Nifty Modelling Tools

[Straightliner59]

  On 4/19/2021 at 4:49 PM, ChrisBcritter said:

Far out suggestion, man! 

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Hey, man. I only know about the containers! ?

[NOBLNG]

  On 4/19/2021 at 11:56 PM, TransAmMike said:

I guess I have problems getting each piece exactly the same. I try to measure them but I always seem to either missmark it or the ruler slips a little.

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I’ve got two steel rulers I use a lot. The 6” one is marked in 32nds and 64ths. The bigger one I mostly use as a straight edge. It’s easier to hold down and keeps my fingers farther away from the cut. I will also use the micrometer to transfer measurements.

[Tom Geiger]

  On 4/19/2021 at 11:56 PM, TransAmMike said:

I guess I have problems getting each piece exactly the same. I try to measure them but I always seem to either missmark it or the ruler slips a little.

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Mike, to get two pieces to match, I tape them together and sand the edges until they are the same.  Above are my Jeep sides, see where they are still taped together.. then folded over.

And here they are as part of the body. It’s important to get things straight and true when scratch building.

Note the inner fender.. I made two sets of these until I got what I wanted. The beauty of working with Evergreen sheet is that you can try again! We seldom get it right every time!

[hedotwo]

I'm an admitted toolaholic and have lots of favorites.  I think alot of what you find your favorite has to do with what type of builds you do.  I primarily restore stuff so I rely on tools for disassembly and body work.  

First is a good set of riffler files.  I have a few different sets of different cut depth.  This one is from a rougher cut set but it works when you have lots of quick shaping to do.  I love rifflers because you can use them in tighter spots, although I also have an assortment of conventional files.  Not to mention a huge assortment of sanding stuff... paper, foam, sticks, etc.

 

Next is my scraper.  This is likely my most used tool.  Don't  ask the brand because I've forgotten.  The hardened three sided scrapers does alot of things well and you can lean on it a bit without worrying about the blade.  The fine point gets into the smallest spaces.

 

Last are my Tamiya engraving tools that are great for cleanly cutting new lines or deepening existing.  They come in different widths and I use primarily the .3mm and .5mm.  I have the .1mm but it's so thin I'm afraid to use it much for fear of breaking it.  I have an assortment of scribers and each have a use.  These are pricey but I'm glad I have them for certain things.  My go to scriber for general use is the Trumpeter.  The tool inserted in the photo below is the Tamiya straight edge.

[TransAmMike]

  On 4/20/2021 at 1:55 AM, NOBLNG said:

I’ve got two steel rulers I use a lot. The 6” one is marked in 32nds and 64ths. The bigger one I mostly use as a straight edge. It’s easier to hold down and keeps my fingers farther away from the cut. I will also use the micrometer to transfer measurements.

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That micrometer/ruler would be helpful for precise measurements for sure.

  On 4/20/2021 at 3:03 AM, Tom Geiger said:

Mike, to get two pieces to match, I tape them together and sand the edges until they are the same.  Above are my Jeep sides, see where they are still taped together.. then folded over.

And here they are as part of the body. It’s important to get things straight and true when scratch building.

Note the inner fender.. I made two sets of these until I got what I wanted. The beauty of working with Evergreen sheet is that you can try again! We seldom get it right every time!

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Thanks Tom, good suggestion.

[Tom Geiger]

A couple tools I had a hand in creating, NNL East give aways! We wanted to give folks something they could use!

The duster was a big hit. I still get a thrill when I see someone using one while setting their models up at a show.

We designed the ruler and had it printed by a specialty company that did measuring devices. One side is 1/24 and the other 1/25. We came up with the centering device to differentiate it from anything on the market. It does come in handy.

We thought we’d share these far and wide to convince people to work to scale. Note that it’s all inches, so nobody has to work with inch/feet conversions.

