Who makes their own special tools?
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david bailey
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 11:51 pm
- Location: roanoke va.
Who makes their own special tools?
Hi all,I have several questions? Who here has made there own tools.What did you need the tool for?Did it cost alot? And least but not do you use it alot? I'm trying to see if i'm the only that makes stuff like special tools and stuff here for certain jobs when modeling.Don't be shy,lets here what you other modelers have come up with.Maybe we can help other modelers by some of the stuff others have made.So pass on your tips and suggusetions for your specail model tools.
david bailey
Define "special tools"?
I've machine down xacto handles for better balance & fit, sawed sanding sticks for tight areas, machined cutting tools, ground my own lathe cutters, taken innocent chunks of brass, steel, & aluminum and beat them into shims, holders and pokey stabby things.
I've machine down xacto handles for better balance & fit, sawed sanding sticks for tight areas, machined cutting tools, ground my own lathe cutters, taken innocent chunks of brass, steel, & aluminum and beat them into shims, holders and pokey stabby things.
Abolish Alliteration
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david bailey
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 11:51 pm
- Location: roanoke va.
follow up
Anything you made to do a certain job when modeling,furthermore stuff you needed at a certain time to help with your modeling.ant kind of tool.I make stuff all the time that can't be bought to help me along.Some stuff you might be able to buy but didn't want too so you improsed and maybe made something in a pinch that does the job well.Face it we all need tools and stuff to help us out. There is a ton of stuff that can be made in the process of creativey. I'm just looking for other ways of doing stuff with or without special tools. I'm sorry if i confused anybody.
david bailey
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Mr. Badwrench
- Posts: 9587
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- Location: Wheatridge, Co.
Well, I made a few pounce wheels.
pic 1
pic 2
I had plans on making more, but I don't know if I'll ever get 'round to it. I've also made a lot of little sculpting tools from old exacto blades, popsicle sticks, and pink erasers. And I've made some CA glue applicators by trimming the loop end of a sewing needle into a tiny fork, and pushing it into an old eraser. Not to mention bending tools and alignment jigs made especially for specific kits.
pic 1
pic 2
I had plans on making more, but I don't know if I'll ever get 'round to it. I've also made a lot of little sculpting tools from old exacto blades, popsicle sticks, and pink erasers. And I've made some CA glue applicators by trimming the loop end of a sewing needle into a tiny fork, and pushing it into an old eraser. Not to mention bending tools and alignment jigs made especially for specific kits.
I speak of the pompatous of plastic.
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TREKKRIFFIC
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- Location: Fremont, CA (near Milpitas north of Golfland USA)
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Hey that sounds like a handy tool. Think I'll try that myself !Mr. Badwrench wrote:I've made some CA glue applicators by trimming the loop end of a sewing needle into a tiny fork, and pushing it into an old eraser.
Personally, I've used metal hose clamps for scribing lines on cylinders most notably on the AMT 18" Enterprise nacelles and secondary hull.
"Well--we'll be safe for now--thank goodness we're in a bowling alley--"
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Lt. Z0mBe
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- Location: Balltown Kentucky, by God!
- Contact:
I've made simple ones that I've had for yeeeears out of paper clips just for applying super glue. I've also got one I made out of a sewing needle and a paint brush handle. Basically, I cut the eye of the needle in half and planted the needle in the shaft of the paint brush to yield a ready-made grass planter for display bases.
Additionally, every scrap credit card, hotel key card, and similar type of card I can get my hands on I save. Why? I cut them into various shapes for ready-made putty knives when flexible putty knives in weird shapes are needed.
Kenny
Additionally, every scrap credit card, hotel key card, and similar type of card I can get my hands on I save. Why? I cut them into various shapes for ready-made putty knives when flexible putty knives in weird shapes are needed.
Kenny
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Chacal
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A scriber.
Sheer elegance in its simplicity.
Political unrest in dictatorships is rather like a round of rock-paper-scissors: The oposition goes on denouncing the regime on the papers, the regime censors the papers, rock-throwing ensues.
Political unrest in dictatorships is rather like a round of rock-paper-scissors: The oposition goes on denouncing the regime on the papers, the regime censors the papers, rock-throwing ensues.
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raser13
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ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,now i know what to do next time i get a dull blade! i likey.Chacal wrote:A scriber.
i love it when a plan comes together
http://s1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/raser13/
http://s1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/raser13/
Hi David,
Most of the tools I make are sanding tools. I super glue square toothpicks to 3M wet-dry sandpaper. After they are cut out they can be cut to shape for sanding in tight areas.
Over a decade ago, I bought a 4' x 8' sheet of 1/8 inch ABS. It's smooth on on side but the deep hair cell finish on the other side makes it useless for most modeling purposes. I cut it into squares and strips and spray mount 3M wet-dry sandpaper on it. When I write the grit on the back I use different colored pens for each batch so I can tell how old the batch is. Heh in the Common Wealth of Kentucky, we cahl tham Colonel Sanders Suh.
