discussion Giving up on small parts

[HAWKERHUNTER]

Is it just me or does anyone else just give up on trying to fit these small parts to the models. How the heck do you do it. I cant even hold the things as they stick to my fingers when I offer them up to the model. Tweezers are just a nightmare as if you can actually get them in the tweezers they generally just fly off never to be seen again. Am I missing something here or is there a way to hold and glue them. The pictured parts are actually off my 1/32 scale Hawk and remain unfitted.

 

[minitnkr]

Sometimes it's the tweezer. Ones with super fine points (I use only for decals) will twist easily sending parts elsewhere. Medium points are fine and can be dipped in paint to provide a better hold if desired (I use for PE). I use a heavy set (1/8" wide tips) for most assembly.

 

[Ian M]

I just fired a side light across the room. 1mm in diameter 2mm high, clear plastic! So you are not alone. And it was with my good tweezers.!
Sometimes if a critical part I have stabbed them with a very sharp blade to place them or a blob of white tac on the end of a toothpick. I have not tried it but a toothpick dipped in liquid masking and left to dry is ment to be a good pick/place stick and a lot cheaper...

 

[pjgtech]

I have three sets of tweezers, very fine, fine with curved tips and a set with wider tips. As above the very fine tweezers tend to twist and off the little part flies! So I try and use the wider tipped ones for small parts and the curved ones also seem to be better with small parts.
I have also used a cocktail stick with a very small bit of blutac on the end, which you can then pick up very small parts with.
I've also used bits of sprue that I've heated and stretched (so its very fine), then glue the fine sprue piece to the part, then glue the part in its location holding it in place with the stretched sprue, and then snip off the fine sprue bit once the part is set.
But sometimes I also just simply omit the very, very small parts, unless they are crucial or it will be obvious they are not there.
My eyesight is not what it once was, so I sometimes struggle with the really small parts and more often use the magnifier....

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

I've also used bits of sprue that I've heated and stretched (so its very fine), then glue the fine sprue piece to the part, then glue the part in its location holding it in place with the stretched sprue, and then snip off the fine sprue bit once the part is set.

Now that seems like a plan for the future Peter, good call.

 

[pjgtech]

Forgot to mention, those tweezers that grip automatically are good too. EG: you squeeze them to release whatever is clamped, see pics...

 

[Tim Marlow]

A scrap of blue tack on a cocktail stick covers the bases on this one. The issue with tweezers is that the harder you grip with them the more energy you put into the jaws. The jaws distort, losing grip and launching the part into the ether.
If you use a scrap of blue tack on a cocktail stick to hold and position the item there is no energy put into the part and if it falls off it will simply drop onto the desk under gravity. If you use this method, and work well over the desk (not on the edge) part loss becomes a very rare occurrence. I’ve very rarely used tweezers once I worked this out.

 

[pjgtech]

Yep, agree about the force used on tweezers making them distort, which is why IMHO the ones pictured above are better, I think they are called reverse tweezers? As you are not applying the force (which you can vary), once clamped in these the tweezers are applying constant force, so no twisting or distorting. I do use mine, but TBH, they are a bit fiddle for very, very small parts.
I also agree about the cocktail stick and blutac....

 

[Tim Marlow]

Yep, agree about the force used on tweezers making them distort, which is why IMHO the ones pictured above are better, I think they are called reverse tweezers? As you are not applying the force (which you can vary), once clamped in these the tweezers are applying constant force, so no twisting or distorting. I do use mine, but TBH, they are a bit fiddle for very, very small parts.
I also agree about the cocktail stick and blutac....

I do have a couple of pairs of self grippers, but find they are more useful when soldering or spraying small parts. They are quite chunky, so anything I can hold them while building I can usually hold in my fingers, so don’t really need them….

 

[pjgtech]

Yep, they are quite chunky, but in my photo, the 3rd pair, on the right are quite small and dainty, so good for small bits and bobs....