I am assembling the PE bustle rack and the exhaust cover for my OIF Abrams! Why in God's name are these things so %&$#@! hard to put together! They don't stay put with superglue...and solder doesnt stick to em. What the %#@! do I do? HELP!

Soldier doesnt stick? Did you:

1. Clean the PE before starting

2. Try CA before the soldier or after?

3. IF CA before soldier did you clean off all the CA before trying to soldier?

3. Use flux when you soldiered?

I suggest you clean your PE parts. Do this by soaking them in acetone, some nail polish removers have this as an additive or it is availiable from a chemist. After this I use a fine file and take the shineyness off. Once this is done solder would be the best method of fixing PE to PE and CA when fixing PE to plastic.

Cheers
Cliff

ummm no I didnt clean the parts and I did not scratch of the shine! ARRGH! I will attempt later once my blood pressure resumes some sort of normalcy! Thanks for the help guys. I thought this hobby thing was supposed to calm my nerves!

Do you have a picture of the parts you are trying to attach and the part you are attaching it to?

No I don't..basically I am trying to glue the main frame together..the part that attaches to the rear of the tank.

Photoetch is tricky stuff. I FEEL YOUR PAIN

After cleaning in acetone, I prime mine with Tamiya's paint. Gray or Panzer yellow, and then assemble.

Make sure your folds are clean and of the correct angle, sometimes pressure from the PE trying to spring back with undo the CA hold.

Third, I use a fast drying, gap filling CA. I have never had problem with it holding the PE together.

I know the kit of which is giving you fits... It is tough, but have patience and it will turn out.

Walk away ---leave it for a spell -have a java- ------ :-) -then sit down ---curse it -kick the chair leg ---and it will go together like a dream------if it dont play ---------bounce it off the wall---that always works ---because by the time you find the bits you have calmed down :-) :-) :-) :-)
We feel the pain
aye
BARV

I guess I should be thankful for being an old fashioned modeler I have never used the Photo Etched thing, just stuck out with good ol "scratch building" and oh yeah, Im also a cheap bas@#$d thats why :-)

I had some issues with it as well but after some persistence, it stuck fine.

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https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/57561&page=1