Getting started

I have a bunch of tools, but there's a certain set that stays on the desk. They never get put up because they're always in use. They are: X-acto knife, tweezers, panel scriber and round needle file. A panel scriber or something like it is useful for a lot more than just scribing panel lines. It's a burnisher, a holder/gripper, a punch, a glue seam scraper, a notch marker and so on. Add to this some cuticle nippers or side cutter pliers for getting parts off the sprue. Now for the glue... I'd go ahead and get into using a Touch n Flow applicator now... that's for Ambroid, Tenax or Plastruct plastic weld glues. You can use the Testors orange tube stuff, but weld solvents are better. 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper for rough jobs and 1000 grit for easy stuff or to smooth 400 grit's scratches. That's the basic stuff aside from all the painting equipment. Beyond this, there are hundreds of tools likely to add to the bench over time. Model builders use the simplest tools that create the most complicated results.

Thanks David. I just saw where you posted several links to suppliers in another thread. I'll browse those sites and get started.

Yeah I'm a tool shopping junkie. There's also a painting and airbrushing forum here, so I left out that stuff. I do a lot of tool shopping, but I don't buy things until I need it. I have to be sitting there working on something and say, "I wish I had that [tool or supply] that I saw at that store". Then I go buy it.

Go ahead & get some Tamiya putty and Tamiya masking tape too. That's good stuff.

Hi!
What tools would I need for a gundam modelling kit?
Can you enumerate, what types, how much and where to buy?

I'd really like to start out with this Gundam model that I have. Thanks.

Daemon_Seraphim: its a plastic model right? if so, basically what jdavidb said will be plenty to get u started...
i started my first kit with pretty much what was in the list, and then when i would go to my lhs i would check out the tool section and think to my self 'i could do with one of these, for what im working on atm' and just pick up whatever i needed

ps... its not always best to but the tools from ur lhs, as hardware stores are usually alot cheaper, u just have to know what u want, coz they stock tools for everything....

Hi! Thanks for the advice. What do you mean by LHS?

daemon, LHS means, local hobby store.

- Blu tack
- Toothpicks
- Cutex nail polish remover (quick n gentle)
- Isopropyl alcohol 99.9%
- Scrap styrofoam to stick the toothpicks+blu-tack+part to be painted on, after painting, to dry
- White Elmer's glue
- Those clear straws for Yakult (great for getting thinner or paint from the bottle)
- Loctite super glue gel (CA is more useful than you imagine!)