You could make your own Flexi-Files out of piano wire. Although, it might rust. I bought a set of Flexi-Files about twenty years ago. Instead of buying their vastly overpriced plastic sanding strip replacements, I make my own out of 3M wet-dry sandpaper. I use gel super glue to make the loops. Most of the modelers I know use Gorilla Glue.
You can use double sided tape or spray mount adhesive to attach sandpaper to the outside of tubing to sand concave areas. You can cut the tubing apart and mount sandpaper on the inside to sand convex areas.
I've sharpened the end of brass tubing to make hole punches but they didn't work very well. Similarly, I've cut notches into the sharpened end of a brass tube and made a poor excuse for a hole saw.
When I needed to scribe a line a fixed height up from the flat side of some parts, I glued a stack of plastic onto an ABS base and epoxied a curved hobby blade (#10?) onto the stack. The curved portion of the blade made the initial cuts and the point scribed them to the appropriate depth. This worked much better than trying to hold the blade down on the stack with my hand.
I've made countless stands to hold parts for airbrushing and while they dry. Most of them are made from bamboo skerws, soda straws or paper clips. The parts are attached with tape, clips, blue-tac or sponges.
I bent a piece of piano wire into an airbrush stand. I slipped some heat-shrink tubing on it to keep Iwata-chan's nickel plating from getting scratched. I stick the ends of the music wire into holes drilled into my hobby table. Hey kids, check with mom before you try this on her Broyhill dining room table.
If you need to polish the inside of a small canopy cut a Q-Tip in half and chuck it in a cheap cordless drill. A Dremel is too fast.
HTH
Mike
Most of the tools I make are sanding tools. I super glue square toothpicks to 3M wet-dry sandpaper. After they are cut out they can be cut to shape for sanding in tight areas.
Over a decade ago, I bought a 4' x 8' sheet of 1/8 inch ABS. It's smooth on on side but the deep hair cell finish on the other side makes it useless for most modeling purposes. I cut it into squares and strips and spray mount 3M wet-dry sandpaper on it. When I write the grit on the back I use different colored pens for each batch so I can tell how old the batch is. Heh in the Common Wealth of Kentucky, we cahl tham Colonel Sanders Suh.
You could make your own Flexi-Files out of piano wire. Although, it might rust. I bought a set of Flexi-Files about twenty years ago. Instead of buying their vastly overpriced plastic sanding strip replacements, I make my own out of 3M wet-dry sandpaper. I use gel super glue to make the loops. Most of the modelers I know use Gorilla Glue.
You can use double sided tape or spray mount adhesive to attach sandpaper to the outside of tubing to sand concave areas. You can cut the tubing apart and mount sandpaper on the inside to sand convex areas.
I've sharpened the end of brass tubing to make hole punches but they didn't work very well. Similarly, I've cut notches into the sharpened end of a brass tube and made a poor excuse for a hole saw.
When I needed to scribe a line a fixed height up from the flat side of some parts, I glued a stack of plastic onto an ABS base and epoxied a curved hobby blade (#10?) onto the stack. The curved portion of the blade made the initial cuts and the point scribed them to the appropriate depth. This worked much better than trying to hold the blade down on the stack with my hand.
I've made countless stands to hold parts for airbrushing and while they dry. Most of them are made from bamboo skerws, soda straws or paper clips. The parts are attached with tape, clips, blue-tac or sponges.
I bent a piece of piano wire into an airbrush stand. I slipped some heat-shrink tubing on it to keep Iwata-chan's nickel plating from getting scratched. I stick the ends of the music wire into holes drilled into my hobby table. Hey kids, check with mom before you try this on her Broyhill dining room table.
If you need to polish the inside of a small canopy cut a Q-Tip in half and chuck it in a cheap cordless drill. A Dremel is too fast.
HTH
Mike
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Mr. Badwrench
- Posts: 9587
- Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 6:31 pm
- Location: Wheatridge, Co.
I've used this trick a lot. It's just about perfect for making curves where two tubular sections meet at odd angles.Wug wrote: You can use double sided tape or spray mount adhesive to attach sandpaper to the outside of tubing to sand concave areas. You can cut the tubing apart and mount sandpaper on the inside to sand convex areas.
I speak of the pompatous of plastic.
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seam-filler
- Posts: 3924
- Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2003 11:05 am
- Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
Homemade sanding sticks...
Here in the UK we can get really cheap heavy-duty self-adhesive felt pads. These are meant to protect laminate & wood flooring from funiture. The small circular pads can be used to cushion bases, but some of the pads are quite large.
Just stick the grade of wet&dry paper you want on the pad, cut to size and shape using a craft knife & you now have a custom sanding stick.
Here in the UK we can get really cheap heavy-duty self-adhesive felt pads. These are meant to protect laminate & wood flooring from funiture. The small circular pads can be used to cushion bases, but some of the pads are quite large.
Just stick the grade of wet&dry paper you want on the pad, cut to size and shape using a craft knife & you now have a custom sanding stick.
"I'd just like to say that building large smooth-skinned models should be avoided at all costs. I now see why people want to stick kit-parts all over their designs as it covers up a lot of problems." - David Sisson