again with that edge
of the dime of file I'm just literally a
few passes over the top and it gives you
nice square edges ready for gluing or
whatever you need to do with it okay so
you cut all your part out you're a quiet
man all here ready to go
just a few bits of scrap there's nothing
there I'm going to need a couple to put
a few 90-degree bends in color to make
some rolls in a Mojave so various ways
of manipulating photo-etch first way I
did it was with fingers with a pair of
long nose DIY pliers didn't work well
DIY pliers got teeth on so they always
damage the soft photo-etch so my next
progression was a pair of Tami's bending
pliers again not cheap tool it needs
about cut around about 18 pounds I'm not
cheap at all but the smooth jawed very
well made you can get them in a short
point like these and get a longer one
depend on the size I bought these to
Bend smaller parts and they worked very
very well if you're just doing one
single part nine times that I'll just
pull these out and give it a Bend as
always photo-etch it which meant to me
better can zoom in if my camera will
focus I don't know if it well there we
go right in there sorry about the state
of my hands as well so I'm doing various
other modeling projects at the minute
covered in washes and glues and all
sorts and primer if you look just there
you see a band when I bend but an
indentation just where the photo-etch
can be bent so
using that mark you line that up into
the other bending machine pliers and I
have you and literally push it in like
so just use now I got the binman coming
in the road going down the road behind
me gonna make a right bit of racket now
as well probably here we go
lining that officer you get that Bend
well the preformed lines or you want it
then using a finger give it a bend
I always find going a little bit further
than you want to and then coming back
and there we have it like a pair of
tweezers so I can holder so you can see
there we go I'll zoom in again there's a
nicely formed 90-degree Bend so that's
now ready to attach you know there's
various different reasons I did with
brackets fenders anything really wheel
arches more guards a lot anything con
armor or aircraft but that's how I'll do
it it's one single piece so you know
quick simple and that's an almost
perfect Bend so there's one way so like
I said the pliers do work very very well
if you haven't got a lot of money it's a
good way to start because they do do the
job very well and like I say being
smooth jawed makes a massive amount of
difference because it doesn't damage the
actual photo-etch next step for me was
one of the dedicated folding tools I
started off of a mission model one and I
just migrated to this on the small tool
shop again very very well made very
solid you know that's the one I got
they're not cheap I think this one's
about 45 pounds but it's very very
well-made very heavy nice rubber feet so
it doesn't move made from a good quality
aluminium as is the top are my only
system of this tool and I bear the scar
somewhere just along there is that these
back parts are absolutely just
ridiculously sharp I was bending a piece
one day and I just caught my hand there
and it ripped a good inch and a half
gash in my thumb he gets hit just there
and it was painful very painful but as a
photo-etch tool it's superb
if you're doing a lot of parts this is a
very quick way of doing it so exactly
the same way as before I goes on a [ __ ]
at the desk if we give the case a lining
it up this is why I say if you're doing
a lot of parts if you do one part you
know it can take longer to line off and
actually fold it it's okay so line it up
I tend to fasten one side down have a
look yeah straight to me tighten the
other side nice and tight a couple of
razor blades are supplied it's a case of
popping that underneath our zoom in so
you guys can see this properly so I've
literally slid the razor blade
underneath which is lifted a little bit
you then keep the pressure against the
front for the hose go over a little bit
take it off undo it a little tap I'll
come to the part so there we go and keep
you in shot so as you can see nice it's
gone over 90 degrees so I always bend it
back a little bit is I tend to find it
looser look where that spring it has
then show her focus in there or not I
pop it down there
perfect perfect way of doing it's a bit
more of a personal tool than the bending
pliers but like I say if I was just
doing a single piece I wouldn't bother
getting this out I grab the bending
pliers if I was doing a lot like I was
on the king tiger I did a dish had a lot
of use and it saves a lot of time
because you're already set up
just a case of indigo job done so that's
it easy quick 90-degree bends ready to
be used you know whatever need you're
wanted for so that's bending 90 degrees
then got rolling machine right move that
out of the way
so again how's your mouse this is a
small tool shop poeta roller so it's a
nice aluminium milled and machined base
phone base underneath I've replaced this
it's come with a I got the second hand
I've actually got it for free
believe it or not it came with a foam
back and it cracked overtime so
literally you peel a bit off so I put a
piece of craft foam on a glutton
position and it works just as it should
top part you got all various different
sizes you know from just under an inch
right down to probably five million VAT
just their dens a couple of straighter
edges and at the front you've got wire
