International Scale Modeller

So ive only been back in the hobby for a couple of months and finding I'm spending more on tools and setup than on models. I have outlayed over $500 already without even having a finished model. I've tried to save money and bought some really el-cheapo stuff. Some have been good, some have been crap ($6 for 4set of tweezers gets you some crap metal and $6 poorer)

For noobs and people just getting started, what tools would you all consider must haves, what would you suggest people don't skimp on and where do you think are areas where we could get away without having the best and greatest, but where there are really good alternative solutions.

Spur cutters hobby knife with extra blades a means of sanding and a filler

A good set o press to open a a set of press to open tweezers also

Your priority should be the best quality craft knife you can afford with a reasonable set of sprue cutters. Make sure that you get good quality blades for your craft knife. A cutting mat (A4 or larger) is a good idea, with a set of fine files and sanding sticks/buffers. (Ultimate make good sanding sticks at very reasonable prices).

With your paint brushes, again get the best you can afford. Hope this helps mate

I think I bought that set too Kane!

Here's my not exhaustive list, I'm always buying extra things to try them out:

Get very good quality tweezers (U-star make some good ones, the Tamiya are excellent) including fine point.

Get some reverse action tweezers - Ive now got six, started with two - they are brilliant for holding things, glueing together, put aside while you work on something else and of course painting. Theres a mob in the UK I buy mine from http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/190499838024 ... 1439.l2649

An LED magnifier ring light for close up work (try your local crafts store, e.g Lindcraft) and as much overhead lights you can afford/put in place.

Stationery file organizer to file away all the little odds and ends - I get mine from Big W at $17 a pop, have 3 and they are very handy!

Tamiya masking tape - best stuff - plus get some micro tape, in 1mm width too. Makes canopy masking a snap.

Fillers: Mr Surfacer 500 and Tamiya Putty will do 95%, have some acetone/nailpolish remover at hand with cotton buds to do cleanup on seams.

Applying superglue - I use the Flexifile CA applicator, irreplaceable for fine jobs.

Pipettes and tattoo ink cups - get these by the 100 bag, just cheap pipettes to measure out paint etc without spilling and little 3ml and 5ml ink cups that tattoo artists use to mix your paints or small pigments etc. Cheap as from ebay and save a lot of mess and you can really finetune your mixes.

Paint pallette - plastic will do - any craft store or ebay will have a cheap one. Immensely helpful in doing multi weathering at once with different pigments, pastels and washes in the paint holes

Business cards - I use these to put a dob of super glue or something else toxic or not on for small jobs instead of my cutting board. I have 1000's of these from prior jobs, they are really handy.

Glues: Tamiya extra thin for almost everything, Tamiya Cement (with wide brush) for large bonding surfaces and get a variety of different super glues - gel, liquid, fast, slow. Also UV glue from Japan for glueing clear parts if you can get it - Lee/Paul did a review on this recently, I still cant get it!

Pin vise and drill bits: get a good quality set of drill bits and you can drill out exhausts, gun barrels, lightening holes etc etc and do a lot of detail work for not a lot of money

Kitchen magnetic strip for tools: can find these at good kitchen outlets, its a great way to clean up your bench and have your main metal tools (scissors, pliers, tweezers, files ) out of the way and easy to access.

Sanders/files: Ultimate or Flory sanding sticks (or Squadron, which are ok) are a must. I keep them all in a big coffee jug front and centre on the desk. But you also must get a full set of Micro Mesh sanders too - very important for paint preparation and smooth out dusty/matt paint jobs and polishing. The Flexifile flexibile sanders are expensive, but do a good job - I found the U-star "U" handle sanders to be just as good for less than half price. Also get a good quality set of fine "rifle" files of different profiles.

Micro Sol/Set: get the full set - will do all your decal prep/softening plus Micro Mask is good for small masking jobs, the KRistal Klear for glueing canopies/clear plastic parts. Thin this a bit with water.

Artists turpentine: dont get the Mig/AMMo etc turps/thinners, go to an artists store and get their odorless turps at much lower price to do your enamel based washes and cleanups

Paintbrushes: get two kinds. Cheap and nasty to do "work" like jobs, eg applying mud, plaster, heavy weathering and even drybrushing (cut the brush down), and a very very good set of flats, sabers and fines - do not skimp here as expensive paintbrushes are worth it. If you can, buy two sets, one for acrylic paints and one for oil paints. Also get a tub of brush repairer - I use "The Masters".

Knives: I have two hobby knives, one straight blade, one curved, on my desk with their blades stuck into a "tub" of packing polystrene, makes it handy and safe for access. I change the blade on the straight whenever i start a new model.

Sprue cutters: get good quality, sturdy ones from Xuron or Tamiya.

Cant think of anything else, probably a lot more, I wish someone had written this list above when i was first starting out so hope this helps!

For many years I went without a lot, while a student, so I know first hand how to get by on the cheap.

You really don't need much and if you have already spent $500, you should have all the basics, but to recap my short list for others, I suggest starting with mid grade stuff and as you proceed over the years, slowly replace if need be.

