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                        Your Indespensible Tool

                        6710 views
                        45 replies
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                        12
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Your Indespensible Tool
                        Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 3, 2003 5:55 PM
                        First, how many of you had an inappropriate first reaction to the title of this thread? Wink [;)]

                        Second,not including any part of your airbrushing rig, what tool, gadget, homemade jig, etc. would you practically lost without?
                        Report Abuse
                        Jeeves
                        • Member since
                          February 2003
                        • From: Saratoga Springs, NY
                        Posted by Jeeves on Sunday, August 3, 2003 6:06 PM
                        Hi merideth....

                        It's a toss-up between my sprue cutters and my rachet clamps that I got from Sears....but probably the clamps-- they are perfect for holding together fuselages and wings while the glue dries.
                        Mike
                        Report Abuse
                        renarts
                        • Member since
                          April 2003
                        • From: Sunny Florida
                        Posted by renarts on Sunday, August 3, 2003 6:23 PM
                        That was a good one Mereith, like shooting fish in a barrell.....

                        I would have to say the one tool that I couldn't be without in model building is my x-acto knife. Fortunately I'm an old school graphic artist so I have about 20 of them floating around.

                        Mike
                        Mike "Imagination is the dye that colors our lives" Marcus Aurellius A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...that was fun!"
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 3, 2003 6:54 PM
                        Merideth.

                        1) I did. Big Smile [:D]

                        2) My hands. I can come up with substitutes for anything else.
                        Report Abuse
                        shermanfreak
                        • Member since
                          January 2003
                        Posted by shermanfreak on Sunday, August 3, 2003 7:08 PM
                        Besides the normal tools ... the one odd one that I have that I really like is a dental pic. The one that brings fear in the heart of all as it gets shoved in your mouth. It is great for working in some tight areas.
                        Happy Modelling and God Bless Robert
                        Report Abuse
                        Woody
                        • Member since
                          December 2002
                        • From: Third rock from the sun.
                        Posted by Woody on Sunday, August 3, 2003 7:56 PM
                        My favorite tool is my Uber knife. I guess the company closed up shop because I can't find them anymore. If anyone knows of any for sale I would be most grateful for a heads up.

                        " I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way." --John Paul Jones
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 3, 2003 8:28 PM
                        My personal non-standard tool really isn't a tool. It's actually a modeling caddy produced by Games Workshop. This little wooden tray has saved me hours of cleaning those little spills and CA messes.

                        demono69
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 3, 2003 8:37 PM
                        Yup - ( X y cromozones - you know how it is ! ) not often asked about my favourite tool by a ' liadie' but in a modeling context that would be the surgical scalpel with a 10 blade, could do without the nicks to the fingers tho, they sting like hell............Angry [:(!]
                        Report Abuse
                        erush
                        • Member since
                          May 2003
                        • From: USA, GA
                        Posted by erush on Sunday, August 3, 2003 9:00 PM
                        Talk about a leading question!! Big Smile [:D]

                        I'd have to say, I can't pick just one. I love tools, all tools especially power tools!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Big Smile [:D] Tongue [:P]

                        Eric
                        Hi, I'm Eric and I'm a Modelholic too. I think I have PE poisioning. "Friendly fire...isn't"
                        Report Abuse
                        M1abramsRules
                        • Member since
                          June 2003
                        Posted by M1abramsRules on Sunday, August 3, 2003 9:58 PM
                        my paintbrushes! Wink [;)] after that it would have to be my hobby knife
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 3, 2003 10:57 PM
                        I like all of there cd's, Oh! tools for models.

                        1. Sprue cutters
                        2. Those padded fingernail files
                        3. X-Acto knife
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 3, 2003 11:01 PM
                        well it sounds like all of your minds work the way one would expect of boys Wink [;)]

                        Report Abuse
                        Model Grandpa
                        • Member since
                          July 2003
                        • From: Keizer, Oregon
                        Posted by Model Grandpa on Sunday, August 3, 2003 11:14 PM
                        My glasses and if they don't count #11 hobby blades. Cool [8D]
                        Regards, Dan Building Scale Models At The Speed Of Dark
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 3, 2003 11:43 PM
                        #11 X-acto blades all the way. They can be a substitute for all kinds of different tools.

                        Murray
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 3, 2003 11:53 PM
                        I would need glue as #1 and then probably my knife.Big Smile [:D]
                        Report Abuse
                        M1abramsRules
                        • Member since
                          June 2003
                        Posted by M1abramsRules on Sunday, August 3, 2003 11:58 PM
                        Glue? why didn't somebody tell me! [>:(] And here all this time I've been using tape..... Big Smile [:D]
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Monday, August 4, 2003 12:04 AM
                        Hey I know what you mean, I just learned about it a couple of days ago. I normally used spit, but my models kept falling apart.Big Smile [:D]Wink [;)]
                        Report Abuse
                        M1abramsRules
                        • Member since
                          June 2003
                        Posted by M1abramsRules on Monday, August 4, 2003 12:08 AM
                        at first I used peanut butter but when it sits out for a while it rots and then it really stinks. Big Smile [:D]
                        Report Abuse
                        Keyworth
                        • Member since
                          January 2003
                        • From: NE Georgia
                        Posted by Keyworth on Monday, August 4, 2003 12:10 AM
                        1. Ma'am, ahm blushin' at the thought! :)