formers so with that you can make grab
handles anything you need to make out of
wire you can bend a 90 degrees and with
the wire case I putting the wire through
keeping all the one end pulling the
other and it will form a perfect handle
and again I use this on the King Tiger
to build the the hatch handles and it
works perfectly very very good tool so
like I say you get the actual tool
itself
that's all sorry the metal base and then
get all various different size dowels
all those dimensions wood metal some
thin some thick all those sizes and they
all conform to these shapes here so it's
simply a case if you're trying to roll
what was I trying to do trying to roll
the front fenders no guards on tiger - I
was building it's a case of popping the
actual will pop in that one popping it
over the actual recess at roughly the
size of what you want to roll we want to
get this and a half half round shape
basically so basically start with you
just push it in to conform it to that
shape which you
you you know a basic book not vulgar but
you know merely
perfect state pop it on the back and use
a smaller size this time
pop it on this is a phone back so it's
spongy so we're answers not want to come
with it so we could do being a bit more
spongy and then it's a case of rolling
which is easier said and done on camera
until you get the shape you're looking
for obviously if you go for a specific
angle you have to stop and check as I
was doing on those fenders just to
ensure you get the right angle you
require and want one thing this thing
could do with as couple of rubber feet
just like the air the photo-etch bender
here we go probably not the best piece
of photo actually shot about a big of it
order an hour deal but you get the idea
at work so there's your half round shape
I'm sure of a put bigger one in I
probably get a bit more precise and how
I want it so get over you can do
cylindrical shapes it would work fine as
well there we go that's evened out a
little bit so you can see how that works
as well rather well all the ways you do
on the cheap and a lot of people do it
all natural cutting mat you could use a
piece of this foam on the side this
thing costs it's around forty five
pounds it's a substantial bit of kit I
won't pay that much for it no chance I
got on the job lot of stuff abort kept
this all the rest of it and this
eventually cost me absolutely nothing
that's the only reason I own one it is
really a luxury in my opinion I won't
say that I've got a lot of things
is it worth having yeah it does a good
job if proved invaluable on the King
Tiger with fronting you know pretend
there's another section has to be rolled
but I'm sure you could do it just as
well by all the means say on a piece of
spare foam on one half of your book for
my means this is what I've got like I
say the only reason I've got it
hemolysis because I got it for free so
there we go there's all various ways of
folding rolling them I have you will
move over and we'll cover gluing okay so
all your parts are cut off tallied or
bent rolled whatever you need to do is
on bits for attaching to actual model
I've got one of the 90-degree parts just
there that we've just seen me fold and
I've also got a scrap piece of just a
flat brass just there couple techniques
using different glue super glue and a
PVA based glue one's less harsh and the
other obviously one's instant and the
others not 9010 are you super glue and a
be careful it you can do every good job
obviously use a PVA type but you've got
a lot more time to manipulate the part
should it be a mistake or you put in the
wrong position you can really move it
around but obviously the downside to
that is that you've got to let it dry
and I can take quite a while so we'll
call the different glues in a minute
I've got a scrap in a plastic I've got a
spare Coppola ring off a king tiger that
we're just going to no reason why I was
going to glue them on nope not supposed
to be on there it's just a little test
bed for us now picking up the path
there's various ways of doing it you can
use tweezers
I've got various different types here
from precise ones to more larger scale
as you can see whilst they may be nice
and precise of picking the more I could
be quite hard sometimes to keep them you
know you got it there and there's a
perfect example squeeze a little bit too
hard away they go biggest problem I've
got that I find is I got a part that I
need to glue down just like that
Izu min looking a camera too much trying
to keep it flat like that and the shop
hands trying to keep it flat like that
often if I press a little bit too hard
and they will spin the part round and
then you're at a funny angle you know
get your hands all different ways and
you can't quite glue it down because the
way you've got it so it can be quite
cumbersome to glue part like that down
same apart like this this is a bent part
we've got you know I want to glue it
down that way I move both you know with
the bent side sticking up to form like
other so as a tent shape you know to
keep it in that position and glue it can
be a bit of a nightmare because what
happened as you can see the tweezers are
going to go in the glue as well and
quite often our super glue on the part
go and stick it down on the past stuff
to the tweezers so it can be a little
bit tricky so look at there's new
product on the market by ultimate it's
called the ultimate photo-etch pacer
it's a reusable wax based positioning
stick for small and hold hard to hold