Tools;

Xacto knifes with lots of blades,
sprue cutters
Paint brushes, oils and acrylics, about six to eight all together
Cutting mat or piece of plywood to cut on
Tweezers
Set of drill bits off eBay
Badger single action 200 air brush
Compressor with tank
Paint box
Excellent light
Flexi file set
Sanding sticks

Material
Tooth picks
Pipettes
3x5 cards
Oil paint set
Glue tet
Tamyia putty
Extra blades xacto
Micro solve set
future
Latex gloves
Tamyia masking tape
3m masking tape hardware store
Pony clamps rubber tip, off eBay $8
Thinner
Windex
Paints as you go
Paper towel

99% of my work is done with these tools and material, everything else is either just fun, or makes something a little easier.

The good news is a lot of tools and supplies that you'll need or will help can be found at the dollar stores:
toothpicks for CA glue and paint
plastic clamps
masking tape (NOT for masking for paint, but taping pieces while glue glue. I also put an inch or two of tape on the work surface and put CA glue on it, then quickly throw it out when done with glue).
White glue
A local chain carries clear plastic shot-glasses. I use these to mix or thin paint in. For little dropper bottles (AK or VA or AMMO type) I'll flip the shot glass upside down and put a drop of paint on the former bottom. Once the remains of the paint dry I can flip it right side up and use it to mix/thin more paint. 20 of them for a buck.
Cheap (read disposable) paint brushes (more for diorama work than a model).
Box cutters (don't dull your good hobby knife cutting cardboard or boxes).
Bags of assorted rubber bands (holding parts while glue dries).
Trays and organizers.
Cheap cotton-buds (q-tips). Some of these actually may from time to time be better than the q-tip brand. When using Micro-Sol I leave the bud in the bottle, the cheap ones have a plastic shaft and are unaffected, q-tips have a cardboard shaft and will soak up the fluid, wasting fluid and becoming very soft and flexible.

You can fill a shopping basket (not cart) with stuff for modelling at the dollar store and it can cost only $20.

Gb64c wrote:You really don't need much and if you have already spent $500, you should have all the basics, but to recap my short list for others,

To be fair, it's about $500 NZ (about 250 UKP), not all of it well spent.

BTW What's Windex for?

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I'm sure it will come in handy for not just me. Ive taken all the suggestions and am adding it to myspreadsheet of "S**t to buy or steal"

Windex is for cleaning up future/Klear out of your airbrush (get the ammonia Windex, not the one labelled "non-ammonia" which is usually blue) and also as a pre-cleaner and mid-cleaner for airbrushing - I squirt a bit in the nozzle from time to time on big jobs, does a good job of keeping the tip clean, especially in high humidity/heat when the paint keeps drying to the tip. I only use the "Gucci" airbrush cleaner for the actual cleans (final or when changing to next paint)

Also good for cleaning your cutting mat - or use Isoproyl alcholol but Windex is cheaper.

I too have a big spreadsheet for modelling Kane! On my "things to get list" I have:

Prismacolor pencils for weathering
plaster of paris/spakfilla for diorama fill
soldering iron (small) to do impacts in plastic for armored vehicles
Flightpose stand (www.flightpose.com) costs $10 each plus same for shipping, will get a couple soon
oh and the whole range of Mr Hobby and Akan paints!!

oh and get a good PE bender - im using the RB productions one and its okay, but will get a more sturdy one for larger pieces...

Thanks Chris. Im not too sure if I'll use Klear at the moment. Maybe pre-decalling. Have to get it imported, probably like you. I read somewhere that ammonia can strip the finish of the airbrush so a bit of cellulose thinner is good. But i did just use some ArmourAll glass cleaner to wipe my cutting mat last night lol.

Thanks for the tip about Flightpose too. Added to the list. Mr Hobby, and Alclad are the paints I want to start building up.

No worries. Yeah I'm only really using Klear for pre decals and canopy dipping now - using Alclad Gloss for final coats. I was lucky to get a few bottles of Klear from the distributor who lives around the corner from me.

Only finish thats come off my airbrushes is in the color cup, been using Windex from day one (done about 20 kits with the AB)

Alclads are awesome - ive finally got the whole set now! Have a few Mustangs in the stash I want to get going on to do NMF!

cib2265 wrote:Have a few Mustangs in the stash I want to get going on to do NMF!

ARRRRHHHHHH


Probably still a bargain though

BTW What's Windex for?

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I'm sure it will come in handy for not just me. Ive taken all the suggestions and am adding it to myspreadsheet of "S**t to buy or steal" [/quote]


I use Windex for a lot of things, it removes the acrylic paint from my hands, work surfaces, clean my paint box to remove dust prior to painting, clean my airbrush thoroughly and I use it to clean my models prior to painting, heavy spray and sit for a minute or two, and rinse, dry and paint the next day.

I think some people thin with it, it is basically ammonia, which I used to thin with but it stinks.

grover wrote:Thanks Chris. Im not too sure if I'll use Klear at the moment. Maybe pre-decalling. Have to get it imported, probably like you. I read somewhere that ammonia can strip the finish of the airbrush so a bit of cellulose thinner is good. But i did just use some ArmourAll glass cleaner to wipe my cutting mat last night lol.

Thanks for the tip about Flightpose too. Added to the list. Mr Hobby, and Alclad are the paints I want to start building up.

I have used Windex, not straight ammonia in my airbrush for years, I wash it with water afterwards, so it does not soak in it.

I saw your post with the cost of the Future, but it will last for years