What tools do you work with?

  One additional tool, that is extremely useful for measuring, and marking, in any scale, and any kind of scale modeling, is a set of proportional dividers. I also used a calculator to "build" a table of decimal equivalents for fractions of a foot, in 1/2" increments,  and fractions of an inch, in 1/64" increments.

Donnie's mention of digital calipers reminds me that I forgot about marking and measuring tools earlier.  Digital calipers are great - and the prices are going down all the time.  If you can't find or afford one, a dial caliper (preferably marked in fractions of inches) is a good substitute.  Several companies make dial calipers in fiberglass that, as long as you don't throw them across the room, are fine for model building - and very reasonably priced.

Other measuring tools that I find useful are a 6" ruler and a 12" inch centering ruler that I bought many years ago from MicroMark.  The centering feature of it comes in handy for all sorts of things (e.g., finding the centerline on a deck or the center point of a spar).  Even better, one edge is graduated in 64ths, with every 32nd numbered.  The direct, indisputable identification of where 3 7/32" is has saved this senile brain from making several errors.

I also bought, from Woodcraft, a flexible steel measuring tape with pressure-sensitive adhesive on the back, and stuck it to the edge of the workbench.  It's mighty handy to know where one can measure the thickness of a piece of material, without having to find the ruler or caliper.

Another enormously useful measuring tool is a pocket calculator that reads in feet, inches, and fractions.  Such machines used to be rare, but nowadays they can be had at Lowe's, Home Depot, or Sears for less than $20.  Having an electronic gadget to take care of the arithmetic - including scale calculations and conversion to and from metric measurements - saves a good deal of time and eliminates several potential sources of error.

 

In addition to the usual tools, I also have one of those picks the Dentist uses. Just ask the Dentist next time you are there. They wear them out for their use, but they work fine for poking around in small areas. They are handy for coaxing rigging lines around in tight places. And you can't beat the price!

When I got my first ship (plastic), I only had a few things laying around. I only started out very slim as I did not want to go out and buy a bunch of tools and things only to have limited aspirations.

Thru the months, each time I came across a situation that redered a thought of "hey, I think that I need a tool for this as it would make things easier for this type of procedure". Then I would write that item down, and do some research.

So my collection so far that I keep right at hands all the time are:
6" Digital Calipers (bought on sale at Harbour Freight)
Precision 4" 90 degree machinist square from Model Expo
Small 4" plastic clamps from Mico Mark
Aligator clips from Hobby Lobby
Wood Stripper Tool made by Donnie
Needle nose Tweezers for Rigging, ect
Tweezers w/ hooked end for Rigging, ect
Head Style Magifying lens
Testors Glue
CA Glue
Small Scissors for cutting rigging lines
Adjustable Dividers (for measuring)
Larger Style Xacto knifes (comfort in hand is better) I have 3 so that I do not have to keep changing the blades out.
Micro Sizes Drill bits (don't know what size - but start at like .030)
Just bought a 4" sander from Harbour Freight last week
Cordless Dremel (very old unit)
Columbia Swivel Vise from Lowes ( I still thank Greg for that one!)
Just bought a cutting mat 12" by 18"
I have a bunch of inexpensive brushes that I do not get attached to incase I need to toss one. All my brushes came from Hobby Lobby and they are Loew-Cornell #2035

Started out with a very small work space of about 36" by 24". After using this setup for about 9 months, I had a workbench that was to be used in a future workshop that I still have not built yet, So I cut the height of the workbench down and modified it some and made a nice workbench that is 30" by 55" and an upper shelf. I am already starting to fill up the space on it.

The main thing is that these things have been collecting. I tried to avoid any tempations to go out and go nuts buying a bunch of stuff that I had no idea if I was going to use or not. As time goes by and a person continues in the hobby, your tools and your needs will find a happy equilibrium.

I also have a Ryobi BT-3100 10" Precision Table saw that I bought I think last summer.

I hope this helps.

Donnie

I have to confess that, though I've tried some of the "rigging tools" that are made for the purpose, I haven't had much luck with them.  I've got two pairs of tweezers that I normally use for rigging.  One, about thirty years old and deeply treasured, has very sharp points.  (That pair used to be marketed by Xacto, but I haven't seen anything quite identical in years.)  The other has squared-off points - very useful for wire, and parts that I want to ensure don't get bent by accident.  I also find lots of uses for a small hemostat (with the serrations on the jaws ground off).  And an absolute must is a small pair of scissors - preferably with blades that cut cleanly right at their tips.  Brookstone used to sell some of the best miniature scissors I've ever encountered, but doesn't any more. 

Another gadget that comes in handy is this one:  http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=60357

Not the sort of thing one needs every day, but useful for lots of rigging jobs.

For jobs other than rigging,  I couldn't begin to list all the tools I've tried - many of which ended in the bottoms of drawers.  Among those I can particularly recommend are a good vise (Panavise makes excellent ones), small pliers (Xuron, also sold under the Testor's label), the NWSL Chopper (which Sumpter mentioned; I agree - it's a terrific ship modeling tool), and a small electric rotary tool.  (We've had several good discussions about that sort of gadget in the "tools" section of the Forum.)