                        2. My Olfa knife (replace my Xacto with this one.

                        "There's no problem that can't be solved with a suitable application of high explosives"
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Monday, August 4, 2003 12:13 AM
                        QUOTE: Originally posted by M1abramsRules

                        at first I used peanut butter but when it sits out for a while it rots and then it really stinks. Big Smile [:D]

                        Let me guess you stopped using peanut butter because your parents told you that you use something that doesn't stink or you can leave the house.Big Smile [:D]
                        At least thats what they told me when I thought about that!Big Smile [:D]
                        Report Abuse
                        M1abramsRules
                        • Member since
                          June 2003
                        Posted by M1abramsRules on Monday, August 4, 2003 12:26 AM
                        QUOTE: Originally posted by J-man

                        QUOTE: Originally posted by M1abramsRules

                        at first I used peanut butter but when it sits out for a while it rots and then it really stinks. Big Smile [:D]

                        Let me guess you stopped using peanut butter because your parents told you that you use something that doesn't stink or you can leave the house.Big Smile [:D]
                        At least thats what they told me when I thought about that!Big Smile [:D]


                        no I stopped because the cat was licking them too often. LOL

                        and no, I won't even talk about what happened with the honey! Wink [;)]
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Monday, August 4, 2003 12:36 AM
                        My problem wasn't the cat licking them it kept knocking my M1A1 off my 5 foot dresser. But it stood up to what the critics said about the M1 because it would hit the floor and nothing would break.
                        But i know what you mean about the cats licking it because I used grease thinking it would work but the cats kept rolling in the greese and break the models and make themselves all nasty.Big Smile [:D]
                        Report Abuse
                        fuzzy
                        • Member since
                          May 2003
                        • From: Lewisburg , Tenn
                        Posted by fuzzy on Monday, August 4, 2003 1:01 AM
                        My sprue cutters from PBL . Three different thicknesses on the
                        cutting jaws. Excellent for removing the tiniest parts.
                        fuzzy
                        Report Abuse
                        Daprophet
                        • Member since
                          July 2003
                        • From: Charlotte
                        Posted by Daprophet on Monday, August 4, 2003 9:47 AM
                        The 3 different grit finger nail sanding boards. I love those things.

                        God Bless
                        Dave
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Monday, August 4, 2003 11:53 PM
                        My current favorite is a set of tiny needle files...the different shapes come in remarkable handy for "sanding" hard to reach places as well as scribing a la blackwolf
                        Report Abuse
                        tigerman
                        • Member since
                          March 2003
                        • From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA
                        Posted by tigerman on Tuesday, August 5, 2003 1:37 AM
                        Believe it or not a toothpick. I use to apply glue, stir and apply paint.

                        http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/wing_nut_5o/PANZERJAGERGB.jpg

                         Eric 

                        Report Abuse
                        upnorth
                        • Member since
                          December 2002
                        • From: Canada / Czech Republic
                        Posted by upnorth on Tuesday, August 5, 2003 11:36 AM
                        I learned the virtues of a well stocked nail care section of the pharmacy just a few years ago.

                        Cuticle sticks are a modeler's dream come true, I'd never used them until a couple of years ago, but I wouldn't be without them now.

                        I use the cheaper wood ones for sculpting Milliput into complex shapes and getting it into tight places.

                        I've also got a more elaborate one that has a plastic handle and two ends. One end is hard plastic and is flattened to a nice angled edge thats perfect for puting a bit of sandpaper on and smoothing out something in a very small and tight area on a model. The other end has a cylindrical piece of flexible vinyl on it thats cut at an angle and is perfect for manipulating errant bits of uncured paint and glue to where you want them if they got out of hand on you.
                        Report Abuse
                        J-Hulk
                        • Member since
                          February 2003
                        • From: Tochigi, Japan
                        Posted by J-Hulk on Friday, October 3, 2003 11:34 AM
                        As many have already said here, it's gotta be the ol' hobby knife. Used to be a trusty X-Acto, but now I use an OLFA exclusively (X-Acto is quite hard to come by, and very expensive, here in Japan!).
                        Seriously, it's all you really need to build a kit.
                        ~Brian
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 3, 2003 9:20 PM
                        I would have to say first is the checkbook, perfect for getting in those tight hobby shops and plucking out the hard to reach kits. And an absolute dream at getting those pesky photo etch sets. But seriously though, I would have to say my dental picks. I tried to scribe panel lines with my x acto and with a scriber but never had many straight lines. Now I think I do a pretty good job. Second on my list of favorite tools would be this forum. I've learned more in the month I've been on here than I think I could have learnd in several years of trial and error.
                        Report Abuse
                        djrost_2000
                        • Member since
                          February 2003
                        • From: Where the coyote howl, NH
                        Posted by djrost_2000 on Friday, October 3, 2003 9:37 PM
                        Seems like I'm always reaching for either the X-acto or one of my files.

                        DJ
                        Report Abuse
                        12
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