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Hi Everyone.

OK with everyone's encouragement I am gonna return to building again. A kit has been chosen and is hopefully on its way as I type this.

It will be an OOB build, just to get me started again and I'll see how that goes.

Now the problems start - I have a toolkit, well a sort of a toolkit from the 60's through 70's and by today's standards its very basic.

So a little help here please.

I have looked through this forum and I don't know what half these things are, or indeed who to use them. There are glues I've never heard of etc.

I come from the era of tube glue, wooden pegs and elestic bands but yes we did have craft knives and wet and dry

So apart from here and Britmodels .where can I find out about clamps . see some nice ones on some builds , and a smaal modeling vice

Thanks

Ajed1

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It's not the toolset on the bench, it's the tool user sitting at the bench.

New things you really should have:

  1. Good sprue cutters or nippers. Xuron has at least two that are excellent. I think Hawkeye's Hobbies carries one.
  2. Solvent cement. Tenax 7R (methylene chloride), Weld-On No. 3, etc. A mixture of 1 part toluene to 9 parts methylene chloride behaves just like Weld-on No. 3, and much cheaper than Weld-On No. 3. Methylene chloride is available from plastic fabrication places. Toluene (toluol) is available in most hardware stores.
  3. A Touch-n-Flow applicator for solvent cement. From Flex-i-file
  4. Sanding sticks. Although I still use ordinary wet or dry sanding paper with a rubber pad, good sanding sticks are a real asset. Get 320, 400, 600, and 800 grits. Get the ones with grit size marked on them.
  5. A JLC razor saw.
  6. A good scribing tool, also from UMM-USA.
  7. Good clamps. Zona carries the best I've found.

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there are ways of topping up your kit without spending great amounts , your local stationers / post office can help

glues as well as the old tube glue there are now also plastic cements such as revel contacta ( thinner and more precise than tube cement ) then liquid poly ( used for very small precise work and cappillary action to draw it in round seams )

i have also just used bostik glue for tinfoiling my ferrari enzo builds engine bay

super glues are used for attatching photo etch , white metal and resin parts and i buy cheap packs of ten from netto !

simple things can be used such as cocktail sticks ( for precise gluing or precise aplication of small dots of paint

sellotape for holding together fuselage halves etc whilst waiting for the glue to dry

blu tack this is a must have in my tool box and usefull for a myriad of tasks , nose weight for tricycle undercarriage aircraft , paint masking , holding parts such as wings at correct angles whilst glue drys , using a piece on the end of a cocktail stick to locate small parts / photo etch instead of tweezers , holding parts on the end of a pencil for moving whilst spray painting and many many more uses ( do not have a model box without it )

model filler obvious uses ,

needle files for plastic modelling a cheap chinese set with various profiles will be more than adequte not only good for filing but the hardened tips are good for opening up moulded over holes and re-scribing panel lines !!

small clamps i don't have but if i wanted would check ebay out for a variety of options

emmery boards or sanding sticks ( no need to spend a lot check out the cheap girlies section at super drug ) if you get a manicure set the nail clippers will also be handy for clipping parts from the sprue

sand papers / abrasive sheets a selection from your local wilkinsons will suffice ( it is amazing what i press into service from wilkinson stores ) they have a good selection of plasticote paints !!

small swiss army knife on your key ring ( sounds daft but mines invaluble ) not only handy for modelling but saved me in all manner of situations ,, how else would i open my kits so fast when the post arrives , i always have my small swiss army knife on me !!

others will add thier favourites but don't spend a lot it is amazing what cheep kit items can be obtained at your local wilkinson stores supermarkets newsagents etc before you even set foot in your local model shop !!

Edited by tornado64
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Welcome back to the hobby. I've found ACCO Binder Clips to be very useful. They come in many different sizes and the force of their grip seems to be just right for many applications. You can find them at office supply stores and the the cost is about $3 for a dozen.

ACC72010_1_1.JPG

Hi Everyone.

OK with everyone's encouragement I am gonna return to building again. A kit has been chosen and is hopefully on its way as I type this.

It will be an OOB build, just to get me started again and I'll see how that goes.

Now the problems start - I have a toolkit, well a sort of a toolkit from the 60's through 70's and by today's standards its very basic.

So a little help here please.

I have looked through this forum and I don't know what half these things are, or indeed who to use them. There are glues I've never heard of etc.

I come from the era of tube glue, wooden pegs and elestic bands but yes we did have craft knives and wet and dry

So apart from here and Britmodels .where can I find out about clamps . see some nice ones on some builds , and a smaal modeling vice

Thanks

Ajed1

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Here is what I got when I came back to the hobby a couple years ago:

1) Sanding sticks - these things are amazing. Use them wet/dry. Get various grades and watch your seams disappear and polish like they were never there. Easy to use too.

2) Flex-I-File - again, good tools for aircraft. These take a little more practice to master but if you are patient you will love these things

3) Emory Paper - various grades. Hardware stores - look in the automotive section for the finest grades

4) Tamiya Extra Thin Cement - I never got good with the tube stuff. The tamiya stuff though, excellent

5) Mr Surfacer 500 - this stuff is great. I rarely use putty but when I have to, I break out this stuff. This will not work on huge gaps, but it takes care of everything else and is very easy to work with.

