PE work tools-recommendations? Update! Bug has arrived!

I  would not worry about the Bug fingers bending, that reviewer is ham fisted and has obviously over tightened the tool a lot !!

 I used to make these and the Bug hardly ever failed, when the few that were returned (about 10 in 3 years)  they were always replaced.  When inspected, they had always been over tightened. In single numbers we accepted back Bugs with manufacturing faults where the head unit was badly milled, this did not effect the fingers strength however.

 Hold & Folds are instruments NOT clamps, use a vice if you have neolithic hand like him.

All you need is gentle pressure, the reviewer knew that but he still, well who knows why ?

Not now connected with the product

Check out my blog posts about the subject Pt I  Pt II  Pt III  I like the benders from The Small Shop, here is The Bug.

~Jimbo, You mentioned your eyesight too. I'd say you could get even farther with one of these

Th Donagan IS the Opti-visor it's completely worth the $30 somthing dollars. I personally prefer the # 4 lens ( which is actually a 2X lens ) they break down like this:

I agree the #10 is too much magnifacation to really work. That $20 copy at hobby-expo is ok,unless you've ever tried one of these babies.  Here's a link to the maker:

http://www.doneganoptical.com/optivisorlx.php   Theres an entire thread going in the forum about these, and Ill tell ya' seeing the little P.E. parts makes all the difference. I've got the Etchmate 30 from Mission Models(micro-mark and others sell it) just because it was the best priced, (those others may be sturdier?) BUT, I'd reccommend you get a nice set of small pliers, for little PE parts, 2 pairs of pliers works great. HomeDepot sells a killer Husky6 piece  set for around $10 . I like anything that saves my hands & eyes. Optivisor and many choices of small pliers and tweezers might get you farther than that high$$ PE tool. 

It's not my eyesight...they just make everything smaller now days......way smaller!

Just too many of these------->

I've been using The Bug for the last year or so and I've got to tell you, it's really changed my approach to PE.  I used to dread having to do complex folds, but now, it's almost a pleasure.  And it works just as well in every scale from 1/72 to 1/32.

Now, I may just have to start looking into some of those opti-visors.  Not because my eyesight is going, but because everything else is getting smaller.  I'm sure it would help with my detail painting, as well.

-Fred

I don't know much about this place, but they list it in stock  http://www.micronart.com/Bendingtool.html 

What's weird is that they refer to it as the kalama bending tool and The Small Shop is located in Kalama, Washington.  So it's either the real deal, or a really good knock-off.  Looks exactly the same as my known, genuine, Bug.

-Fred

HawkeyeHobbies wrote:

Kalama Precision Machine is the parent company of The Small Shop. This retailer must list them under Kalama instead of TSS.

Ahhh....thanks for the clarification, Gerald

-Fred

UPDATE!

Paycheck Deposit received-

"Bug" order placed-

Now...wait!

The interesting thing is that the bug is now showing as out of stock...must have grabbed the last one thay had in stock.

HawkeyeHobbies wrote:

It will arrive probably sooner than you think. Mine came First Class mail which only takes a couple of days.

Thank goodness, though I guess the F-22 cockpit will have to wait a few days...***SIGH***

Guess I'll just have to work on the Intruder...or the Blackbird...or one of the other dozens of projects I have going......

jimbot58 wrote:

Home from work and found my new "Bug" waiting for me in the mailbox! I think that was pretty d*mn good! I ordered it Friday around 1:00 a.m. and by 6:00 p.m. Monday, my order's in my hand! Barely two woking days if you consider the weekend. Now I cant wait to try it out, but have to wait 'til after dinner and all that total nonsense!

Have you used it yet?

ENTIRELY as a result of the discussion in this thread, I ordered on about a week or so ago (I might be the reason you initially got 'Out of Stock' - Sorry!! ).  Just like you, I got what I consider to be great service - I think I ordered it on Thursday night (probably close to 7:30) and I had it in my hands on Saturday!

I messed with it a bit, did a couple folds on some scrap PE, and I'll tell ya, I am a happy shopper....

Yes, I did! The pieces I tried it out on was a couple of parts that, on the fret, looked like a sort of a three pronged tree. When formed it makes a curved bar. It was really simple to me to fold the two sides towards the center and then I had to tack it to a piece of tape to hold it while I worried the center flat part up in a curve to meet the two sides. I had to use the tape because it was so narrow, the fingers of the tool were too wide to fit. Without this tool, it would have been a nightmare I think.

I like the contruction of it as it is all metel, and that gives it some heft. With the rubber feet, it stays firmly in place. I have only used it once, but I am liking it already! Maybe there will be more PE projects in the future now! 

By the way, the shipping box did come labeled as "Kalama Precision Machine" and the instructions do say "Manufactured by Kalama Precision Machine for The Small Shop" And a big ole' sticker on the bottom that says "Made In USA"