Tip for tiny parts

[customline]

I tried. I couldn't find anything on this but my search skills aren't the greatest. I'm compelled to pass this along because it's a sticky 🥴 subject and I know there are builders that have not yet found a way to deal with the problem of positioning tiny smooth, clear, or plated parts.  I have tried different things for getting clear headlight lenses installed into the bezels correctly and a few of them will get it done but my generously equipped wife supplied me with a tool she uses in paper crafting that has become my go-to for all tiny parts placement.  I'm sure many of you have it in your arsenal but some of us stubborn types need a little push sometimes. The little green tip is "sticky" just enough to pick up and hold a headlight lense or a '39 Ford tail light or a gas cap for a '50 Chevy 3100. You can get it at many craft and hobby outlets and there is a double-ended version for those wanting "top of the line" 😀. When the sticky starts to get lazy, you just wash with mild soap and wawa and let it dry. You will love it!

[yh70]

i got this set last year of Amazon...https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NPBM1JN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 

Edited April 18, 2022 by yh70

[customline]

1 hour ago, yh70 said:

i got this set last year of Amazon...https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NPBM1JN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 

I just showed yours to Wifey. She said "Oh,  I have one in my Amazon cart"......Big surprise 🙄. How do you like it? Maybe I'll have her add one more for me. Does it leave residue?

Edited April 18, 2022 by customline
Added text

[Miatatom]

I use a small dab of museum putty stuck to the end of a piece of sprue. Cheap, stays sticky and you can place the smallest pieces with it. Hobby Lobby carries it and I think it's less than $5 for a lifetimes worth.

[customline]

Here's the Jewel Picker in action 😎  No wax to deal with, no residue. Love it, love it , love it.

[Monty]

Wow, I'm glad I opened this thread.  A couple years back Micro-Mark used to sell a tool with a tiny suction cup at one end that would've been great for positioning headlights etc.  Typically, once I decided to get one, they no longer offered it, and I couldn't find anything similar.  

Thanks for posting!

Note to self:  grab one of these now. 

[Brian_R]

If the headlights are engraved on the inside, the suction cups work. 

If the engraving is on the outside, they won't hold.

I'm ordering one of these Marvy tools from Amazon today.

The washable part sounds better than the wax on the other ones - we'll see.

[peteski]

1 hour ago, Monty said:

Wow, I'm glad I opened this thread.  A couple years back Micro-Mark used to sell a tool with a tiny suction cup at one end that would've been great for positioning headlights etc.  Typically, once I decided to get one, they no longer offered it, and I couldn't find anything similar.  

Thanks for posting!

Note to self:  grab one of these now. 

That photo is from Micro-Mark's website. They probably still sell that tool.  I bought it years ago.  Totally useless for what I need.

The rubber bulb (actually it feels like vinyl) it way too stiff.  You have to squeeze it fairly hard (thus the precision control is gone).  You also have no feel as to when the vacuum will be released for the part to be freed up.  It might work better if I replaced the bulb with a thin flexible silicone hose, and put the end of the house in my mouth so I could generate and control the vacuum with my mouth.

I now prefer the tools that have sticky end (like shown here), but I make my own using a toothpick and some adhesive from "adhesive only" roll I found in a surplus store.  This stuff is sort of like the "snot" adhesive found on junk mail envelopes.

[customline]

11 hours ago, Monty said:

Wow, I'm glad I opened this thread.  A couple years back Micro-Mark used to sell a tool with a tiny suction cup at one end that would've been great for positioning headlights etc.  Typically, once I decided to get one, they no longer offered it, and I couldn't find anything similar.  

Thanks for posting!

Note to self:  grab one of these now. 

I bought one of those things from Micro-Mark years ago. Pretty much worthless. Be advised there is a double ended version of this tool which is even better ( my wife will allow me to use hers if I'm  good 🥴) and it's only a bit more money. If you get both you will have 3 different sizes of sticky ends. I'll put up a photo later today.

Edited April 19, 2022 by customline

[yh70]

20 hours ago, customline said:

I just showed yours to Wifey. She said "Oh,  I have one in my Amazon cart"......Big surprise 🙄. How do you like it? Maybe I'll have her add one more for me. Does it leave residue?

the tip is wax. so very little u not gonna see it..

[customline]

3 minutes ago, yh70 said:

the tip is wax. so very little u not gonna see it..

I shall soon see 😳....it's on the way 😎

[customline]

Here's some pix to give you a better idea.

[customline]

14 hours ago, Monty said:

Wow, I'm glad I opened this thread.  A couple years back Micro-Mark used to sell a tool with a tiny suction cup at one end that would've been great for positioning headlights etc.  Typically, once I decided to get one, they no longer offered it, and I couldn't find anything similar.  

Thanks for posting!

Note to self:  grab one of these now. 

7th circle of hell?  Geez, Monty, where are you? Los Angeles?

[TSK]

I just dip a cotton swab or toothpick into melted candle wax and when cool us it.

 

[JFK]

Here is an alternative for $6.95 for Qty of 10 but there are others similar to these on this site.  This will work for my needs for some time to come I believe. 

https://www.etsy.com/market/jewel_picker?ref=pagination&page=3

Joe

[Dpate]

On 4/18/2022 at 11:27 AM, yh70 said:

i got this set last year of Amazon...https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NPBM1JN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 

Might have to try one of these out.  I still have some pic-n-sticks from micro mark that i paid $15 for lol.