My shop also includes a 10" table saw, a Microlux miniature table saw, a 9" band saw (last year's Christmas present; haven't used it much yet), a drill press, a disk/belt sander, and my ancient Unimat SL, a German bench power tool that converts from a lathe to a drill press.

Favorite hand tools include a good pin vise and a set of bits, #60-#80, a small, Japanese-made hammer, a small set of Ramelson carving tools, and a Lie-Nielsen #1 bench plane.    I've also got quite a drawer full of clamps of various descriptions, but the truth is that for many, many modeling purposes a bag of spring-type clothespins make perfectly satisfactory clamps.

Newcomers concentrating on plastic kits don't need to find that list intimidating.  The power tools - except the rotary, Dremel-type one - are pretty much redundant for that kind of project. 

My suggestion regarding tools (which is echoed in just about every book about ship modeling or any other hobby) is:  don't go crazy initially and buy a bunch of expensive gadgets that you may or may not ever use.  Some of the very finest modelers work with remarkably small tool kits.  Buy tools as you need them - and buy the best ones you can afford.  Tools are no substitute for dexterity and practice.

In regards to rigging tools, a few that I have found very useful are a vise and loom that is used for tying flys.   These can come in sets with the threading bobbin that was metioned above. Thank my old scoutmaster, who was an avid fly fisherman, to teach me how to tie flys.  Well, I never caught onto flys, but these two tools, along with the wide array of knot tying tools these sportmen use, work great for aiding in setting up shrouds and other parts of the rigging that requires the main lines to be taugnt while wrapping or tying onto the line..

Scott

Grymm:

Rigging tools are easy to make once you give it a bit of thought. If you look in modeling supply catalogues, you will find all sorts of instruments designed by someone and selling for $20 or so. Thing is, with some scrap brass wire, you can make many useful tools right in your own workshop. Think of a dentist's various probes and then you will be on the right track. If you check out the Micromark catalogue and look over their rigging tools, you will get plenty of inspiration.

Probably the most useful kind of rigging tool is that which has a long handle and some little metal shape on its end to pull the rigging line around and about the deck without you actually having to stick your mitts in there and risk fouling everything. This can be made from a piece of stiff brass wire. Cut off a good length and then use a pair of pliers to bend the ends to a small curved shape that will snag a line.

Russ

 

 

Thought someone would like the sewing needle "fork".

Another tool I use, is a "needle threader", a fine wire loop attached to a flat metal "handle". I remove the wire loop and mount it on a dowel handle. It's used to thread blocks, deadeyes, etc. A pair of small scissors, available where fly tying materials are sold (Bass Pro Shops, Gander Mountain, etc.), are perfect for snipping the loose ends from rigging. If you're scratchbuilding deck houses, a NorthWest ShortLine "chopper" (any one of the series) is an excellent tool to have, you can cut multiple pieces, all the same length. I used the "chopper" to build the transon, and quarter galleries for the "Surprise".  A set of #60-#80 drill bits is a must, the Xacto type knife handle, with the cross cut blade holder, can double as a pin vise, and will firmly hold a #80 bit. Some commercial pin vices won't. I used to recommend razor saws, Xacto, Atlas, but Zona makes an excellent series of hand saws, which work well on styrene, and wood. A jewlers saw is a must if you are fabricating parts from sheet brass (mast and boom bands, yard cranes,etc.) I also have an old set of jewlers screwdrivers, that I mounted 1/2" wood balls where the swivel was, and have sharpened the blades to razor sharp, that I use as micro chisels/scrapers. They do a great job of making window/hatch openings in sheet styrene. An alcohol torch, or butanes pencil torch can be used to solder "ironwork",( bands, caps, anchors,etc.) Sprue nippers, clamps (I wish I could still find screwpost earring blanks, they are excellent miniature "C" clamps), a good selection of brushes, and on, and on. Oh, one absolute, Optivisor! mine is a 5X.

Pete

Regarding paints, for sailing ships I find the new Revell AG range of acrylic paints are very good. (Not sure if these are available in the US yet). They include Ochre (near-perfect match for ochre on sail warships), Stone Grey (good for the "white stuff" hull coating on earlier ships), Leather Brown (represents varnished wood very well when drybrushed with a lighter shade of brown) and Earth Brown (very good for bleached wooden decks if drybrushed heavily with Stone Grey).

For 20th/late 19th-century warships I mostly use Tamiya acrylics. Revell do a good light bluish-grey (just labelled "Grey" and a dark grey useful for steel decks (Tank Grey).

Citadel metallic paints are very good, particularly for weathering. "Boltgun Metal" gives a very effective gun-metal look when dry-brushed lightly over flat black. Their "Ultramarine Blue" colour is also a good match for the blue paint on some sailing warships (e.g the forecastle of the Victory).

Other paints I find really useful for weathering are cheap pots of craft/artist's acrylic paint, sold in most craft/hobby stores. They have a density and consistency ideal for dry-brushing, and include black, dark grey (useful for dry-brushing very lightly over edges to bring out details), various browns (useful for representing wood grain, not to mention mud/dust on tanks), white (perfect for winter whitewash on tanks), and graphite, which gives a dull gunmetal look when drybrushed on black.