I’ve been involved with engineering and design my whole career and worked with scale rulers on the drafting board. So working in scale in my hobby came naturally to me. It’s essential if you scratch build!

 

 

 

[misterNNL]

  On 4/19/2021 at 12:08 AM, Straightliner59 said:

I had the same issue, and boxed it up, and sent it to a friend. Figured that, if I was going to be sanding, anyway, I might as well save the space.

I have a couple of contributions to make, here.

First, I bought these punches and this doming block and punch set, and the set of hole punches at Harbor Freight. Granted, they not something that everyone needs, or  would use. I have used them, in conjunction with one another, many times, over the years I've owned them. Typically, when I use the doming block, I've used the punches first. Vice-versa isn't always the case. Together, I used them to make the reflectors for these headlights from tooling aluminum. They can also be used to form tank ends, or any other partially spherical piece.

I found some of these plastic containers at one of the dispensaries (I probably should go back there, just to acquire more of these, they've proved so useful!). They work beautifully for  things like pins, small parts for a specific project, and leftover bits and pieces that are just too tiny to live amongst the general population of scratchbuilding materials! Their wide tops make them super-easily  accessible. And they stack nicely.

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I just saw this thread today for the first time and have to ask where did you find those super cool vintage headlights?? I build a lot of antique vehicles and those would be very much at home there. Thanks to anyone who can steer me in the right direction.

[misterNNL]

  On 4/20/2021 at 4:44 PM, Tom Geiger said:

A couple tools I had a hand in creating, NNL East give aways! We wanted to give folks something they could use!

The duster was a big hit. I still get a thrill when I see someone using one while setting their models up at a show.

We designed the ruler and had it printed by a specialty company that did measuring devices. One side is 1/24 and the other 1/25. We came up with the centering device to differentiate it from anything on the market. It does come in handy.

We thought we’d share these far and wide to convince people to work to scale. Note that it’s all inches, so nobody has to work with inch/feet conversions.

I’ve been involved with engineering and design my whole career and worked with scale rulers on the drafting board. So working in scale in my hobby came naturally to me. It’s essential if you scratch build!

 

 

 

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Where can I get a set of these for my own use??

[Tom Geiger]

  On 4/20/2021 at 5:25 PM, misterNNL said:

Where can I get a set of these for my own use??

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Tom.. I tried to send you a PM.. says you cannot receive them!

[misterNNL]

  On 4/20/2021 at 5:58 PM, Tom Geiger said:

Tom.. I tried to send you a PM.. says you cannot receive them!

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  On 4/20/2021 at 5:58 PM, Tom Geiger said:

Tom.. I tried to send you a PM.. says you cannot receive them!

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  On 4/20/2021 at 5:58 PM, Tom Geiger said:

Tom.. I tried to send you a PM.. says you cannot receive them!

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It must my PIA brand computer again as I had someone else tell me that same thing a couple days ago. My email is woody42@woh.rr.com

[NOBLNG]

  On 4/20/2021 at 4:33 PM, TransAmMike said:

That micrometer/ruler would be helpful for precise measurements for sure.

Thanks Tom, good suggestion.

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It is! It doesn’t have to be expensive, a cheapo from HF is fine. I use mine a lot for checking the thicknesses of all my styrene sheet off cuts and the dimensional accuracy of the Evergreen and Plastruct shapes. If you’re going to scratchbuild anything, you need one.?

Edited April 20, 2021 by NOBLNG

[Modelbuilder Mark]

  On 4/19/2021 at 3:46 AM, NOBLNG said:

I’ve posted this previously, but this is an easy to make trim scriber. Any stiff wire would work. Chuck it in a drill and sharpen it before bending.You can vary the width by spreading it or rotating it off 90 degrees.  Sure beats free-handing it!

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This one is a great tool tip, that I have planned to use MANY times, and inevitably forget until I see it again. LOL

[OldNYJim]

  On 4/20/2021 at 4:44 PM, Tom Geiger said:

A couple tools I had a hand in creating, NNL East give aways! We wanted to give folks something they could use!

