simonhaynes72 Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 Hello all, I was having a discussion at work about most useful tool we could not do without. It made me think today about what, apart from the basics such as drills, files, pliers, pincers, soldering iron, etc., I couldn't do without when modelling. What would most people consider to be the one piece of supplementary non-basic kit they couldn't live without? Exotic ultrasonic cleaning tanks? Reliable resistance soldering kit? Brilliant bending bars? Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
angell328 Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 For me it has to be my airbrush! I love the way I can get such a smooth finish over large and small areas. I can do weathering, painting, overlaying of colours to produce pre and post shading. With the right masking I can do such detailed work too. If I was made to live without it and had to brush paint everything, then I dont think I would have done half the different liveries I have done. So its an essential! Cheers Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted November 25, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 25, 2010 It's got to be my blocks of wood, they are Paraná Pine and quite hard, they are about 6" x 2 1/2" x 1" with various bits screwed to them and holes drilled in them. They are ideal for clamping small bits to, usually with a drawing pin, for filing, soldering and fettling, roofless vans sit on them upside down securely. EDIT :- and the best bit is that they cost absolutely nowt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 The rolling mill and rivet press, both by GW Models. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted November 26, 2010 Share Posted November 26, 2010 My 1" (engineers/modellers) set square and an off cut of plate glass, mine is about 18" x 8" x 1/2", professionally ground down at the edges! Oh! Rubber bands, hair clips, wooden clothes pegs and those coffee stirrers from maccie D's and other coffee shops! Cheers, John E. PS a bit more than 'one piece' there, sorry! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted November 26, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 26, 2010 Thinking just a little outside the square on this one I'd say the most useful "tool" I have is patience. The other is the swear box. A coin dropped in there every time I suffer an attack of Reynard's Disease (a/k/a Fox Ache) or similar makes purchase of the next kit much easier! B) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollywoodfoundry Posted November 26, 2010 Share Posted November 26, 2010 Thinking just a little outside the square on this one I'd say the most useful "tool" I have is patience. The other is the swear box. A coin dropped in there every time I suffer an attack of Reynard's Disease (a/k/a Fox Ache) or similar makes purchase of the next kit much easier! B) Ah, I been looking for some of that there Patience stuff, do yer know where I can get some? Never mind, I can't be bothered waitin! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hughes Posted November 26, 2010 Share Posted November 26, 2010 A decent set of reamers, without a shadow of a doubt; I'd 'managed' without them for years until I was given a set by a mate, and all of a sudden certain jobs got very much easier! (Not that I'd want to be without the trusty Unimat, the airbrush, the RSU or whatever else, of course!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stuartp Posted November 26, 2010 Share Posted November 26, 2010 A home-made tool made donkey's years ago by soldering the pointy bit off a dart into the end of an old soldering iron tip. It served as scriber, centre punch, rivet punch, superglue applicator, panel line restorer, vac pipe bending jig (the soldering iron bit was just the right diameter), fibre glass brush splinter removerer, all sorts. It dropped to bits a few weeks ago and I'm lost without it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PhilH Posted November 26, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 26, 2010 A set of stainless steel dentists' probes bought very cheaply off Ebay. 12 tools, double ended, absolutely indispensible for holding, scraping, shaping, picking stuff off, you name it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted November 26, 2010 Share Posted November 26, 2010 A difficult question and I've thought long and hard to think of anything. I like the idea of "patience" as it is something that I frequently don't seem to have enough of along with "perseverance" and more than anything "time" But when it comes to real tools if there was something I guess it would be in everyday use and therefore easy to find on my work bench. As it is my work bench is cluttered with different tools, gadgets and props - all of which seem to be important at the time of use and certainly were at the time of purchase. Although I would now feel lost without them all, i do know that once I did build kits without them and, probably, could continue to do so again. If I couldn't it would be on the list of basic essentials. I also have a number of "useful/essential" tools that are expensive additions - because I build so many kits they soon prove their value by being time-savers or by making long/difficult/tedious jobs a doddle. Again I would replace every one of them if broken but they would not be on m y list of recommended tools for every kit builder. They include: The RSU, GWrivet press, Hold'n'Fold, ... So now I have had more time to think in the supplementary tools pile. My steel plate on the work bench with its block magnets. I used to use this method of lining up edges to solder in favour of wood blocks (which also still get used) long before using a RSU. using business card baffles/insulators where required. The magnets are powerful and can hold most things in place against some force. They can be piled or work through the brass sheet and ingenious arrangements made to hold about any shape in relation to another. They are also wonderful heat sinks that can be used to keep some parts cool when you need it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted November 26, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 26, 2010 Magnifying glass on one of the little stand things. Ever so helpful in getting tiny bits of kits into tiny holes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted November 26, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 26, 2010 Some reamers I got for a quid or so ten years ago - nasty, cheap looking things with bright red plastic handles. They've been incredibly useful. My Black and Decker jigsaw gets a lot of use as well - it was one of those purchases where I was a bit concerned I'd only use it once or twice, but not at all, it's proven very useful and versatile. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted November 26, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 26, 2010 Drills have been mentioned, and certainly one of those whizzy things can sort out a hole in no time, help abraid here and there - lots of stuff. But where delicate work is concerned, especially with plastics, a range of pin-vices has saved the day for me. This morning, assembling a well-known manufacturer's 7-plank OO plastic kit, I found his buffers would not fit in his shanks. Huh? Call this a kit? Gentle work needed to drill out the shanks - job done in seconds, really, by having the right tool. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyo Posted November 26, 2010 Share Posted November 26, 2010 For me its got to be my grit blaster cabinet along with the compressor to power it and my ultrasonic cleaner and ???? //// OzzyO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted November 26, 2010 Share Posted November 26, 2010 Mine would be my magnifier light - ring fluorescent around a good quality lens. It cost me all of $2 at a garage sale and it used on almost all projects. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium BR60103 Posted November 27, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 27, 2010 Most versatile: a solid brass back-to back gauge which has nice square corners and is used: -to scrape material off other material. -as a form to make square corners in buildings and possibly wagons. -to hold down small items being glued. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Welly Posted November 27, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 27, 2010 Mine is one of those clips on a heavy base, I got mine at a computer exhibition nearly 25 years ago and it is very useful for gripping those small bits whilst soldering them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portchullin Tatty Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Ah, I been looking for some of that there Patience stuff, do yer know where I can get some? Available from Eileen's Emporium under the extreme products........................... extreme products Perhaps more seriously, I reckon the Palatine Buffer & AJ height gauge is about the most useful thing in my toolbox. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian G Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 I made a set of tool makers clamps at college nearly 30 years ago, as they are far to big 5'' long, but they where ground square, they are very useful for all kinds of projects in the workshop but not for clamping Ian G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
multiprinter Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 A tin of Elastoplast! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted November 28, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 28, 2010 My reading glasses and a decent light. As I'm gettting older I can't focus as close as I used to be able to and now can do near b*gg*r all detail work without my glasses. Andi Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dilbert Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Reference material re. the prototype Corner Punch ...dilbert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Now I am way over fifty and the eyes are giving up,an essential tool is an Optivisor, couldn't build or paint anything without one. Malcolm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pointstaken Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 An Optivisor for me peepers, and a wife to make my tea. Dennis Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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