Your six essential modelling tools

My list is identical to yours Mike !

@ metalhead85: creading (Charles) gets the credit. I quoted him.

—mike

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Oh yes I’d have to include a handy tool that would be categorized under references……

I would refer to this when things weren’t going so well lol

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Can you believe I ordered one from a bar in Kansas a while back, and they brought it to me with no orange slice? She didn’t even know it was supposed to have one.

Please tell me you don’t already have your tree up. They’re already stocking Christmas items at Hobby Lobby.

Lol I usually toss the orange wedge once I get the beer, and no that pic was from last Xmas !

Sounds to me like your server needs remedial training lol
In all honesty here in NY I get it about 50% of the time.

The Loctite superglue in the bottle with the blue squeeze pieces are the best because you can put controlled amounts of glue on paper/foil to use for a period of time or put a small bit on the model (if you really insist).

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My 6 essential tools right now are:

  1. X-Acto handle with #11 blades
  2. Tamiya Super thin and Loctite gel control super glue
  3. Side cutters/sprue nippers
  4. needle nose and reverse-action tweezers
  5. Sandpaper
  6. A paperclip unraveled and duct taped to a broken brush handle (used mainly for applying superglue)
  1. Optivisor because the others won’t matter without it
  2. Sprue nipper
  3. Emory boards/400 grit sandpaper
  4. Tweezers
  5. Pin vise and drills
  6. Razor saw

Surprised no one has mentioned a Dremel yet. Absolutely essential for me.

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Good list. Tamiya masking tape if you’re doing planes…

Moving on from the essential tools. What would people recommend as a good starter airbrush and compressor? Also what brushes do you guys use. (Just getting started)

Welcome to Armorama.
When I first started I used a spare tire. I do not recommend the “canned air.” It works fine but is probably not environmentally friendly.
For your airbrush AND your compressor, I wouldn’t even recommend a starter set. I’d get the ones you anticipate needing when your skills improve. Why spend money twice?
You wouldn’t get a .22 revolver knowing you want to end up shooting .357 Magnum.

Thanks @18bravo. Not sure if i will ever be good enough for a Magnum !

Ah. Magnums are highly overrated. Even my wife does well with the .357.


Of course she may have had a good teacher.
But back to airbrushes - I suppose the Magnum would be some sort of double action, just like the revolver. Although I’ve seen people swear by them, I’ve never in all these years used or owned one. Perhaps I’m really missing out.
Depending upon where you are, a compressor might not be the right fit either. In extreme humidity I found that even with a water trap my airbrush would sometimes spit water. If you start with CO2 right from the beginning you’ll never have to worry about that. It may be a tad pricey to get set up at first, but after that it’s quite economical, and quiet to boot.

Welcome aboard.

I would get one of these, have fun and if you break it, no big deal. I think they even have a compressor set too.

A very important tool to have if you use a metal thing to apply superglue (such as the brass toothpicks or, in my case, a paperclip duct-taped onto the end of an old paintbrush handle (very useful, by the way)) is duckbill pliers. The type that just have wide, flat jaws. These allow you to easily remove built up superglue and your applicator is ertty much good as new.

Light Green or Dark Green? I have both, but I use the quick-setting (light green) almost exclusively.

Otherwise, your list is exactly what I use, except for the Optivisor.

I also use CA glue for bras PE and resin.

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Light green ! Optivisor is for these poor eyes…my up close vision disappeared about 10 years ago.\Cheers,
C.

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