Most useful supplementary kitbuilding tool

[shortliner]

My Coolpix 3200 camera, bought "factory refurbished" for a silly price. I use it frequently for posting on here as the "picture is worth a thousand words"bit is sometimes easier than drawing it by way of an explanation. So much so that I rarely dig out the Fuji s5500, even though that will focus down much closer

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

A pair of crossover tweezers, the ones you squeeze to open, allied with a pair of doctors locking scissor clamps.

[philbax]

My Grand children! My wife goes to babysit and I get an evenings modelmaking time.

Bradwell 2-8-0 nearly finished, just test run, (present from last xmas, and finney A3 loco and tender body well on the way.

Seriously, the most important item is the soldering iron

 

phil

[scanman]

Those little flat, spring-loaded hairclips - great for holding rails whilst being soldered - and provide just the right clearance of check rails etc. Hold any flat surfaces adjacent to each other whilst being glued or soldered (try them on hornblocks/frames). Oh yes - and cocktail sticks - paint-stirrers, glue applicators and location spikes when building up multiple layers of foam scenery.

[M.I.B]

McD's or Costa's wooden coffee stirrers - paint stirring, glue applying, card building or wagon load stiffening.

[djgriff]

A number of small pins with plastic tops that came with a cork notice board ,great for holding down brass for soldering.

 

Dave

[Ian J.]

A chassis alignment jig (in my case a Chassis2), as I find that to get a slot and tab chassis properly squared up without it is impossible.

[28XX]

One tool I'd love to have is a round tuit. I must get one.

[BR60103]

One tool I'd love to have is a round tuit. I must get one.

 

From Eileen's Emporium "Extreme Products" (op cit above). "Patience" no longer available.

[Gwiwer]

Optivisor might have to go on the list for next year. For now I need a tool to cure Reynard's Disease.

 

What?

 

You know - Fox Ache.

[Tall Yorkist]

My "mobile" workbench which consists of a piece of 1/2" thick furniture board - 16" x 19" with a piece of off-cut living room carpet glued to the back and a 4-way mains board and my home-made soldering station fixed along the top. It's a perfect fit for one of our coffee-tables. The key element is the carpet which means that my modelling can take place on any table in the house without upsetting my good lady, as well as meaning I don't have to disappear into my "den" for long periods - thus preserving marital harmony! Basically cost nothing, yet priceless.

[R A Watson]

The only thing NOT in the toolbox when you look for it.

 

Wally

[binesrail]

one word, HAMMER!

 

Chris

[JimG]

I am searching for a tool rather like the Undo button on my computer that can Undo my last action.

j

[Rumblestripe]

Light.

 

You can't get enough of it. So I have illumination from a daylight bulb and a couple of little Ikea Halogen desk lamps along with an illuminated magnifier from Machine Mart

 

Usual disclaimer applies

[coachmann]

Imagination. Followed by a sense of humour...

[Etched Pixels]

A lump of bluetack for holding things in place when soldering. It's the one jig that can always be made the right shape.

[Guest Max Stafford]

I also find that a conveniently placed swear-box also goes a considerable way to paying for consumables such as solder, flux, replacement fingers, etc...

 

Dave.

[Enterprisingwestern]

The "luck" of having asbestos fingers, great for soldering.