Non standard bits in your tool box

[RedRich]

I use these

 

@ Broithe I don't bother with plasters when I cut myself and believe me with scalpels you can do yourself some damage. I find the best thing for cuts is super glue

 

 

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SWANN-MORTON-No-3-STAINLESS-STEEL-SCALPEL-HANDLE-Fits-Blade-Nos-6-16-/221104735865?pt=UK_BOI_Medical_Lab_Equipment_Medical_Equipment_Instruments_ET&hash=item337ade8679#ht_1837wt_1037

 

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Swann-Morton-Non-Sterile-Blue-Box-Scalpel-Blades-/280747234069?pt=UK_Papercraft_Tools_Accessories_2&var=&hash=item415dd6d315#ht_698wt_1037

 

Anto I believe it was developed by the Americans in the Vietnam War for field surgey to close cuts without the need for stiching.

 

Rich,

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

Anto I believe it was developed by the Americans in the Vietnam War for field surgey to close cuts without the need for stiching.

 

Rich,

 

 

I thought that to mate but check out the link it was discovered in 1942 in a search for materials to make clear plastic gun sights for the war. It make interesting reading and I've learnt something new today.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanoacrylate

[RedRich]

I thought that to mate but check out the link it was discovered in 1942 in a search for materials to make clear plastic gun sights for the war. It make interesting reading and I've learnt something new today.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanoacrylate

 

Thats very interesting reading Anto. It's something I never knew myself, thanks very much mate. Still it's a great piece of kit to have in your tool box.

 

Rich,

[burnthebox]

Available via Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Sanding-Stick-Sticks-Finishing-Kit/dp/B0039ZCQAK/ref=pd_cp_hi_0

 

Widely available in USA as Excel Sanding Sticks..

 

They are pointed at one end and rounded at the other, with a flat section in between - covers most requirements.

 

 

He lads, leave my sister out of this

[Broithe]

Cyanoacrylate

 

I once worked with a chap who was the stupidest person that I've ever met. He was so stupid that he didn't have any suspicion that he might not be a genius. He 'discovered' superglue in 1990, when everybody else had been using it for years, but that didn't stop him informing anybody that would listen that it was really called 'cycroanylate' and I still struggle with the word to this day. He must have said it ten or more times a day. The letters actually re-arrange on the page when I see it in print...

 

I'm having flashbacks now.

 

To return the discussion to scalpels, I still have the safety helmet that saved me when he dropped a scalpel from thirty feet - just before his mate electrocuted me...

Edited September 10, 2012 by Broithe

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

@ Broithe that sounds a fun place to work did you get paid danger money

[Horsetan]

Hairclips! Great for holding things together when soldering, like coupling rod / valve gear layers, or hornblock guides when mounting up in the chassis frames.

[Broithe]

where did you get those broithe?

 

The big clear-out has revealed a receipt showing that I actually got them from Axminster - http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-axminster-detail-sanding-pen-kit-prod21968/ - although they seem to have gone up a bit since..

 

The new Garryson blocks also came from there - http://www.axminster.co.uk/page/find/?name=garryson&page=1

[Broithe]

I picked up one of these cordless soldering irons for €8.99 - http://www.lidl-ni.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/SID-B734DA78-4191D5B0/lidl_ni_ie/hs.xsl/index_26485.htm - we had a super-expensive one where I used to work and it was dead handy for giving something a quick dab, especially if you were up a ladder.

 

 

With three AAs in it you should get a good 30/45 minutes of use. One of the great benefits is not having the lead dragging about behind you.

 

The cap is supposed to prevent any possibility of it being inadvertently turned on, but it doesn't clip on too tightly, so I modified mine to have a wire loop to make accidental cap removal impossible.

[snapper]

Us modellers really can’t leave anything the way it was when it came out of the box.

[kevrail]

tried to remove this from jamesons distillery for those days when you DONT want to use the toolbox!.....couldnt shift the bloody thing though:((

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1801[/ATTACH]

 

If you had that at home who would need a toolbox

[Broithe]

These can be had for eleven or twelve quid.

 

 

They come with four, or sometimes eight, pins that will fit in the many holes in the top face, to hold objects of various shapes and sizes - much like a miniature WorkMate.

 

The handle will unscrew so that the head could be mounted directly in a vice to give you both hands free.

 

The pins are a loose fit in the holes and will disappear quickly if you're not careful. I arrange the pins and clamp a rubber tap-washer with them so that they don't fall out.

