Expensive tools are the really worth it??

My most expensive tools are my compressor, AB and bench sander which I bought when woodworkers warehouse was closing for $60.

As for tools, I always check out the flea markets and lets not pass on those auto swap meets. They have similiar tools for sale that we use (clamps, vise, etc.).

Finding inexpensive sable brushes has always been a chore tho.

Also, there are a lot of common items that can be used for our hobby that is found in places like wal mart and K mart that does not put much of a dent in ones wallet either.

So much for my 2 cents!

I HAVE INEXPENSIVE TOOLS WHICH I BOUGHT FROM CHEAP SHOPS YEARS AGO , NEVER HAD PROBLEM WITH THEM AT ANYTIME, BUT BEWARE OF CHEAP KNIVES WITH PLASTIC INSERTS AS THEY CAN LET BLADES COME LOOSE AT THE WRONG TIME , MY BEST ONES ARE NEEDLE FILES KNIVES SAME AS E-ACTO BUT CHEAPER NEVER HAD PROBLEM WITH THEM AND HAVE MY FIRST KNIVES FROM THE 1960,S STILL GOING STRONG!!
ALSO A TIP I BOUGHT A COUPLE OF DENTAL ITEMS ,NOW WHAT I DID WITH A 2 DIFFERENT END PROBE WAS SHARPEN THE END, HHEEEYY PRESTO I HAD A PLASTIC SCRIBER YUP I HAVE BEEN USING IT ON MY PT BOATS WHEN I FOUND OUT THE KITS MANUFACTURERS FORGOT TO INCLUDE ALL THE WINDOWS ON THE WHEEL HOUSE!!! I JUST SCRIBED THEM IN.
I HAVE KKNIVES, NEEDLE FILES PLUS OTHE MINATURE FILES BOUGHT ON THE CHEAP PLUS WIRE BRUSHES SMALL ONES FOR CLEANING THE FILES.
HOPE THIS HELP YOU GUYS OUT THERE .
SEAN SEWELL

I have to admit that I am easy when I see second hand tools for sale that I feel I can use sometime and thus have rather a collection - but I do venture into all sorts of modelling spheres and so can justify having them.(?) The Unimat lathe enables me to turn jet pipes etc.and also make hole punches as and when - I find the diversion making the tool I need on (rare) occasions theraputic. I am always reminded in debates such as this of master modellers I have known (or known of) who produced masterpieces from scratch - from scrap bits of wood and metal with no "power" type tools at all. Harold Underhill (now sadly deceased) built beautiful miniture static model ships with a very basic collection of hand tools - on a card table. He silver soldered 1/32 (and smaller) hand fashioned rings onto mast bands for example using a torch that consisted of a piece of rubber tube connected to the gas cooker ring jet with a small diameter piece of tube at the end and another piece of tube in his mouth! the finished article was perfect everytime!! I wonder now where his models went - rumour has it to the USA. Incidentally when they became dirty and dusty he simply left them out in the (heavy) rain for a few hours! Some people like to make life hard for themselves - I enjoy using the lathe and other "luxury" items - but surely it is a case of whatever turns you on. Naturally manufacturers will suggest you cannot work without their product and some modellers will easily demonstrate they can. I have to say that with plastic models I rarely use my mini drill save to drill holes (!!) nor the sander - don't trust my technical skill and might take too much off the airbrush however is a gem!! Aztek incidentally which I find for modelling purposes as good as any of the more expensive, and not so expensive , I have used. PE benders do not do much for me either - maybe I should try harder with one however. I am interested in the Waldron punch - as I am feeling a bit idle can someone direct me please to a web site where I can "view" the works???? AS has been said above one of the best tools is the examples and words of wisdom one gets from a site such as this, and purely as an example can I refer to the Swanny site. Many thanks.
David.

I don't know where you are from, but where I live is a place called Harbor Freight Tools, they are also online. They have a lot of the same stuff for models, but at much cheaper prices. The one near me is two doors down from a hobby store, and I went from one to the other, and found several things that both places had, but was much more expensive at the hobby shop!

When deciding to buy a tool or any model building supply, I usually ask myself if I can really do without it and will the price be worth the aggravation it will save me? In the case of the tools I have I can honestly answer "no" and "yes" respectively. I have a Badger single action and an Iwata double action ab. and wouldn't give up either, use both extensively, and with good results. I had an aztec and sold it for more than I bought it and got the Iwata. The aztec was junk. I also have a seam scraper offered by Micro Mark which has been terrific for removing molded on detail as well as the small multitool for bending photoetch. This last one was a bit too expensive for my liking but I never seemed to have the right size dowel or rod at the time I needed it and to supply my workbench would have negated some of the cost anyway. In addition, it has been a very useful addition since my branching off from aircraft to resin ships. Those PE gun tubs and railings are a bit more palatable now.

Some are. For example a PE folding tool is very useful if you want to get really good right-angle folds in brass.

But for most of my cutting and shaping I use old tools from my dentist. They can be altered in many ways to suit your needs -- so make friends with your dentist!

Hello there! Hope you guys dont mind my bumping this thread.  I didnt want to start a new thread and this was the closest thread I can find.

Just a question re: Tamiya Routers and Drills:

Theirs are the ones easily available locally. Can I assume that the router can accomodate bits for the drill, vice versa? This way, I dont have to purchase both the Router and the Drill.

OR, would any drill do the job, say a Black & Decker?

Thanks!