MFH Abarth 1000-SP 1/12

[Heavens Eagle]

You can also clean down the sides so they are crisp and square, then clean the outer top part to make a sharper point if you want. It can make a better more crisp tip. This will allow you to grab and hold the part exactly where you want it without the extra tweezer material getting in the way.

The rest of using tweezers is that you hold them with 3 fingers instead of just two. Two fingers support while the 3rd squeezes the tweezer. Using the 3 fingers allows you to smoothly rotate the tweezers while maintaining a smooth grip on the part. Yeah, it takes practice, but once you get it, it is obvious and automatic. The 3 finger hold also allows you to adjust your grip so as to not squeeze too hard (which will launch or damage parts).

 

[Sharkmouth]

The rest of using tweezers is that you hold them with 3 fingers instead of just two. Two fingers support while the 3rd squeezes the tweezer. Using the 3 fingers allows you to smoothly rotate the tweezers while maintaining a smooth grip on the part. Yeah, it takes practice, but once you get it, it is obvious and automatic. The 3 finger hold also allows you to adjust your grip so as to not squeeze too hard (which will launch or damage parts).

Do you have a hand model that can illustrate?

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Do you have a hand model that can illustrate?

I can try Paddy. If I had a worthwhile Utube channel it would be easier. I can honestly say that I will give a demonstration Saturday at the Meet which will be at 11am our time and will be 5 pm your time. You should join in just for grins and giggles with a pint close by.

 

[paddy]

It was Saul asking Paul i think i worked it out ?

A technique also good for picking up rice and noodles.

 

[paddy]

Every good story needs jeopardy and this one has loads.....like i cant even begin to get the front section to fit at this point :-( When you look at the above the whole front section has to clip in and align at about 30 different points, i may need to lose those pins on the top of the wheel arch as you cant even see them to align with the holes in the cover once you try and fit it all together. Also the height ot the battery at the front seems taller than the space it has to fit in

 

[Sharkmouth]

It was Saul asking Paul i think i worked it out ?

A technique also good for picking up rice and noodles.

Well, I was thinking chop-sticks alright but could figure it out! Thanks Paddy.

 

[moon puppy]

Not sure why I'm quoted here.
Paddy, if it fights you too much maybe have it sitting in the shop under maintenance?

 

[Sharkmouth]

Fixed, sorry @moon puppy!

 

[paddy]

I will figure it out, the main problem is you can test fit the front on chassis and bend all sorts of parts and not be aware as its all so soft and delicate.
I am trying not to remove parts that will never be seen to make the fit easier as i think its me failing not the kit . The important thing is its fun and i am learning loads if i build another of this type of kit which i surely will

 

[paddy]

Not sure why I'm quoted here.

yea it confused me , i just added swastika's to my car

 

[Sharkmouth]

Not sure why I'm quoted here.

yea it confused me , i just added swastika's to my car

That's because I posted without coffee!

 

[Heavens Eagle]

The build is looking really good Paddy! The way you were holding the tweezers, not so much.

In this photo you can just see my 3 finger tips as I am getting ready to pick up a thin piece of brass. I will try to do some gifs to show it better in motion. As to the video, I don't think it is online anymore. I still have it on my computer, but no way to post it.

 

[Sharkmouth]

So, @Heavens Eagle, it IS like holding chop sticks!

 

[Heavens Eagle]

So, @Heavens Eagle, it IS like holding chop sticks!

A bit. I use chopsticks and you don't rotate the chopsticks like you do the tweezers. The tweezers are held between the thumb, first and middle fingers. The squeeze and hold rotate as you rotate the tweezers. As I said, once you get it and practice a little it pretty much locks in as it "Just Works".
Thinking on it and trying to remember when I first learned how to hold the tweezers and work with them, I don't remember. It was back about 1988 when I went to school to get a degree in Watch and Micro instrument Repair. As an avid model builder at that time, it seems that once someone showed me, it just clicked right off. Though I am not sure at this point.

 

[Sharkmouth]

It was back about 1988 when I went to school to get a degree in Watch and Micro instrument Repair. As an avid model builder at that time, it seems that once someone showed me, it just clicked right off.

I'll be there Saturday for a demo!

 

[paddy]

tonight i got the last of the vac form fitted over the lights, it held in place with four .5mm rivets which are in blind holes , its quite tricky trying to manoeuvre .5mm rivets with a dob of CA on the end into .5mm holes through clear vac into the body knowing if you dont get the holes lined up first time there is no second chance and you have glue fogging the clear vac and a rivet stuck half way in. Luckily i was wearing my superman outfit so it was breeze :

 

[paddy]

What I have found with these MFH kits is they are ultra precise. Parts fit to the thousands of an inch. If the 100 parts you have already assembled are spot on the 101 part will fit. If it doesn’t its 99.9% going to be your fault. Things like the turned alloy headlamp reflectors slide perfectly into their resin housings. Panels and parts fit perfectly in a dry build, if later they don’t fit it’s the builder who has drilled the fixing holes in the wrong place…and that’s the key here, they have done their bit, now its down to you.

The white metal door step is drilled on to the resin chassis and held with 2 csk screws. I have fitted the left side 3 times and each time its been a fraction out, I am talking 15 thou or less. The holes are drilled 1mm and the self tap screw is 1.4mm each time I got one hole wrong I had to drill it out 1.5mm , glue a length of 1.5mm plastic strut in the hole and cut and file it of flush then drill again, 3rd time lucky but my point is you cant just slot a hole or get away with it being slightly out.

I have got the front panel to fit pretty well and by feel alone I got the pins to fit in the holes on the wheel arches, once I did that the fit was pretty good but that only works because the wheel arches were spot on in the right place and they were only spot on because I drilled them spot on. You get the idea.



Anyway, progress is good. When I build another, I will take more time on the dry build, way more than the final build. I have bought some more 1.4mm screws, standard is 4mm long, I have bought 5/6 and 8mm so if depth allows, I can get more thread in the resin parts. I will definitely spend a lot more time on surface prep before paint and use a filler primer if I can on larger parts


There are a few mistakes like the rear hood hinge which was 11mm out, clearly a design problem , not a manufacturers tolerance problem but forewarned by other builders on FB it wasn’t the end of the world.



Seats next, seat belts are optional but I think I will go with them as it makes the interior more interesting.

 

[moon puppy]

It already looks fast Paddy, love it!