FAR148 Posted July 28, 2012 Author Share Posted July 28, 2012 Great stuff guys! Steven L Quote Link to post Share on other sites
arnobiz Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Tamiya extra-fluid cement. I "discovered" it last year and I still don't know how on Earth I ever assembled something properly without it. Probably my best quality improvement/difficulty ratio so far. Second would probably be Milliput. This stuff is just fantastic to sculpt, sand... I just wish it would cure a bit faster (I'd like to give a go at the Tamiya light-curing putty but didn't find it yet. Arnaud Quote Link to post Share on other sites
M.A.G. Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 6.) Deck of old playing cards - make GREAT paint palletes, or for mixing small amounts of 5-minute epoxy. Use the plastic-coated ones. Or old, expired credit cards. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderWeasel Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 1. A lifetime supply of #11's. 2. Scribing tool 3. Filler HTey kind of go hand in hand Quote Link to post Share on other sites
10Sucht Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Milk jug caps or soda bottle caps for mixing small amounts of paint. Shortwave Radio or iPod for something to listen to. Beer - Mood juice. Calms me down. Old credit cards - cut to any shape for spreading putty. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cabo91 Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I would have to say that its mainly my scribing tools and my Paasche H airbrush... Scribing tools consist of several Tritool scribers, the whole series of them, some of the trumpeter copies, the squadron knurled scriber, some very thin needle-like scribers from Tritool, a couple of exacto blades turned backwards...and my riviters... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hawkeye's Hobbies Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Repurposing any tool so it has more than one function is always an invaluable modeling tool. Combining tools to perform a specific function is also good. Check out my latest videos on just such. http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FAR148 Posted October 21, 2012 Author Share Posted October 21, 2012 Thanks for the vid Gerald Steven L Quote Link to post Share on other sites
denstore Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 My Tamiya spruecutters. Some cheap needle files I've had for about 20 years. Can't build without them. My Sil-Air compressor. And all my airbrushes. sometimes I can push myself to build, only to have a reason for fondling my airbrushes as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scapilot Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 Amazing how it seems like the list of home made "stuff round the house" almost is equal to, or greater than the stuff that you have to buy to support this hobby. lol. Someone mentioned earlier that all the tools in the collection are invaluable. Some are used more than others, but man, it's sure nice coming to a road block and knowing that you've got something to fix it or work around it. For me....the tools I use the most often would have to be my flex-i-file. How I didn't find that sooner baffles me still. I love the fact that I can make my own file strips to use it at various widths and grits. Indispensible. The touch-n-flow hypodermic applicator. It's been pretty amazing since I started using liquid cement exclusively for builds. Super Glue for filling gaps. Sure, I've still got a tube of Tamiya putty in the kit, but only break that out in extreme scenarios...and for that, I'm still grateful that it's there when I need it. The three latest additions that I've just recently added have been monumental though. The UMM scriber...pretty much worth all the hype. I had spent money on another one that was the dental tool type, and it was okay, but for some reason, it wasn't very consistent. The UMM scriber works like a champ. Multipurpose as well. I also bought their stainless steel flex scribe template as well. It's about the size of a stick of gum, but it's durable, and flexible, and since Dymo tape is growing harder and harder to come by, then I figured why not. But the coolest addition that I got, is also from UMM. It's their sprue snippers. I'd been using the traditional wire cutter types forever, and although they were useful...it seemed like it always left a lot of sprue stub left to clean up, which adds tremendous amounts of time to the build when you have to clean every single piece. But the way that Jon Vojtech engineered this one is amazing. Felt a little awkward at first, but the cuts are as clean as they come, and my parts clean-up time has been sliced to maybe a quarter of what it used to be. Best ten bucks I've spent in a while. And of course, I can't leave without saying that I love my Badger 100-1 and 105. Without them, I'd still be slingin' paint from a brush. Cool thread. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FAR148 Posted February 24, 2013 Author Share Posted February 24, 2013 Here's something that I have found invaluable. I've always hated the fact that my razor saw cuts as I push it and not as I pull it. One day, I got tired of it and flipped the blade around. It's very easy to do. All you need is a nail and a hammer to flatten out the two pinch points. Once flatten, just slide the blade out and flip it then repinch the blade. Again, this works well for me and may not work well for you. Steven L Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jinxter13 Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Probably a/o late my touch-n-flo applicator; puts the liquid glue right where you want it, and uses less. applicator Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Old Blind Dog Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 OK, it's been quite some time since this thread was originally posted, so I'll chime back in with fresh enthusiasm. Apologies in advance for possibly repeating myself. 