[Smoke Wagon]

Sounds more streamlined than what I’ve been doing. I take a small square crafting stick and make a small cap out of masking tape. The cap goes on the end of the stick and viola. 

[bluestringer]

I use a small ball of Loctite Fun-Tak  (from Wal-Mart)  on the end of a toothpick. Works well. 

[Miatatom]

15 minutes ago, bluestringer said:

I use a small ball of Loctite Fun-Tak  (from Wal-Mart)  on the end of a toothpick. Works well. 

Looks just like the museum putty sold at Hobby Lobby.

[Bill J]

On 4/18/2022 at 8:15 AM, customline said:

I tried. I couldn't find anything on this but my search skills aren't the greatest. I'm compelled to pass this along because it's a sticky 🥴 subject and I know there are builders that have not yet found a way to deal with the problem of positioning tiny smooth, clear, or plated parts.  I have tried different things for getting clear headlight lenses installed into the bezels correctly and a few of them will get it done but my generously equipped wife supplied me with a tool she uses in paper crafting that has become my go-to for all tiny parts placement.  I'm sure many of you have it in your arsenal but some of us stubborn types need a little push sometimes. The little green tip is "sticky" just enough to pick up and hold a headlight lense or a '39 Ford tail light or a gas cap for a '50 Chevy 3100. You can get it at many craft and hobby outlets and there is a double-ended version for those wanting "top of the line" 😀. When the sticky starts to get lazy, you just wash with mild soap and wawa and let it dry. You will love it!

Thank you all for the inputs on the small parts tools. I bought one of the above, the 2 ended version and I love it! For sure, the best 7 bucks you can spend on a model making tool.

[Mike C.]

Thes would all be good for photo etched parts too. 

[customline]

22 hours ago, Bill J said:

Thank you all for the inputs on the small parts tools. I bought one of the above, the 2 ended version and I love it! For sure, the best 7 bucks you can spend on a model making tool.

 

21 hours ago, Mike C. said:

Thes would all be good for photo etched parts too. 

Yup. I'm glad I started this. There's nothing like bringing a great project to a close when you have the paint polished out to perfection and all that's needed is to attach those tiny tail lights and one of them jumps out of the tweezer and flies across the room and.....well, you know 🥺. How many times have those headlight lenses that you thought you put in straight not been straight? Yup. Been there. 🥴

[Mike C.]

4 hours ago, customline said:

 

Yup. I'm glad I started this. There's nothing like bringing a great project to a close when you have the paint polished out to perfection and all that's needed is to attach those tiny tail lights and one of them jumps out of the tweezer and flies across the room and.....well, you know 🥺. How many times have those headlight lenses that you thought you put in straight not been straight? Yup. Been there. 🥴

Funny you should mention Headlights. I literately just got done gluing in all the clear headlights and accessory lights on my Hijacker Ford van ad I forgot that the fitment is so painfully poor on this particular model that you have to trim, sand and do numerous dry runs before using any glue of any kind and I nearly lost one of the lenses for the accessory lights. It fell on the floor, and it was a one in a million shot that I was able to spot it right away. The lenses for these are waaaaay bigger than the housings they are supposed to fit inside of. The Headlights on the other hand seemed to drop right into the grill with verry little fuss. This model is moving along so pitifully slow because it is testing my patience every step of the way. I often just have to walk away from it for a while.

[customline]

17 hours ago, Mike C. said:

Funny you should mention Headlights. I literately just got done gluing in all the clear headlights and accessory lights on my Hijacker Ford van ad I forgot that the fitment is so painfully poor on this particular model that you have to trim, sand and do numerous dry runs before using any glue of any kind and I nearly lost one of the lenses for the accessory lights. It fell on the floor, and it was a one in a million shot that I was able to spot it right away. The lenses for these are waaaaay bigger than the housings they are supposed to fit inside of. The Headlights on the other hand seemed to drop right into the grill with verry little fuss. This model is moving along so pitifully slow because it is testing my patience every step of the way. I often just have to walk away from it for a while.

I feel your pain, Mike. I drop approximately 80% of everything I handle due to hand weakness from arthritis. I keep a small LED flashlight on hand and use it frequently to find stuff on the floor. I keep a long stick with tape wound sticky side out to retrieve items from the floor. Getting old sucks. I recall filing down headlight lenses that wouldn't fit. You can imagine how that went for me. On my hands and knees with my flashlight looking for a clear lense less than a quarter inch in diameter 😞. Lately, my frustration is due to paint problems on all three projects currently in "progress", two of which swam in the pond. I haven't touched any of them in over a week and the time off helps to diffuse my frustration. When I go back to it it will be with a fresh attitude, hopefully with a smile on my face. It gives me time to clear my head and think about my next move. My frustration has prevented me from posting "in progress" shots of anything lately; when things are that bad, 😑 I just can't be bothered with posting. There's nothing like a little commiserating, huh? 🥴  I feel better now. 😌

[Mike C.]

This is sort of the no spray painting season for me. A little too humid. That never goes right. I usually wait until October when the humidity backs off a little. Now I try to assemble the stuff I already have painted.