Tool Time!

[scalebuilderchad]

I'm Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor and this is Tool Time.

Lets talk tools in here.

I have all the basic tools. The essentials. X Acto knives with a couple different blades. I have a nice set of diamond files. I have my preferred arsenal of paint brushes. and so on and so forth.

What I want this thread to be about is tool suggestions that go beyond the standard set. Tell me what you have, and why you have it, or how the tool is used.

The reason for this discussion is because as my skills improve I find myself scratch building more and more parts of each kit. And with each new scratchbuilt part I curse how challenging it is. And in many cases I am left wondering if there is a better tool for the job, or some way to use a tool that I haven't thought of. I don't know there are just things I try to do what I think should be easier than they are, if you know what I am saying.

 

[urumomo]

Ultrasonic knife .
Invaluable for scratch / kit bashing / modifying .

 

[BTrekker]

Flush cutting nippers - better at getting parts off of sprues without damage...still stay a little away.
Scalpel handles with #11 (pointy tip) and #12b (curved with sharp edge on inside) blades for detailed cutting/shaving.
2cc Hypodermic with 30ga needles - when you want really precise glue application.

 

[scalebuilderchad]

Ultrasonic knife .
Invaluable for scratch / kit bashing / modifying .

I googled this. I am impressed. Prices are all over the board though. Do I need a fancy, spendy one? A nice one like the $600 Micro Mark one? Or would a cheap chinese one get the job done?

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

I've acquired a variety of tools through the years. Here are a few:

Sanding sticks
micro drill bits
tweezers of all sizes
hobby knife set with a set of blades of different shapes & sizes - Z series #11 blades are a must have.
cutting mat
variety of red sable brushes
clamps
needle file set
silly putty and blue poster tack - for camo masking
double clip extra hands w/magnifyer
panel scriber
Dremel tool w/ a variety of bits
Razor saw
David Union Ergonomic Pen Sander - wil be getting this for Christmas this year.
airbrush booth
side cutters/flush nippers

 

[urumomo]

I googled this. I am impressed. Prices are all over the board though. Do I need a fancy, spendy one? A nice one like the $600 Micro Mark one? Or would a cheap chinese one get the job done?

I got one off Hobby Link Japan like 12 years ago , I don't remember the price .
Micro Mark has insane pricing , I would never buy from them -- I'm surprised they are still in business .

I just looked on Amazon .
I can't post specific product pages from desktop here on SMA , no idea why and Blackbeard looked into it , but on this page look for the " phrozen Sonic Saber Cutter " at the top :
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ultrason...onic+knife,aps,294&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_6_16

That isn't the one I have but it appears similar , and similar price point .
I looked over mine for the manufacturer but all the text is in Japanese , except for specs : 25 VA , 40kHz , 100 volts and Made in Japan .

I love that thing .
Zero kerf cuts .

 

[urumomo]

This is the one I have , but black : https://www.ebay.com/itm/125503321217
or close , I kinda remember the " ZO-41 " but not the " II " , , most likely just the contemporary model . What the diff IDK .

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

Kind of an overkill, in my opinion. Same thing with those confounded dehydrators to dry paint on model kits.

Most of my tools I either inherited them, got for them for free, got them from the dollar store, Harbor Freight, or bought them at my LHS or online.
The Dremel I got for Christmas to upgrade my grandfather's old Dremel.
The David Union product has been high on my list the past 5 years.

 

[scalebuilderchad]

"Same thing with those confounded dehydrators to dry paint"

 

[urumomo]

That ultrasonic will do things that other blades just can't .

 

[athabascamaverick]

I've recently found an unusual tool that I find very useful. I've started using medical tape as a clamp when gluing large parts up. Not the adhesive stuff, the self-sticking kind they use when you have blood drawn. It holds the parts tight while the glue dries and then comes off slick as can be.

 

[urumomo]

Yeah , that silicone self-adhesive tape is handy .

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

LOL! More of a resident A-hole than a grumpy old man. Hate Liberals, Democrats, the far left woke/cancel culture crowd, etc…

You don't want to get me started…. LOL!