Invaluable modeling tools. Share yours!

[Gondor]

An old dental tool that I use to apply putty/filler

Gondor

[FAR148]

Floral Foam and wooden meat skewers, make a cheap and super adjustable model stand



Just place the skewer in the holes that locate the gear then press it into the foam.

Steven L 

[Daryl J.]

^^^^^Nice!

[Joe C-P]

I find styrofoam better than floral foam for that; the floral foam tends to break up and leave little bits. It is a great way to hold pieces for free hand painting.

[sequoiaranger]

No, REALLY! I kid you not.

Venetian blinds have several parallel lines and perpendicular lines to help align aspects of any project.

A t-square or angle-iron might do, but...

When I want to make sure my wing dihedral is even on both sides of the fuselage, I hold up the plane to the venetian blinds, put the vertical tail on the vertical line of the blinds (the support strings), move the whole assembly up and down a bit, and see where the wingtips "hit" the horizontal lines. If they don't "hit" the same horizontal line simultaneously, ONE of them is off.

Similarly, to make sure that the horizontal tailplanes are 90 degrees to the vertical stabilizer...or to see how far down the landing gear is dangling (and whether the two are projecting the identical distance from the wheel well)....the blinds come in handy again!

Those blinds have saved me many a time--sometimes the Mk. I eyeball fudges a bit---the blinds don't lie!!

[FAR148]

Here's something that I have found invaluable. I've always hated the fact that my razor saw cuts as I push it and not as I pull it. One day, I got tired of it and flipped the blade around. It's very easy to do. All you need is a nail and a hammer to flatten out the two pinch points. Once flatten, just slide the blade out and flip it then repinch the blade. Again, this works well for me and may not work well for you.   




Steven L 

[McColm]

I think I need to get a finer saw.
What's the best scriber to buy?

[Father Ennis]

My preference for scribing is either the back of a number 11 blade or a pin of an appropriate size in my X-acto pin vice.

[Hobbes]

For scribing I tend to use a razor saw. I haven't tried the various scribing tools though.

[FAR148]

My preference for scribing is either the back of a number 11 blade or a pin of an appropriate size in my X-acto pin vice.

Same here   

[NARSES2]

Must admit for scribing - the little I do - I use a razor saw as well. Can't get on with scribers 

[The Wooksta!]

For scribing, a scalpel blade and then a pin in a pin vice does me.  I've an Ofla P cutter somewhere but never got on with it, although apparently they're ideal for cutting out vacforms.

[PR19_Kit]

I've got an Olfa P cutter and a Tamiya one too. Both work OK, but scribing in different directions though.

I can't imagine scribing with a razor saw, I'd end up with the model back in kit form!

[McColm]

Thanks for your replies.

[Go4fun]

Then there is the latest Exacto blade for those big cutting jobs.