Switch Theme:

Tool suggestions (UK)  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
  • No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
  • Times and dates in your local timezone.
  • Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
  • Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
  • Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.




Made in us
Ferocious Blood Claw



South Wales

Hey guys!

I'm replacing my entire toolkit with some better stuff. The end goal being to magnetise any and all of my space wolves elites/vehicles.

I've picked up a few things but I'm specicially looking for the best/opinion on the items below. And where to get in the UK for a decent price, I've picked up Sable Series 7 brushes (0,00,000) and love them!

Pin Vice - 0.5mm - 5mm. I had considered a dremel.. But honestly seems like alot of money for something that's going to make holes 1-2mm deep.. Not to mentioned plastic melts.
Small, Medium and Large drybrushes. As it stands the GW ones seem to be the best. Odd really!
Green Stuff molding tools. I am new at this.. And literally have no starting point beyond 'Metal are better' / Blue stuff?
Model Saw. Army painter?
Cutter/Mold line remover .. My head tells me a normal wire cutter is bad.

I appreciate the help! Expect new project pics soon too
   
Made in gb
[DCM]
Moustache-twirling Princeps





Gone-to-ground in the craters of Coventry

Hi there.

GW's pin vice does well enough for me.
I have a 1mm bit in one and a 1.5mm bit in a second one.

I paint with size 2 brushes normally. Others for other uses.

But, you'll have worked out what you need by now.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/01/21 14:41:27


6000 pts - Harlies: 1000 pts - 4000 pts - 1000 pts - 1000 pts DS:70+S+G++MB+IPw40k86/f+D++A++/cWD64R+T(T)DM+
IG/AM force nearly-finished pieces: http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/images-38888-41159_Armies%20-%20Imperial%20Guard.html
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw (probably)
Clubs around Coventry, UK https://discord.gg/6Gk7Xyh5Bf 
   
Made in au
Anti-Armour Swiss Guard






Newcastle, OZ

You'll need 2 sets of tools for sculpting.
The metal one is good for some tasks, but silicone tipped "clay shapers" will come in handy for other sculpting jobs.

Also, when it comes to tools, equivalents (and often better) tools are available at other places than GW, and often for much less.

Sprue cutters/clippers and mold-line removal are usually two separate tasks using different tools. I use a pair of tungsten carbide bladed straight nippers from my electronics tool kit that cost me less than GW sell their "sprue clippers" for.
Mould line removal - back of an x-acto blade (in the handle) - the not-cutting side. You can also use small files or fingernail emery boards.


I'm OVER 50 (and so far over everyone's BS, too).
Old enough to know better, young enough to not give a ****.

That is not dead which can eternal lie ...

... and yet, with strange aeons, even death may die.
 
   
Made in gb
Speedy Swiftclaw Biker





Piejonny wrote:
Hey guys!

I'm replacing my entire toolkit with some better stuff. The end goal being to magnetise any and all of my space wolves elites/vehicles.

I've picked up a few things but I'm specicially looking for the best/opinion on the items below. And where to get in the UK for a decent price, I've picked up Sable Series 7 brushes (0,00,000) and love them!

Pin Vice - 0.5mm - 5mm. I had considered a dremel.. But honestly seems like alot of money for something that's going to make holes 1-2mm deep.. Not to mentioned plastic melts.
Small, Medium and Large drybrushes. As it stands the GW ones seem to be the best. Odd really!
Green Stuff molding tools. I am new at this.. And literally have no starting point beyond 'Metal are better' / Blue stuff?
Model Saw. Army painter?
Cutter/Mold line remover .. My head tells me a normal wire cutter is bad.

I appreciate the help! Expect new project pics soon too


For a plastic cutter I have found these to be ideal:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Modelcraft-PPL5703-Side-Cutter/dp/B001AE5ZTQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1516615509&sr=8-3&keywords=plastic+clippers

I bought a second pair after the first as a backup. For mold line removing I use an exacto knife style blade. Any one of those will do. Some people seem to rate the GW mold line remover but I can't bring myself to buy GW overpriced tools. A craft knife has other uses too.
   
Made in no
Grisly Ghost Ark Driver





There are better pin vices than GWs, I recommend getting more than one.