[Shinkansen]

Hi all,

Nothing new in this, we've all seen mitre boxes before. But for a project I'm currently working on, I needed something to help cut and shut a dapol IOA wagon and shorten it into something resembling a tara mines wagon.

To do this I made up a mitre box from scrap MDF out in the shed. To halve a wagon accuratly and with minimal fuss, something bigger than a standard razor saw was required. An Irwin flush cutting saw from the local hardware fitted the bill. It has a flexible fine tipped blade with minimal saw kerf. Cuts on the pull stroke like a Japanese saw helping it stay straight and true.

I assembled the mitre box with glue and nails. Once dry, I scribed lines on the box to represent my intended cut. I made the first cut through the box slowly and carefully using a tri-square to help line up the saw. Worth taking your time with this. Once its done right the first time, the saw will follow the same path from then on. No worrying about mismatching joints and dirty big seam lines! It makes the otherwise daunting prospect of shortening a wagon a doddle:tumbsup:

Tom

 

PS, The wagons metal weight was removed to allow the cut & shut to be carried out. It was shortened with a hacksaw and replaced afterwards to the lower half of the chassis. Upper half of the wagon chassis was rejoined using Humbrol poly cement.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 12, 2013 by Shinkansen

[fitzguttentite]

EXCELLENT

a right job for the winter nights 10 outa 10

[krose]

Tidy bit of work there Shinkansen.

[Glenderg]

Very tasty indeed tom. What did you pay for the irwin? I can't rate their stuff highly enough. Richie

[Dave]

Irwin produces some very fine tools, I have a set of Irwin chisels that are so sharp you could shave with them.

[Shinkansen]

Fitz and Krose... cheers lads. Will post up pics of this project when the first wagon is complete. Sure itll keep me busy, 4 more to go once that first one is complete hence the need for a reliable cutting jig.

 

Richie and Dave. Yes the Irwin stuff aint half bad, absolutely razor sharp. Not outta the way price wise either at little under 20 Euro at my local Homevalue hardware. Veritas do a similar saw but its alot closer to 30squids!

Handy piece of kit for any carpentry work, plus it'll flush cut dowels with little or no saw marks

[Broithe]

I picked up one of these cordless soldering irons for €8.99 - http://www.lidl-ni.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/SID-B734DA78-4191D5B0/lidl_ni_ie/hs.xsl/index_26485.htm - we had a super-expensive one where I used to work and it was dead handy for giving something a quick dab, especially if you were up a ladder.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5085[/ATTACH]

 

With three AAs in it you should get a good 30/45 minutes of use. One of the great benefits is not having the lead dragging about behind you.

 

The cap is supposed to prevent any possibility of it being inadvertently turned on, but it doesn't clip on too tightly, so I modified mine to have a wire loop to make accidental cap removal impossible.

 

This is my security clip - further modified to hold some solder and so avoid spending ages looking for it.

 

I also put a hole in the cover so that I can see if the LED is lit - the switch is OK, but not the most robust thing I've ever seen..

 

 

It should be safe to keep in the toolbox now, without being accidentally turned on.

[moogle]

So we all probably have most of the standard bits like files, hobby knife, snips ect. in our modelling tool box. But have you got any thing extra in your box that you find useful.

 

I saw a video with a guy using a toothpick to make sure that two holes line up.

I have a small locking pliers that makes for a good clamp when you put some rubber over the ends.

Some high percentage isopropyl alcohol for cleaning (be careful of the fumes)

 

Anybody else got some more?

 

I have a few things other that the obvious described above:

 

 

These tools are mainly from art and craft shops.

 

 

Pallet knives on the left. The Boldmere ones are a cheap set, cost about £3 to £4.

The next two are by Liquitex (if I remember rightly, the names rubbed off with use) and cost £8 to £9 each!

I've had them for a good 10 years and unlike the cheap ones don't need gluing back together every now and then.

Have many uses, painting gluing, sculpting etc...

Cheap toothbrush on the right from a pound shop (from a pack of 4!) useful for cleaning residues off of kit parts for example.

Brass cleaning pen, good for stubborn dirt on loco wheels, brass kits etc...

 

 

Top left, cheap sponge brushes. Use for glue, paint, clay etc...

Then we have a set of silicon sculpting brushes. They were cheap, a couple of quid and are very useful in any clay work like waves.