6) Gap filling super glue. A must have

7) Bottle of future. Clear parts dip, it can be used as a cement on small parts, an excellent gloss coat...

The above stuff will not set you back much and I guarantee you will use all this stuff on each build.

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Thanks everyone for the replies they have all been useful.

Xuron Model 2175ET Professional Sprue Cutter - these I like are they available in the UK?

Pnavise -wow what a system - but again available in the UK?

I have never brought from anywhere outside the UK so am a bit scared about this - how safe is it?

OK all you youngsters ( that's anyone younger than me ) can stop falling about laughing now it seems to be commonplace nowadays.

But for now I'll stick to what I know.

One again thanks for the replies so far --keep them coming folks

Ajed1

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stick to the basics and buy a bit at a time as you go along, for example both tescos, wilkinsons and asda do mimi clamps that are soft plastic and model friendly and there only £1,

find a 'works' book shop they sell craft stuff cheap, i bought cutting matts, brushes, cheap paints and bits and bobs and they do very cheap good reference books, ive bought several of the osprey aircraft in action books for £1.99, infact ive bought the soviet yak's book twice! (ok by mistake)

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There are three things I use most often:

1) A bunch of handles holding a variety of X-Acto blades. The ones I use most often are the #17, #10, and the common #11, in that order.

2) Good quality tweezers. The self-closing kind are useful too.

3) Toothpicks. I use them for painting small objects, transferring small drops of tube glue, applying putty, mixing epoxy, and a bunch of other things. Get the round pointy kind, and sand or cut the tips to the shape you need for the purpose.

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your local wilkinsons will suffice ( it is amazing what i press into service from wilkinson stores ) they have a good selection of plasticote paints !!

Damn straight, was looking this week and saw that they have primers in spray cans too, seems much more value than Halfrauds!

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Theoretically, the best thing an adult returnee-to-the-hobby has going for him is a grown-up sense of patience. You can do amazing things if you know how to take your time.

CUTTING and DRILLING TOOLS:

A really good pair of sprue cutters is a must

A supply of #11 X-Acto blades and a #1 handle (definitely beats the old jackknife I had as a kid back in the 60s) You should be able to get packs of five or (better) 100 no matter where you live.

Not essential, but I highly recommend a surgical scalpel and blades. These allow for extreme precision.

A pin vise with a grauated set of drill bits

Miniature needle files and rifler files

HOLDING and CLAMPING

A good set of tweezers in various shapes and locking configurations.

Some sort of multi-pronged holding tool (such as jewelers use)

A small vise

Rubber bands

CEMENT and PUTTY

A good, liquid cement for all purpose use; this is pretty much the same as the old tube glue with a thinner viscosity.

Testors sells their ModelMaster Liquid Cement in bottles with brush applicators built in. They also offer a dispenser with a fine needle applicator.

For joining fuselage halves; Tenax 7 R or Ambroid Weldbond or Tamiya Extra Thin Liquid Cement. These types of cement take advantage of capilary action and may require some practice. A Touch n Flow Applicator may be useful, but I've had perfectly good results applying these cements with Microbrushes (originally developed for the dental trade); they are easy to use, often less troublesome or messy than the TnF, and don't clog up like a TnF can.

CA ("super glue") As mentioned, good for attaching photo-etch parts or those fiddly bits you want to have set quickly. Also, obtain some sort of CA accelerator and remover. CA comes in several viscosities from gel (fairly slow-setting, which allows time to position parts) to medium (all purpose) to extremely thin "instant" which (in my experience) can set up far too quickly and is actually kind of dangerous if it goes where you don't want it.

SANDING AND FILLING TOOLS

The aforementioned sanding sticks in grades from coarse to fine (if Flex-i-Pads are availeble in the UK, you should be able to get a graduated set). If you want to economize, the same (for all practical purposes) product is widely available from beauty supply shops in their nail-care sections.

A fantastic little tool is the Triple-Grit sanding wand from Creations Unlimited; but again, you can find something similar for far less money at a beauty supply place. This is great for polishing and restoring marred clear-plastic parts such as canopies.

Flex-i-Files (these are fantastic for smoothing off rounded surfaces such as leading edges and fuselage spines)

Sandpaper sheets can also come in handy, though I find that with the sanding wands and Flex-i-Files, I seldom if ever use sheets any more.

You will also want to get a good filler putty to get rid of gaps and seams. Tamiya Basic Putty is excellent right from the tube, and can (if needed) be thinned a bit with the ModelMaster liquid cement ('airplane glue') You'll also want a good spatula for precise application of putty. Squadron in the US sells its Precision Putty Applicator, and something like it may also be available in the UK.

PAINTING

Items in this department may depend on what type of paint you wish to use.

Starting with the bare essentials; a small set of high-quality red sable artists brushes from fine to medium, rounds and flats.

