What are your top 3 must-have modeling tools?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

EDIT - OK OK Put down as many tools as you think necessary.

I just received the latest issue of the MicroMark catalog. I wanted to find out all of your thoughts on what are some the essential tools (top 3 or more) that all model railroaders should have.

Thanks,

2

  1. a full Xacto knife set, including the razor saw and plenty of #11 blades.

  2. a scale rule that includes O, HO, and N scales.

  3. a push drill (not pin vise) and plenty of micro drillbits.

My #4 tool is a reverse-action tweezers (the kind that OPEN when you squeeze them). I use these four tools the most, as in virtually every model I build. All sorts of other tools are useful, but see much less use than the above basics.

3

Only 3?
I would have to say: X-acto knife w/ No. 11 blade, small screwdriver w/ changable tips, and tweezers. (I like mine w/ bent tips)

Close Second almost manditory with No.1 rank: Needle Nose Pliers (flat jaws), Needle files, Scale Ruller

Very, very important: Pin vice (and a collection of small drills) heavier screwdriver(s) than “Jeweler’s”, a good collection of paint burshes, razor saw, clamps, machine squares, soldering gun, electrical multimeter, roto-tool (small and 1/4" power drill both), air brush & of course accessories for all. A hammer, center punch, and nail set.

Mounting board, squaring blocks, and a good computer w/ drafting program and graphics output is nice too.

I’m not counting supplies like paint, glue, sandpaper, double sticky-back tape, liquid rubber, etc.

That ought to get one started.
Randy

4

Yeah, three does sound very limiting…
I would have to say X-acto knife, a set of jewelers screwdrivers (OK, this may count as more than one), and my dremel.

BC

5

The 3 most-used hand tools I have, as other people have already mentioned, are an X-acto knife set, various sized tweezers, and a screwdriver set. I actually have two screwdriver sets that see almost daily use – one is a set of six with long shafts, and the other is a set of six with very small tips. A NMRA gauge and scale ruler are other essentials. And don’t forget a Dremel for sawing and drilling.

6

  1. Xacto knife: personaly, I only use #10 and #11 blades, but having a full set of blades is a good idea.

  2. Rail cutters: these thing make cutting track MUCH easier.

  3. A good metal (not plastic) ruler: measuring stuff is very important in model railroading, and a durable ruler will be very helpful; a calipur can be better in some instances, but costs more.

7

OK OK - Put down as many as you think necessary.

8

Precision small nut drivers in metric/inch, a must for steam guys.
Pin Vise/drills
NMRA gage
Rail cutters
Xacto
Coupler height gauge
Tap & drill set
Truck tuner tool

9

I model freight cars a lot, so hee’s my list for their modeling needs:

  1. A solvent-cement dispensing tool. Much easier and less messier than using a bru***o put on plastic solvent.

  2. A sprue nipper, and/or a #11blade with handle.

3.A small scale to make sure the cars are the proper weight.

(4) Needle file set and sandpaper-very fine.

(5) Pin vise with all small sizes of bits.

(6) NMRA guage and a Kadee coupler heith guage.

Now if you’re into locomotive superdetailing and modifying (which I want to get into), you’d need some tweezer-or-needle-nose pliers to bend wire, an airbru***o repaint if necessary, a soldering gun could also be helpful, as well as a foam cradle.

And for the layout, track cutters and spikers, a set of clamps, rail cutters, and a scale ruler could be added to my (now huge) list.

I could think of plenty of other handy tools, but they’re not coming to mind right now…

10

3 must-have modeling tools
Books, Internet, Cash.

11

Drop Pit

Wheel Lathe

200 Ton Overhead Crane

Only 3?

Rats. I could also really use a magnaflux machine.

Andre

12

1- Needle Nose plyers with spring handles
2- X-acto knife (with a box of fresh blades)
3- Dremmel Tool (it’s amazing where these keep coming in handy)

Those are my top 3…

NEXT…

[:)]

13

Xuron tools–I have the rail cutter, the sprue cutter, the pliers for spiking track and the pliers for removing spikes. I have used these a lot lately as I have been doing a lot of trackwork.

14

All the above are great and indispensible, but one of my favorites not yet mentioned is a screw picker. That’s a three-pronged device from Micro-Mark that makes it easy to pick up and insert screws where fingers don’t fit.

15

In no particular order:
Flat sided toothpicks.
Optivisor.
Xacto knife and assorted blades.
Pin vise and assorted bits.
Assorted files and emery board.
Tweezers - needle nose and bent nose.
Desk light.
NASG gauge and Kadee coupler height gauge.
small diet scale
set of small scewdrivers.

Well, that’s more than three. These are my essentials, but of course there are more that are helpful. I think my second hobby is collecting tools[:D][:D]

Enjoy
Paul

16

Needlenose pliers [:)][:)] My favorite tool [:)]

Screwdriver

Hobby Knife

Drills

Light

PATIENCE

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Wits, intelligence & most important PATIENCE!!!

Gordon

18

I see someone is thinking!!! [(-D][(-D] ROFL [(-D][(-D]

19
  1. A 0.5 mm Drill
  2. A tweezer
  3. A Xacto Knife
20

MY TOP 3 plus one are:

1 MONEY

  1. Walthers & MicroMark latest catalogs.

  2. Kato, Atlas, BLI, P2K, and Athearn models.

  3. More MONEY.