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What a GREAT idea!  Love them!

[TarheelRick]

  On 4/19/2021 at 10:54 PM, peteski said:

If you have problems. maybe on of those rotary-cutter paper cutters would work for you?  I have one, but have not tried it on styrene.

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I have used my rotary-paper cutter on styrene for years.  It cuts the thin stuff normally with one pass, some of the thicker sheet requires a couple passes and maybe even having to snap it.  Just ordered a new set of blades for mine, got a cutting wheel and a scoring wheels.  Haven't tried the scoring wheel yet, but I believe it should work quite well on the thicker stuff.

[Straightliner59]

  On 4/20/2021 at 5:20 PM, misterNNL said:

I just saw this thread today for the first time and have to ask where did you find those super cool vintage headlights?? I build a lot of antique vehicles and those would be very much at home there. Thanks to anyone who can steer me in the right direction.

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Those are from the Monogram 26 Mack truck. 

[misterNNL]

  On 4/21/2021 at 7:15 AM, Straightliner59 said:

Those are from the Monogram 26 Mack truck. 

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Thanks Dave. Now the search begins.

[thatz4u]

from Harbor Freight....for $9.99 great for scratch building...

[youpey]

  On 4/21/2021 at 2:24 PM, thatz4u said:

from Harbor Freight....for $9.99 great for scratch building...

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i have this exact one that i use for my rc cars. its great

[peteski]

Yes, a digital caliper is one of indispensable modeling tools if you do anything more than just glue kits together.  I prefer the metal (stainless) version. Mine also came from Harbor Freight and I think I paid $20 (about 20 years ago). I couldn't' model without it.

[Bugatti Fan]

Cutting straight lines in styrene sheet of card. The practice is to do multiple cuts along the same line until the blade works its way through. Trying to cut too heavily in one go generally causes inaccuracy and slippages.

There is a special type of steel rule named a Maun Rule designed for use with cutting blade tools. Art suppliers should stock them.

Edited April 22, 2021 by Bugatti Fan

[Straightliner59]

I have an old Starrett paper micrometer I got from  friend who used to work in a paper warehouse. I use it all the time.

[NOBLNG]

  On 4/22/2021 at 8:30 AM, Bugatti Fan said:

Cutting straight lines in styrene sheet of card. The practice is to do multiple cuts along the same line until the blade works its way through. Trying to cut too heavily in one go generally causes inaccuracy and slippages.

There is a special type of steel rule named a Maun Rule designed for use with cutting blade tools. Art suppliers should stock them.

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[Big John]

I have found that using the arch typical Exacto #11 blade will often wander off line because of the thin blade tip, especially if too much pressure is applied. They are great for curves and inside radius clean up however for straight lines I prefer a # 16 which gives you much more control.

[jaftygas]

  On 4/20/2021 at 1:55 AM, NOBLNG said:

I’ve got two steel rulers I use a lot. The 6” one is marked in 32nds and 64ths. The bigger one I mostly use as a straight edge. It’s easier to hold down and keeps my fingers farther away from the cut. I will also use the micrometer to transfer measurements.

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The instrument at the top is a 6” set of calipers, not a micrometer. Just thought I’d let you know.

[Bugatti Fan]

I have a Swedish made Vernier Caliper that I have used constantly from when I was an apprentice say back in the 60's.

Good quality tools last if looked after. My little vernier wasn't cheap, but I never had to replace it.

A micrometer like Joe said is a different measuring tool altogether. It has a bow shaped frame with engraved inner and outer barrels. It works by placing what you want to measure between the frame and screwing gently to bring the fixed and moving parts against the workpiece. In inch measurements a number of  separate micrometers need to be used for different ranges. 0 to 1 inch, 1 to 2 inch and so forth for example.

Edited May 26, 2023 by Bugatti Fan