Then an assortment of cheap clamps out of the pound shop.

 

 

Compass cutter on the left. Cheap one as its not something thats used a lot but is useful!

On the right we have several perforating tools. These are by Pergamano and are used in parchment craft for making nice shaped holes.

I use them for scribing into clay and plaster. Cost about £8 to £10 each but they last years and can be resharpened with a file when blunt.

The little scissors are for card making/decoupage, cost about a fiver and are extremely useful!

Last of all I have two small pin vices, a normal one and a swivel one. They take up to 1mm diameter bits and are very useful especially when laying N gauge track.

Edited September 29, 2013 by moogle
spelling!

[RedRich]

I have a hold and fold myself and wouldn't be without it.

 

Rich,

[David Holman]

Have also seen eyeliner used to colour the edges of cardboard kits. eg Metcalfe.

Indeed, methinks were a very much in touch with our female side. Among the many things I've acquired there is/are:

- hair grips, v useful for holding bits to be soldered

- hairspray: cheapest & stickiest. Used for holding crumb/flock/static grass for trees & ground cover

- baby powder: wonderful for toning down models. Try a light dusting - works a treat

- emery boards: great for cleaning up metalwork

- Shiny Sinks cream cleaner: essential when scrubbing off flux after soldering brass or nickel.

 

Equally I also use Birchwood Casey Gunblue, which is a very effective metal blackening agent. Helps me feel more butch, though opened the door the other day wearing my Gauge 0 Guild [say it quickly] green apron, with aforesaid logo and frightened the bejaysus out of the postman. Apron was a birthday present from my wife I might add and is VERY useful for catching small parts that ping off the workbench, as well as keeping paint off clothes of course...

[David Holman]

May I also suggest this is possibly the most useful thread ever. So many ideas and much amusement too.

My favourite 'proper' tools that I could not do without are a 7mm scale rule, snap off craft knife [only really need the tip, so when it gets blunt snap off a new one], fixed and portable anglepoise lamps, electric drills [one for drilling, one for slitting disks], GW models rivet press and an RSU soldering station with a foot operated switch - saves much burning of fingers and resulting curses.

[Broithe]

RolyKit boxes come in various styles and sizes - they're handy for keeping small items segregated, especially if working on the move.

 

 

Each section is covered as it's rolled up, so each compartment is sealed - partitions are supplied to make smaller sections, too.

[moogle]

Have also seen eyeliner used to colour the edges of cardboard kits. eg Metcalfe.

Indeed, methinks were a very much in touch with our female side. Among the many things I've acquired there is/are:

- hair grips, v useful for holding bits to be soldered

- hairspray: cheapest & stickiest. Used for holding crumb/flock/static grass for trees & ground cover

- baby powder: wonderful for toning down models. Try a light dusting - works a treat

 

Coloured pencils can be good for white edges on card kits, as can 'Promarker' pens as I've found.

 

Hair grips? Never thought of them. Thanks for the idea!

 

Hairspray is useful but be warned that they do break down over time, an artists spray adhesive will be better for more permanent hold but is more expensive.

Note I said adhesive as you can get an artists fixative spray which is different.

Intended for pastels and watercolours, so has weathering uses.

 

Baby powder/talcum powder is also useful for dusting rubber molds prior to casting, a trick I learned years ago on a ceramics course!

[Riversuir226]

Cotton buds very handy while applying decals they re also handy for cleaning hard to reach areas.

[Shinkansen]

Anyone out there using a smart phone? Another way to put it to good use other than photos or video (or heaven forbid... call someone on it!!!) is as follows;

 

Woodland Scenics have a niffty little scale calculator App that might be useful. Its a free download from the Google Play store (I'm sure its available for iPhone too). Especially useful for anyone doing a bit of scratchbuilding.

 

 

The input and output of units, be it Actual or Model are fully adjustable. Whether you're old skool feet & inches, metric, or a mixture of both.

 

 

There's a whole bunch of default scales already programmed into the App such as HO, N, S etc... Easy enough to set it up to 1:76 / OO using 'Custom Scales'.

[Dunluce Castle]

Fantastic, thanks for the heads up, got it for the iPad, works a treat, thanks for sharing, im definitely going to use this for my scratch built wagons.

[Broithe]

Expo do nice, stainless steel rules for a few quid...

 

 

..in all the common scales.

[Glenderg]

76.2 cough cough, not 76... good little app though, cheers Tom!