Beyond The Sprues

Modelling => Tips, Tools & Techniques => Topic started by: GTX_Admin on January 12, 2013, 04:43:07 AM

Title: What is in your toolbox?
Post by: GTX_Admin on January 12, 2013, 04:43:07 AM
Folks,

What is in your modelling toolbox?  What are those tools or related that you believe are indispensable?

Regards,

Greg
Title: Re: What is in your toolbox?
Post by: deathjester on January 12, 2013, 05:40:23 AM
What isn't in my toolbox would probably be a fairer question!

Some decent strong stainless steel modelling scissors, a very sharp Games Workshop knife, a general purpose knife, sanding sticks, and tonnes of different glues are a must.  As are the multiple brushes, the pin vice and hacksaw.  Then theres screwdrivers, hotwire cutter, and......(dragged off, mumbling about blue foam and Superglue...)  :-\
Title: Re: What is in your toolbox?
Post by: Cliffy B on January 12, 2013, 06:01:07 AM
I'll try and be as complete as possible here.

5 Xacto knives - 1 with a #11, 1 with a #16, 1 retractable (tiny blade), 1 razor saw, and 1 I use as a pin-vise for my small 0.5mm drill bits.
1 Pin vise - for 1mm and larger bits.
2 Hemostats - 1 straight, 1 curved.
2 Tweezers, fine point - 1 straight, 1 curved.
1 Nutcracker - for opening stubborn paint jars.
1 Nutpick - for puttying hard to reach places.
A folding box cutter - for larger cuts
A pair of wire cutters - for wire and plastic

Various large Nail Files - The big color coded ones at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  They last a long time and they're only $0.99 each; can't go wrong.
A large double ended makeup brush - One end has a fine point and the other is a giant puff ball.  Works well to sweep away plastic dust from the PSR sessions when I don't want to blow parts off the desk.
A Draftsman's Brush - For larger cleanup duties.
Various cheap Dollar Store nail files - The red and tan ones that are about 1mm thick.  Perfect for carving up for those special cases where you need a tiny file.

1 pack of needle files - Harbor Freight 8-10 pack, various shapes.
1 Xacto small miter box - perfect for keeping cuts straight, well kinda...
1 Homemade Chopper - perfect for keeping cuts straight, well kinda...needs adjustment...might be getting the kind where it sails across to the trash can...

Various paint brushes - "American Painter" series from Michael's.  Tough, orange bristle brushes that last a good long time and work well with acrylics.  I use them for my watercolor paintings too.
Boxes of paint - Testor's, Model Master, and Polly Scale Acrylics and Enamels.

Various glues - Testor's plastic (tube), Elmer's White (PVA), Gorilla Wood glue, Elmer's Wood glue, Krazy glue (Purple stuff with the brush in the cap, only way to use it multiple times)
Elmer's Wood Putty - White putty in a tube (comes in bigger tubs but not in white) water based, no chemicals/fumes, water clean up.  Use a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol to remove once dried.  Sands and paints like a charm.  Never use the toluene based putties again; messy health hazards...

Spray bottle of Rubbing alcohol - for cleaning tools and removing putty
Box of Q-Tips - for removing putty

Probably forgot some stuff but that's most of it anyway.
Title: Re: What is in your toolbox?
Post by: The Big Gimper on January 12, 2013, 10:03:49 AM
Not on the work bench but very very close:

99% Isopropyl alcohol
Xtaco knife and clean # 11 blade
Kleenex
Band-aids

Alcohol used to sterilize the blade which is used to pry apart my now CA'd uni-finger/thumb
Sterilize care-of-my-new-#11-blade cut, stem and stop the bleeding
Title: Re: What is in your toolbox?
Post by: Buzzbomb on February 21, 2013, 11:23:09 AM
Toilet paper roll on the dispenser  :)
Use it for cleaning tops of Vallejo bottles, paint palletes, brushes, spills....

Much cheaper than paper towel
Title: Re: What is in your toolbox?
Post by: father ennis on February 21, 2013, 07:42:20 PM
My three favorite tools ,my X-acto knife with #11 blade my bottles of Testors liquidation glue and my bent nose tongs ( large tweezers with bent tip) that I had to wait till my Dad died to get. Don't know how old they are but I don't remember a time they weren't around. 

1)  X-acto no.3 knife X3 with different blades.
2). X-acto no.1 knife x4. One with micro saw blade & various blades.
3). Tweezers of various sizes & shape. X8
4). Airbrush and compressor with respirator
5). Dremel tool with speed control and bits ,etc.
6). Measuring tools x8.
7). Paint brushes x?
8). Kitchen sheers  x3 various sizes.
9). Paint rack filled with paints
10) glued. X6. various kinds
11). Bench vices x2  standard & X-acto
12) chest of drawers storage of bits,sanding drums , Evergreen plastic collection,etc.
13). Swing ARM lamps x2 or 3 as required
14) pinvices x2. With drill bit collection
15). Mark IV. Cat (like she would let me out of her sight ! Worse than my wife was)
16) my bar stool I've had for 50 yrs. to sit my fat aerse on   
Title: Re: What is in your toolbox?
Post by: The Big Gimper on May 01, 2019, 08:09:58 PM
Via Facebook. Not my photo/build but a good reuse of an existing Rodent killer.

 "Victory Fuselage and Wing alignment tool"

(https://scontent.fxds1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/59265480_1130458137116156_1509446104192647168_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_ht=scontent.fxds1-1.fna&oh=9c29adc7580a2a7a1d7596616f845b27&oe=5D77D9C5)
Title: Re: What is in your toolbox?
Post by: GTX_Admin on May 02, 2019, 04:07:25 AM
 ;D
Title: Re: What is in your toolbox?
Post by: Brian da Basher on May 02, 2019, 05:56:45 AM
 ;D ;D ;D

Good find, Carl!

 ;D ;D ;D

Brian da Basher
Title: Re: What is in your toolbox?
Post by: apophenia on May 04, 2019, 06:07:44 AM
"Victory Fuselage and Wing alignment tool"

Helpful for nascent chipmunks, less so for other rodents  ;D
Title: Re: What is in your toolbox?
Post by: upnorth on May 09, 2019, 02:39:10 AM
Wooden clothes pegs. They're great for holding parts together and CA glue doesn't really stick to them.

A variety of cheap sanding sticks from the drug store nail care section. A fraction of the cost of hobby shop versions and greater variety of shapes and grits.

Wooden cuticle sticks, again from the drug store nail care section. very good for coaxing putty into odd spots and smoothing it.
Title: Re: What is in your toolbox?
Post by: Kerick on May 09, 2019, 02:55:24 AM
Probably most of what others have said plus magnifying devices. A 3.0x reading glasses. I’ll have to add a mouse trap now. I have two kits in the stash with photo etch so I need to add those tools. Hmmmm.... one of those “Metal Earth” kits might be good practice.