tools

[Lee]

List your favorite tool (tools) here.

My number one tool is the number 11 knife blade. I feel that excell makes a sharper blade than xacto. I buy them by the bulk pack and change them often. I use the blade not only for cutting, but picking and scribing.

My number two tool is a steel rule. I have both a six inch and a 12 inch rule. They are used for cutting straight lines, folding material, and of course to measure.

My third tool is a small, sharp pair of scissors.

My fourth tool is a pair of good sprue cutters, almost as good as the scissors but for cutting heavier things.

My fifth tool is a small fine point pair of tweezers for picking up and handling small objects.

I have listed the basic tools. Now what do you use that is different?

[Christian]

In addition to most of what you list I regularly use fine files and all kinds of drills, needles, nails and toothpicks either to make holes or to paint details.

I also work a lot with my Dremel mini drill.

[cfesmire]

Wow, I could go wild with this subject, I'll try to be brief. I find a Dremel to be essential for all kitbashing. I keep no less than 6 xacto knives with various handle and blade configurations (the Testors blades are better than xacto also) , 3 different sized tweezers, surgical forceps and spring type clothes pins, assorted jewelers files, a pin vise and drill bits, scissors, sm diagonal cutters (electrical dykes) , toothpicks (I apply glue and paint with toothpicks) and different grits of sandpaper (I glue sandpaper to small pieces of wood in different shapes), steel rules and an HOscale rule are all in my toolbox. I use a single action airbrush and a variety of china bristle brushes. Old toothbrushes are good for many things. I also use a flytying (you know--fishing) vise for holding very small items. And lastly a lamp with a large magnifying lense for my ageing eyes. Have I left anything out? Probably.

[Lee]

The Atlas snap saw has very fine teeth and is inexpensive. Great for cutting a section out of a model.

The NWSL true sander sands the cut piece to a 90 degree angle. Going to a finer grit at the end the joint is almost invisible.

[only87]

My favourite tools are a pair of regular household scissors and a little saw I found on my parents' attic. The scissors were mainly used for "drilling" out the windows of my Cadum Pax models and most of my Herpa truck models. I recently bought a Excel knife to cut out the windows for some soft plastic cars. The scissors didn't work out for it, it really drove me nuts...
Adding two little files I'm already at the end of my "tool list".
Regarding my tools it looks quite "greenhornish" (Does that word exist in any way?). I even bought my first bottle of superglue only two weeks ago. I really wonder how I got my metal models working before....

[Lee]

There is a mail order tool company called Micro-Mark located in New Jersey who sells just about any kind of tool you can think of for modeling. Their web site is www.micromark.com They do ship internationaly.
They have sandpaper down to 12,000 grit for those who want to fix their windshields or polish the paint. They will send a free catalog.

[skunk]

There seems to me to be an ascending "ladder" of tools. I have not yet graduated to the mini-dremel level, but did purchase some funky dentistry tools the other day.

My set of jeweller's files have been reduced to smooth metal, due to massive overuse. Nail scissors, tweezers, files, sandpaper is also used. And a burnishing tool for bare-metal foil is used for hundreds of things its mkaers never intended.

[stanhas87]

Dear Sirs:

I always kept my tools at the basic level:x-acto knife,plyers,file,glue dispenser and a vise to keep the model on its place when I want to do something to it.I did not touched any kits lately.

[cfesmire]

I bought a Zona (brand name) saw recently and just had the opportunity to use it. This is a simple and very fine blade saw that cuts on the pull (like japanese woodworking saws) and I don't know what I did without it. It is easier to control than the dremel and cuts way faster than repeated scoring with a blade. I have built a small mitre box for it out of hardwood. At $7.00, a nice addition to the toolbox.

[BillC]

Multiple X-Acto knives, Testors' #11 blades, Olfa circle cutter, dividers, calipers, scribe, dental picks, razor saw, mitre box, jeweler's files (one set for metal, one set for plastic), forceps, sprue nippers, jeweler's screwdrivers, cork-backed steel ruler, steel scale ruler, steel fine scale ruler (down to 1/64 inch), Optivisor (to see the increments on the fine scale ruler), Dremel tools, sandpaper, scissors, needlenose pliers, Northwest Shortline Chopper (nothing like it for scratchbuilding a wooden stake body), soldering iron, Winsor & Newton Red Sable brushes from #4 round to down to 10 X 0 spotter, toothpicks, single-action Paasche airbrush, squares and angle jigs.

Think that's about it. I've collected these tools over the years, as I tried new projects that called for them (or got smart enough to realize how useful they are). I now just replace them as needed.

One thing I should note: While I do use a lot of these tools for vehicle projects, I also scratchbuild structures, so many of the tools were acquired for them.

[cfesmire]

I recieved a catalog in the mail from American Science and Surplus that is filled with tools for the modeller. Notably are dental picks that I have seen mentioned somewhere on the boards. You can check out some of the weird stuff they have on www.sciplus.com

[perez]

hi there folks, can somebody tell me what is a key file? or files? are they like knives or something?

[ghoti]

"I recieved a catalog in the mail from American Science and Surplus....."

cfesmire, What a neat site. I'll have to request a copy of that catalog. We can't have too many tools ! Thanks for posting the link.

Jim

[Lee]

perez said:

hi there folks, can somebody tell me what is a key file? or files? are they like knives or something?

A file is made out of a metal bar or rod like steel. It has many small sharp teeth on one end and a handle at the other. They are used to remove material and help form an object like a fender. There are many sizes, types and shapes of files available. I would guess a key file is used for small openings like vehicle windows.

[skunk]

The most useful tool is still the almighty credit card.

;D