1. My Badger 360. A good airbrush is the best single investment you can make to improve the quality of your paint work. 2. Microbrushes. (see my post waaaaay back on (IIRC) page 1 of this thread!) (Just this month (Feb, 2013) bought a lot of 400 super fines from a dental supply place on eBay--$27.00 (USD) with free shipping and worth every penny.) 3. A surgical scalpel. Get a good solid-metal #3 handle and lots of stainless steel #11 blades. If you work with Bare Metal Foil or lots of extremely delicate parts, nothing is better to have. 4. A round toothpick locked into a pin vise. Simple idea, but amazingly effective for working with decals--especially the ones that tend to fold over on themselves. 5. Rifler files. WOW! You will be amazed at what you can do with these--and the places you'll be able to reach! 6. Foil tweezers. I do a lot of work with Bare Metal Foil, and this ultra-light instrument from Wiha is "da bomb" for picking up and placing strips of foil. After more than twenty years of collecting miniaturist's tools, I'm still excited about finding new, interesting instruments. I am always pumped by the discovery of those seemingly simple things (like #4 above)that really get the job done. cheers Old Blind Dog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
breadneck Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Johnsons future floor wax, "helped keep the carpet monster at bay since 1987" (yes some of us actually use this stuff where it`s supposed to be applied) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FAR148 Posted March 9, 2013 Author Share Posted March 9, 2013 Silly Putty http://www.finescale.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/b/3/1/sillyputtymasking.pdf Steven L Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nerdling Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 Silly Putty http://www.finescale.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/b/3/1/sillyputtymasking.pdf Steven L :thumbsup:/> Tried silly putty one time last year. Not sure if I bought a bad batch or what. But it left a nasty oily residue on my kit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FAR148 Posted March 9, 2013 Author Share Posted March 9, 2013 Tried silly putty one time last year. Not sure if I bought a bad batch or what. But it left a nasty oily residue on my kit. How long did you leave if on your model? Sounds like you left it there too long. Been using it for years and never had that problem. Steven L Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nerdling Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 How long did you leave if on your model? Sounds like you left it there too long. Been using it for years and never had that problem. Steven L :thumbsup:/> Had a brainfart. It wasn't silly putty it was a generic blue poster tack. Switched over to the white kind and haven't had the same issues since. Sorry about that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChippyWho Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I nominate The Thing: It is a sort of narrow, angled chisel and I use it more than just about all my other stuff put together. It is great for cleaning up seams, removing raised detail prior to installing aftermarket bits, heavy-duty scribing and lots more. It came in a really cheap craft scalpel set (a handle plus 7 assorted blades for about a fiver) at Hobbycraft; it could use 'fixing with a new one' but I haven't seen anything like it anyplace -of course, Hobbycraft no longer stock the original set! I'd be lost without it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Yuri61 Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 (edited) I recently bought this tool and I must say it is great. I tend to use it all the time now. It does exactly what they say it does. Edited March 10, 2013 by Yuri61 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FAR148 Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 Got two more great tools. The first one I came up with myself. I'm always using my Xactos as part holder. Mainly for airbrushing then letting them dry that not in my work space. One of my buddy calls them spears for G.I. Joe! At your local grocery store somewhere they have wooden skewers for Shish Kabobs. I've found the best one are made of bamboo. I first cut them on half, so you get two holders from one skewer. Next I cut a groove down the center about 1/2 inch. You can go deep if you like. Then I slide a fresh no# 11 blade into the groove and super glue it to the skewer. For added support, I cut a piece of electric tape(about 4 inches) and tightly wrap the base of the blade. This one I discovered sometime ago. Sanding sticks. Some are better then others. Some seem to last for years and other about 5 minutes. The best ones(that I've found) are not for modeling, they're for finger nails. finger nail files comes in all types of grits, from very coarse to super fine for polishing. They also come in many different shapes and sizes. And the best part is the price. I got these 5(2 coarse, 2 medium and a polisher) for about 10 bucks. Try your local beauty supply store. I got mine from Sally beauty supply. Steven Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DrGlueblob Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Homemade tool here.. Take a small nail (Forget what size) and cut off the point. Chuck it in your moto-tool.. Get a cheap handheld paper punch and a strip of 400 wet or dry sandpaper. Using double sided tape, place the sandpaper on one side, then start punching out discs. Now you have a neat little tool for removing ejector pin stubs. I find a cordless Dremel Mini-Mite at low speed does the trick. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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