|
Post by allanb on Nov 12, 2011 18:08:50 GMT
Guys hope somebody can put me out of my misery!! Can anybody give me any tips or points on how to bend photo etch railings so they follow the shape the ships levels of super structure. I am currently building the Tamiya 1/350 scale Missouri which is a great model and goes together well. I am using White Ensign PE parts, but having problem bending the photo etch brass safety railings accurately so they conform to shape of the structure. Any advice greatfully recieved.
|
|
|
Post by simonh on Nov 23, 2011 10:09:56 GMT
Hi Alan. You certainly picked a good one to start with. A lot of it is down to practice, but some simple tips. Cut the railing into short lengths, they are easier to handle, also like wallpapering, until you get good at it, don't try going round more than one corner in one length. (Unless you are using custom fit railings, often you need to do this to get the stantions in the right place (ie in the corners.) Tools, Dividers, knife, rigid cutting surface, a cleanish peice of paper, superglue & white glue, and of course tweezers. This my method, lay the paper over the cutting surface, put a length of railing on it, measure one part of the peice you intend to fit, measure against the railing, pricking the paper, measure the second section, again pricking the paper. Line a stantion up with the middle mark, (I then recheck my measuring, cos I don't trust the first, by taking the measurement off the paper & checking against the ship). Cut the railing to length, bend it, you can use a fancy bending tool, I just tend to place a short steel rule over the top lined up with the stantion, slide the back of the knife blade carefully under the railing, and up against the ruler and gently bend up, I judge the angle by eye, test fit and adjust if needed. spot tack in place with superglue( a drop at each end and one the middle) , and then run white glue along the length of the section. For curved sections I tend to bend the curve first, roling an appropriate diameter object, on the railing whilst it is laying a cutting mat, and continual test fitting until it is right. I tend to do curve sections even short ones on there own, but I am a coward. Finaly dont be afraid of making mistakes, WEM usually are quite generous in the amount of stock railing they supply, and also mucked up longer bits can always be salvaged for shorter lengths. Sorry for being long winded, but it is a lot simpler than it sounds. Below is my the after superstructure of my WEM HMS Manxman, it has some awkward shapes, all done using the above method Si
|
|
|
Post by simonh on Nov 23, 2011 10:16:31 GMT
PS, if look on the starboard side of the maindeck, just aft of "Y" Gun, you can see a bit that wasn't quite right. That was simply repaired by applying superglue to the botton of the offending section, gently bending it back into place with tweezers, and holding it until set (or giving a squirt of zap kicker, then runnning white glue along the join.
Even if it goes slightly wrong all is fixable.
Si
|
|
|
Post by allanb on Nov 27, 2011 12:44:47 GMT
Si, Many thanks for the tips it is a great help. I have built a few ships i.e. HMS Colossus and Tirpitz both at 1/350 scale but I wanted to give myself a bigger challange. Your tips were not long winded at all, they are clear and precise. I will certainly give them a try. The railings on the Manxman are just the results I'm looking for. Once again thanks. Kind regards Allan
|
|