pieces so be a photo-etch plastic
anything at all you can use on that it's
a natural wax based product as you can
see inside sharpen with pencil sharpener
once you've got a sharpened you can pick
bits up once it loses tackiness we
sharpen it and away you go so you
literally got a full length of the
pencil right down to a small point this
isn't a wall add a half piece I've been
using as a test but it works very very
well so you can just resharpen it right
the way down till it's gone packet oak
so it's going to last you quite a while
and it's a case of taking it out pencil
sharpener
I might look glittery one it's a case of
thinner pencil sharpener out giving it a
sharpen what I like to do then once it's
sharpened is I like to give it an actual
point with a knife to make it a bit more
precise if you go a bigger part and fair
enough you can you use it
do my usual trick of going too far and
snap it like I always do move out of the
way so as you can see you got the tip
either like to get a craft knife just
shape the ends to get a point like so
simple easy nice little tip I've got a
few of them I've used them for a few
months style of thing absolutely superb
so then it's a case of getting your part
you want so we're going to be using that
and the start off with will use that one
and then we'll move to that one so what
we'll do mmm
we'll glue one with PVA which is my
greatest recycle crystal clear.the PVA
based product for canapes i'm the other
one we use Tamia super glue just to show
two different methods for attaching
different parts so a lot bit of super
glue I'm going to pop up the end of a
cocktail stick
sadly my mr. hobby tools died so with
any super glue you don't need to offer
photo etch just enough on the stick will
place it on there like so glam go enough
now we've got too much never mind
so it's Kasich getting the tool taught
you what you need to pick up placing it
on job done as you can see picked it up
flat side down no trouble no drama at
all and it's plunked it on and once that
dries w no trouble all next one dry bit
of PVA I got a different cocktail stick
be a bit more precise with this one
a little touch just on the highway so
brother tensile so you do need a lot of
pressure to pick up the part you
literally just touching it so you come
along pick it up
place it down
Jacqueline so as you can see it's just
picked up those two parts
nice easy placement position away we go
again I'm not sure how big apart you can
pick off but you know if it's up big you
can handle your fingers so it is
literally just a case of let's draw a
bit more PVA like so I'm got a bit of a
larger power here just touch it pick it
up place it down done crack a little too
long absolutely superb really very
simple idea absolutely just made for
picking up photo-etch I mean you can
pick up plastic I'm going to plastic on
the desk at the minute but you know
water should pick up water as well
should do then if it does let's find out
yep picks up wood and just drop it it's
a little bit too heavy to be honest for
it you know going to be picking up
something that big of it because if you
if you can pick it up with your fingers
you go into but small parts absolutely
invaluable there's another scrap piece
of photo etch a soffit area Corsair a
little bit more PVA so we've got the
world's randomest tanker pole there so
again flat bit of PVA air photo-etch a
turn around to get the profile part just
touch it pick it up place it down
because it's not overly sticky
you're literally only gonna touch it and
the power falls off so even just
attacking as a PVA not super good at was
PVA it
Lisa's the path so really really good
handy tool works absolutely superb and
that is now one completely useless
really random tanker poll but shows how
it works so you know that's a fairly
small part that ninety bent 90 degree
Bend after larger part and larger than
they're sending pick up with your finger
you can put on the finger so it doesn't
need to pick up anything but it
literally picks it up with just the
right amount of stickiness to hold it
but as soon as you touch the glue it
releases a absolutely superb invaluable
for photo etch I'm really impressed by
that
the other method like I say is using
tweezers like I say wherever excess glue
like round s when you're placing it down
you're going to stick the tweezers in
the glue PVA is not really that much of
a problem super glue you get it on the
tweezers when you put it down and nine
times out of ten I'll leave the part
stuck to the tweezers so it's not always
the best way to do it so there you go to
learn my techniques for working with
photo etch various ways I do it various
different methods different tool some of
you some are done some use all the time
some are very rarely used but they're
always there ever need them brother and
whirring up and it got this one like you
know I can pick and choose which way
dearly but these things absolutely
superb well worth looking our ultimate
photo etch placer you get the from SNM
stuff currently Sean S&M stuff Scotland
and eMobile stock only care got them as
well I think top my head the $1.99 per
pack of two they're going to last you a
long long time really are gonna last a
while so real good pocket value for
money and as you've just seen it works
absolutely put effort so I'm going to go
away at my my random Coppola
and I'll see you guys in the forum so
Paul is M hope you found it helpful and
I'll see you soon
so take care good bye
you
