Kitbuilding Tool List

[Katier]

hi All,

 

 

 

 

Finally in a position to start my new model railway which will include me doing brass/WM kits (3mm scale). Other than a soldering iron I need to work out what to order in order to make my life easy. Sooo please can you make sure I don't miss anything (and where to get it from)

 

Things I 'think' I know I'll need :-

 

Folders for accurately bending etches - Which ones are best?

 

Solder (3 temperatures? two for etched brass/NS and one for WM?)

 

Cutters (track and snipping wire etc.)

 

small vice

 

Broaches ( sizes?)

 

 

 

 

and?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

thanks

 

Kat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Dorset Wanderer]

Are you a member of the 3mm society?

Good to have a look at the Society site. Instuctions on how to do is really universal to all scales, just that some are smaller than others.

Broaches I find useful are the ets sold by Eileens, they also do a broach to open out chassis holes for bushes (forget the size).

Soldering irons, I have two, an Antex 25 watt-more than enough for 3mm kits and a temp controlled iron which I have marked at the temp ranges I use. Don't mix multicored usage tips with Whitemetal usage tips.

Various books on building whitemetal and brass loco kits are very useful, again the process is the same as any scale although the larger scales need a bit more oomph.

Good luck-see my blog://http dorset3mmblogspot.com/

[Kenton]

That is a big question which can be made very short if it is a first dabble in brass/wm kit building - it also depends a bit on budget available.

 

Probably the most important items missing off your list are

- glass fibre brush

- wet'n'dry paper

- a range of good quality files (and a separate range of files of lower quality for the w/m work)

- scrapers

- rifle files

- some Vim (Cif will do)

- solvent type cleaner

All of the above are important for cleaning which is the most important thing about good metal kit building.

 

Bending bars are a nice to have - you can to some extent get away with a metal rule/straight edge. Or you could go delux with one or more Hold'n'Folds, roller bars, and other handy bending jigs.

 

A set of 5 sided tapered broaches plus the one every set is missing (the big one for frame axle holes)

 

Xuron cutter(s).

 

wooden clothes pegs, locking forceps, tweezers (pointed) and flat, metal hairgrips.

 

a set of drill bits and lots of spare 0.4mm size - you will use/break more of them than any other - and an Archimedes type drill to twist them in.

 

a pin vice is handy a bench vice is of limited use. Again, if going delux, a "Right Clamp"

 

some magnets and a steel plate to use them on, very good for holding things in position along with some hardwood blocks.

 

cocktail sticks

 

Scalpels - with spare blades.

 

a cutting mat

 

and those were just the items lying on my cutting mat ATM

 

The problem as you see is not that they are expensive and not that you will use everything all at once or all the time but when you get into this you will soon find that next tool which in future you just cannot do without.

 

But cleaning is paramount - and unless you do that before and after a soldering join you will never get it to work, no matter what other tools you have.

[halfwit]

Patience. Can't be bought but absolutely priceless.

 

And a camera (and tripod) for posting your builds on here...

[Katier]

Thanks Folks - that's the metal bashing sorted (just gotta order/buy the bits - job for Monday when the cheque clears :-D )...

 

Other side, of course, is painting the darned things and is to be honest the bit I am a bit concerned about having only done Airfix plastic kits.. some advice would be required on that front too - equipment, paint types etc.

 

 

[The Dorset Wanderer]

Have a look at my blog, I have just done some painting, you may find some ideas

Steve