Invaluable modeling tools. Share yours!

[albeback]

Has to be a bottle of 20 year old Glenlivet!! It's taken a beating recently  - especially after the fun I had with my twin Victor!!

[PR19_Kit]

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

She'll have her arm with that, you mark my words!

[rickshaw]

There's always someone who has to over-compensate...

I don't scribe.  I have a P-cutter but I find it is more useful for cutting things like fuselages in half and panels out of plasticard than anything else.  Like Kit, I'd be too afraid to use a razor saw!  Either I'd cut the model in half or my fingers off!   

[The Wooksta!]

Never cut along a panel line - cut about 2mm outside where you need and file it back. 

Made the mistake of following Paragon's cut line instructions too closely and nowt ever fitted.

[Rheged]

A mug of coffee!  Makes you pause and think.  To quote my late  great-grand-mother "There's some jobs that need a great deal of standing still and looking at"

[Hobbes]

Initially I tried using a scalpel blade, but the cuts made by a scalpel are so narrow they get filled in by the first layer of paint. With the razor saw I can dig a 'trench' that won't be filled by paint.

I'm using this sort of blade:


It's a bit thicker than a scalpel, and just the right size for a panel line.

I generally start with a single stroke of the saw to mark a line in the plastic, then I use only the tip of the blade to deepen the panel line.

[FAR148]

Silly Putty 

http://www.finescale.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/b/3/1/sillyputtymasking.pdf


Steven L 

[FAR148]

Got two more great tools. The first one I came up with myself. I'm always using my Xactos as part holder. Mainly for airbrushing then letting them dry that not in my work space. One of my buddy calls them spears for G.I. Joe! At your local grocery store somewhere they have wooden skewers for Shish Kabobs. I've found the best one are made of bamboo. I first cut them on half, so you get two holders from one skewer. Next I cut a groove down the center about 1/2 inch. You can go deep if you like. Then I slide a fresh no# 11 blade into the groove and super glue it to the skewer. For added support, I cut a piece of electric tape(about 4 inches) and tightly wrap the base of the blade.





This one I discovered sometime ago. Sanding sticks. Some are better then others. Some seem to last for years and other about 5 minutes. The best ones(that I've found) are not for modeling, they're for finger nails. finger nail files comes in all types of grits, from very coarse to super fine for polishing. They also come in many different shapes and sizes. And the best part is the price. I got these 5(2 coarse, 2 medium and a polisher) for about 10 bucks. Try your local beauty supply store. I got mine from Sally beauty supply.



Steven L 

[scooter]

Silly Putty 

http://www.finescale.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/b/3/1/sillyputtymasking.pdf


Steven L 

doesn't silly putty leave a waxy residue?

I never ran into residue problems using it.

[zenrat]

Silly Putty  

http://www.finescale.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/b/3/1/sillyputtymasking.pdf


Steven L  

doesn't silly putty leave a waxy residue?

I never ran into residue problems using it.

Blu Tac does the same job, is easier to get and has many other uses like adding nose weight, temporarily holding things together and holding parts for painting.
Leaves no residue.

[jcf]

 Depends where you live, in my experience Silly Putty is easier to find in the US than BluTac.

[Weaver]

Blu Tack can leave residue sometimes. The thinners used when airbrushing seems to make it stickier, and it can be quite hard to get off. Usually, rolling another piece over it pulls off the residue, but it can stuck in nooks and crannies and be very hard to get off. I've ended up painting Blu Tack black when it's been stuck down intakes and exhausts.

[Weaver]

I've heard of something called White Tack which is supposed to be better than Blu Tack, but I've never seen it in the shops.

[PR19_Kit]

White Tack is rarer than Blue Tack for sure, but WH Smith sell it IIRC.

We have some in stock at the PR19 Hangar but it's STRICTLY under the control of the female of the species, particularly for 'test fitting' pictures on the wall prior to me being called in for a more permanent solution..... 

[NARSES2]

White Tack is rarer than Blue Tack for sure, but WH Smith sell it IIRC.

Yes they do as do "proper" stationery and art shops. We have a local "student" stationery shop that sells it. Never tried it however.

I must admit one of the aids that doesn't leave my bench is my pack of Pound Store double sided sticky pads. mainly used for holding smaller pieces whilst painting or gluing but do have other uses. Can't recommend them enough. Plus because we have pound store wars on going in Croydon at the moment everything in the Pound Store (other cheap shops are available  ) is 95p