What do you consider your best modeling purchase?

[philo426]

I vote for my Paasche D-500 compressor.I purchased it in '88 for a C-note and apart from the time I sent it back to the factory in '92(fixed at no charge despite the expiration of the warranty)it has been a rock solid reliable performer.How about you?

Edited May 27, 2013 by philo426

[Tom Geiger]

Okay.. two maybe three items. In the top photo is my eXacto brand battery power drill. I bought it at a hobby shop because my inlaws gave me a gift certificate. I've never seen another one since. I dread the day it dies! I use it every day.

Next would be my cushion handle eXacto knife. It's much nicer than the hard handle.

The bottom photo is the Chopper 2. I do a lot of scratch building with basswood and Evergreen plastic and it makes easy work of getting perfect cuts.

[Foxer]

a Dremel Stylus cordless. It runs at slow speed, which my plug-in Dremel says it can, but doesn't. It's very comfortable and can be held in many ways to suit the job.

[AZ Boy]

Mine wasn't exactly a "purchase". I was given a dremel set from my Father-in-Law about fifteen years ago. It's not cordless, but it's still going and I use it extensively on all of my builds.

[PowerPlant]

  On 5/27/2013 at 4:39 PM, Foxer said:

a Dremel Stylus cordless. It runs at slow speed, which my plug-in Dremel says it can, but doesn't. It's very comfortable and can be held in many ways to suit the job.

Totally agree with this one... Makes life so much easier

[PappyD340]

Yep it would have to be the Dremel I didn't buy it for modeling it was bought for something else but it stays on my workbench all the time now!!

[Austin T]

My first kit, without it all the other things I bought would have been pointless.

[MAGNUM4342]

Dremel for me as well. Modeling was never easier.

[Darin Bastedo]

My best purchase? When I spent my meager 6 year old allowance on this. It is what got me hooked...

[Gramps2u]

My first model kit , The "T for Two" bought it at a five & dime back in 1967. The beginnings of a life long hobby.

[Brett Barrow]

Hands down, Tamiya's painting stand, no doubt about it.

[george 53]

Sprue nippers. Best tool since sliced bread.

[Guest]

The best deal I ever got IMO was buying some kits direct from a guy in Arizona. I bought the following from him:

AMT International Transtar II Eagle COE (sealed)

AMT Lowboy trailer (sealed)

(2) AMT John Deere 4430 tractors (sealed)

(2) AMT John Deere 310 Backhoes (sealed)

AMT '77 Ford F-350 with camper (sealed inside)

I got all of these for $210 shipped. I've got a lot of great deals on Ebay also. But, there's no way I could have gotten all of those kits separately for that price from there. I've seen the Transtar II go for well over $100 many times.

[1320wayne]

Two things.

An original, complete AMT 62 Nova for $10 bucks at an antique store.

And more importantly. The $20 bucks that I spent for my visor, magnifier so that I can continue all of my small detail work on models with failing eyesight, due to cataracts. Surgery forthcoming.

[Jantrix]

In Florida? My spray booth no question.

[gtx6970]

My retracatable X acto cutter pen. Works perfect for gliding along to cut BMF wih ease

[von Zipper]

I don't know if it's "THE" best modeling purchase I have ever made, but it's one of my favorites. Got this 1970 Toronado glue bomb off eBay for $16.50

after 24 hours in Dawn Power Dissolver

[imarriedawitch]

Sirius XM for the work bench.

[robertw]

  On 5/27/2013 at 4:39 PM, Foxer said:

a Dremel Stylus cordless. It runs at slow speed, which my plug-in Dremel says it can, but doesn't. It's very comfortable and can be held in many ways to suit the job.

I agree!! I found it so useful over other hobby drills that I had owned or used that I bought a second just so that I'd have a spare on hand if my first failed, so far it hasn't.

I haven't seen one on store shelves for some time, are they still being made?

[Ace-Garageguy]

My old corded Dremel has become the single most often used tool on my bench. I never woulda thunk it.

I'm also surprised by how often i use the digital calipers and the calculator, too. Several times every build.

Edited May 27, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy

[southpier]

got a few of them now, but 25 years ago it was a tipping point

[Danno]

$1.39.

About 10 minutes after it hit the shelf . . . 1958.

For those too young to recognize what it is, it's an AMT 1958 3n1 model kit. A 1958 Buick hardtop, to be precise.

[cobraman]

Sprue cutters and any Cobra kit I purchased. : )

[Erik Smith]

Airbrush. Mine happens to be an Iwata, but I would be happy with any nice one...

[BKcustoms]

My Badger 105 airbrush. It's the best tool I've ever purchased.