For small touch-ups, the aforementioned Microbrushes

Stirring sticks (craft sticks are fine and available everywhere)

Mixing pallets (bottle caps from soda or juice bottles are cheap and work perfectly)

Pipettes or eyedroppers for transferring and mixing paint and thinner

Masking tape, for --what else?--masking off canopies or color separations. Tamiya makes the best.

DECAL APPLICATION

A good-quality pair of stamp tweezers

A good, sturdy brush for applying decal setting and solvent solutions

A pin vise with a round toothpick can come in very handy when trying to wrangle large decals, or any decal that tends to fold over on itself.

Paper towels for blotting

What, in the UK, you refer to as "cotton buds" (Q-Tips) come in handy for all kinds of jobs

AND DON'T FORGET!

You can make your own tools from just about any household item

HTH

cheers

Old Blind Dog

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... Panavise -wow what a system - but again available in the UK?...

Yes, the Panavise is a very nice tool (I have 2 of them), but honestly, it is quite possible to do excellent modeling without one--most modelers probably don't have one or even know what it is. I use mine for other hobbies such as woodworking and flintlock rifle building much more than I do for plastic modeling.

On a related note--clamps. I have a wide variety of these, but 99.99999% of the time a little bit of regular masking tape (the beige kind with strong adhesive) is all that is needed to hold parts together for gluing.

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CA ("super glue") As mentioned, good for attaching photo-etch parts or those fiddly bits you want to have set quickly. Also, obtain some sort of CA accelerator and remover. CA comes in several viscosities from gel (fairly slow-setting, which allows time to position parts) to medium (all purpose) to extremely thin "instant" which (in my experience) can set up far too quickly and is actually kind of dangerous if it goes where you don't want it.

To carry the CA glue idea just a little further, one of the best tips that I have received recently, is the use of Loctite Superglue GEL. It's thick consistency allows you great control of where you place the glue, AND the way that it's packaged keeps it from getting clogged and drying out. It is very inexpensive, and one of my most used tools these days. Everyone's suggestions are great. Welcome back to modeling. Remember - it is supposed to be fun. Don't get too stressed about the details. Enjoy!

David

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Hi Ajed1

Welcome back in this mad gang.

After all experts' suggestions, I'd add my advise regarding sand sticks:

Instead of buying several grades stick that when used are to throw away, you can:

- take some plasticard strips (say 1,5 mm thick), of the wide you need (3 trough 7 – 10mm).

- lay on some double adhesive tape

- than a piece of sanding paper (wet and or dry) of the grade you guess necessary

- refine with a sharp blade.

Repeat with several grade of sanding paper and with several sticks' wide.

When used start again.

Large sanding paper sheets are cheaper than a sanding stick

Buy what you need when you really need it and have fun.

And.. I think many of us, me first, will learn more from you than you from us.

Just my 2 cent … pardon, 1 penny opinion

Regards

Euge

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Well I took a stab at it and it worked. Yay My first overseas buy ever.

Thank you for shopping at Sprue Brothers Models LLC! We are happy to report that your order, shipped on 10/21/2009.

Xuron 2175ET Professional Sprue Cutter #90317

Now you have created a monster smile.gif Does a happy bunny dance.

OK so it took me all day to work out how to do it - but it was well worth the time.

A big "Thank You" to everyone who has helped and encouraged so far. I wouldn't have got this far without that.

All the information has been collated and filed for further usage.

Ajed1

Who Dares Wins

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Ajed1

Who Dare Wins

Hello Ajed1,

Glad to see you're mastering the black art of the computer. Those Xuron cutters should last a lifetime no matter how many sprues they have to cut.

I noticed your signature and remembered a couple of things you mentioned about your time in SE Asia........were you based anywhere near Hereford when you were home in Blighty?

Just curious you understand :thumbsup:

Keep well.

Cheers,

:cheers:

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This one is a little hard to answer - I'm still bound by the OSA.

Lets just say that in another life at another time I was very familiar with the Herefordshire countryside

and leave it at that. Sorry can't expand on that.

Ajed1

Who Dares Wins

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To carry the CA glue idea just a little further, one of the best tips that I have received recently, is the use of Loctite Superglue GEL. It's thick consistency allows you great control of where you place the glue, AND the way that it's packaged keeps it from getting clogged and drying out. It is very inexpensive, and one of my most used tools these days....

David

I'll second the Loctite endorsement--and not just their Gel, the thin Loctite is great too. The stuff lasts MUCH longer in the bottle than "hobby" brand superglues, it is cheaper than hobby brand superglues, and the bottle cap design is genius. Another big plus is that it can be bought at hardware stores and home centers, instead of the increasingly rare LHS.

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Lets just say that in another life at another time I was very familiar with the Herefordshire countryside

and leave it at that. Ajed1

Who Dares Wins

Ah,..I understand....(~taps side of nose with finger in knowing fashion~)....sheep farmer eh?...nudge nudge, wink wink....... ;)

:lol: Just pulling your leg.

Keep well Ajed1

:bandhead2:

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