Lesson 2: Tools

To build plastic models, you will need to create a tool kit of basic tools and materials as well as more specialised tools and materials. For the most part, inexpensive tools and materials are available and you can even find household and hardware items to fill up your tool kit.

The basic tool/material list is:

Additional tools and materials can include files for sanding various surfaces and opening holes, pliers for cutting and holding pieces, and drills and various drill bits for making holes. A great number of homemade tools can be used including adapting common items to do another job, for example, twisting a wire coat hanger into a holder for painting models or using rubber bands as a means of holding parts together while gluing.

Here is a list of all the kind of easily obtainable tools and a suggested use in modelling: scissors (cutting decal sheets), nail clippers (separating parts on the sprue), toothpicks (to replace small plastic parts, to hold parts like wheels for painting or for stirring paint), swizel sticks (for paint stirring and mixing), dental picks (just ask your dentist for old picks which are great for cleaning up filler and carving plastic), kitchen cleansers (for washing plastic parts), small plastic or glass tubs or containers (to hold parts, for decal solutions and paint mixing), transparent plastic tapes (for masking or for holding parts), plasticine or clay (for holding parts and weight distribution), black ink (for detailing parts such as panel lines), and tweezers (great for holding parts and positioning them). There are many other items that you may find and adapt to modelling. Just add them to this list.

The big challenge is to learn to use each of the tools and make the most of them. Remember the old adage that a good workman (or craftsperson) never blames his tools.

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