What's your favorite modeling tool?

definitely a toothpick

All of the above definitely, and I would add two of my most used are Tamiya paint stirrers and Tamiya alligator clips.

Jay

I'd say my positional lamp over the bench top.  You can't model well if you cannot see the model well.

Optivisor is a must.  During failures, Mossberg.

I have to agree with all of the above . But I recently purchased a tool that I think is going to be one of my favorites, The Nutter. It's a precision punch tool system for making nuts and rivets all the way down to braille scale.

I find this thread highly ironical considering I got Micro Mark's catalog in the  mail today.

I don't have many fancy tools; just basic inexpensive ones to get the job done. But two in particular do come to mind:

Hemostats: I bought a couple pair of these about a year ago and really like them for holding parts while spraying.

Pin vise with drill bit set: Again, had this set a while, but there are so many hole-making tasks made easier by a pin vise and good bits.

  That's all I got.

 Chris

Lighted magnifier and airbrush.

I agree with those two "basic" tools too--the Optivisor and sanding stick. But I also couldn't do without my Dremel. So many things you can do to save tons of time when you use your imagination and know the capabilities of the tool.

There's a whole lotta tools that qualify for that title in my book, but my top 3 have to be:

1. Xuron PE shears (my best PE-related purchase ever)
2. Tamiya sprue cutters
3. Flex-I-File sanding sticks (both the normal and the thin ones)

Number 4 would be my combination of Tamiya's extra-thin cement and Mr.Cement S...

Probably my xuron spur cutters, orange handles

Same as you, the Optivisor. I never take it off until it hurts my head. Without it, I have to go to 1/32 and 1/35.