If you drill bigger holes or holes in cramped spaces, you'd typically start with a small drill bit to pinpoint the exact location, then widen the hole with ever larger bits


Automatically Appended Next Post:
The GW ones are quite poor quality, they will unscrew the chuck as you drill. (Mine does)

Something like this will cover a wider array of drill bit sizes and be a lot sturdier

https://www.jaycar.com.au/medias/sys_master/images/9023952060446/pin-viceImageMain-515.jpg

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/01/23 19:19:53


 
   
Made in gb
[DCM]
Moustache-twirling Princeps





Gone-to-ground in the craters of Coventry

That is my experience too.
1mm bit for guide holes and for brass rods, and a 1.5 bit in another for magnets. Any bigger bits are done by hand.

The head of the GW pin vice does have a habit of unscrewing when you press down much.

6000 pts - Harlies: 1000 pts - 4000 pts - 1000 pts - 1000 pts DS:70+S+G++MB+IPw40k86/f+D++A++/cWD64R+T(T)DM+
IG/AM force nearly-finished pieces: http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/images-38888-41159_Armies%20-%20Imperial%20Guard.html
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw (probably)
Clubs around Coventry, UK https://discord.gg/6Gk7Xyh5Bf 
   
Made in gb
Decrepit Dakkanaut




UK

First up most of GW's tools are pretty good to high standard - they might be overpriced compared to other options, but they are solid tools so don't worry about choosing to use them. Those suggestion not to use them typically (in fact with the exception of the pin-vice as noted above) only talking in terms of value for money compared to other choices.



These are basically identical to the ones GW used to sell before the black ones. Great little clippers


Pin Vice:
There are loads on the market and your standard silver metal simplistic pin-vice is pretty good. I would suggest that you want a pin vice that can take up to a 3mm drill bit (which is about the limit for most - note sometimes they will have two slot holders within them so many times the cap end will unscrew to access that).

Green-stuff tools:
I 100% second the suggestion to get both the standard metal tool (as shown on GW website) and the colour-shapers/clayshapers. You can also hunt around on ebay and the like for clay sculpting tools and you can get a variety of styles and types (though the standard one is good enough for a wide range of uses).
Clayshapers/colourshapers (same thing different product name) are basically like a paintbrush, but with a silicone head. You can often get them in a pack of 5 with 5 different heads. They are fantastic for working with greenstuff since whilst the metal tool is good for packing and moving it around; it will leave a raised edge. This edge requires filing/sanding down once the greenstuff is fully cured (that can take 24 hours or so).
Colourshapers work by letting you rub over the greenstuff with pressure and will smooth out those edge regions. It's much like using your finger, only you won't have to deal with fingerprints; and the tip is much thinner so it can get into a lot of tight spots. It takes a lot of work out of greenstuff working.

They come in three hardness from white (soft) to black (hard) and in theory you work black to grey to white to get the smoothest edge.


Note when working with greenstuff you want to keep a little container of water nearby. Regularly dip your tools in the water to avoid them getting stuck to the greenstuff (greenstuff is somewhat sticky until it cures). You can also use vegitable oil which will remain non-sticky for a lot longer; but you will have to wash the model (warm water and a tiny bit of soap and an old tooth brush - identical method to resin cleaning) to remove the residue once the greenstuff is fully cured (otherwise paint will have trouble affixing to any oil coated areas).


As for a cutter/mould line remover some people swear by mould line removers; others use a scalpel blade very carefully scraping at the line. The weakness of a blade is that if you don't get the angle right you can cut lines into the model if you scrape badly. I've never used a mould line remover, though that would be the one bonus of them - though I'd still expect a blade would be of use to get bits out of tiny cracks and a general scalpel is good for a wide variety of general scraping/cutting/slicing uses.
I'm actually rather fond of GW's blade as it comes with a larger handle which is well suited to holding it in the hand close to a model; whilst many standard scalpel blades are thinner and more "pen like" but they are still easily usable.

In the UK you can get Swann and Morton scalpels for less if you get the non-sterilized versions (as you're not doing medical work you don't need sterile tools). An ACM No 2 handle with ACM No. 2 blade is a good standard setup and the blade takes in and out like hte GW one with a screw (as opposed to the clip on types that can be more fiddly). If you get off ebay or hobby stores you can likely pick up a packet of 5 or 10 or so blades (they will go blunt over time so having spares is good)
ACM2

A Blog in Miniature

3D Printing, hobbying and model fun! 
   
 
Forum Index » Painting & Modeling
Go to: