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Hey folks!

I bought some spehss muhrinez tonight! I’ve been researching what sprue cutters and superglue to use...looks like Xuron 2175ET sprue cutters and Gorilla glue super glue are the modelers choice.

I assume I’ll need some sandpaper and/or some files for cleaning up mold lines; I’d welcome advice on what your go-to hobby tools are for modeling.

Negative on Gorilla Glue. This is what you want...

http://www.lepage.ca/en/lepage-products/super-glue/super-glue-gel/lepage-ultra-gel-control.html

I won't use anything else for modelling. If you have a habit of knocking over minis, the rubber additives reduce the brittleness off the bond significantly.

I personally like dollar store exacto knives. Usually come with like, 3 blades per knife, and you get two knives for $1. Sweet.

I like having a pin vise for drilling pinning holes. I rarely work with metal anymore, but occasionally I get a finicky model that needs to be pinned. I'd suggest finding one with a swivel end on the "palm" side, as it makes using it more comfortable.

A nice pair of tweezers / spring loaded pliers is nice. I've got thick fingers and sometimes you just need a finer grip. Pliers are nice if you need to force a pin into a snug hole.

I recently picked up a GW model holder for painting. I don't get a cramp from holding the bases of models while I paint now. That's nice.

I keep a bottle dropper and some empty paint pots handy. I've recently gotten into blending paints, particularly custom washes. PS: You can make a wash from any paint by taking 1 part paint, 3 parts medium, and 4 parts of "clean" water and mixing it together.

That's all I can think of.

I use the Army Painter set of files, there's three with different shapes, and I love 'em.

I don't use superglue (although I understand many people do) for plastic miniatures, and instead use plastic glue (I use the Citadel one specifically, but there are others). Rather than 'gluing' the plastic, it slightly melts the plastic on the surfaces it touches, which then hardens in time back to normal plastic. So when you touch two pieces together, they're 'bonded', rather than glued. I don't know the advantages or disadvantages, other than I find superglue annoying to work with, and you have to be careful where you get the plastic glue, because it will melt detail to mush (but they come with long, easy to control nozzles, and I've even used it to carefully melt together gaps in the models). You'll still need superglue for any non-plastic parts, or gluing scenery and stuff to bases.

Finally, when it comes to painting, look up 'Wet Palette' on youtube and how to make one. Trust me, it makes painting SO much easier, and you'll save a ton of paint.

Ok. There is no possible way you need to.spend £23 on sprue cutters. You can get perfectly.servicable.and durable clippers for.under £5.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
For craft knife I can recommend the disposable snappable blade type. Maybe one scalpel type for getting into fi e details, but I actually prefer the shorter stifferr blades for better cutting control. Files are good for converting stuff but I've found that reverse scraping usi g a craft knife is better forremovi g mould lines

 greatbigtree wrote:
Negative on Gorilla Glue. This is what you want...

http://www.lepage.ca/en/lepage-products/super-glue/super-glue-gel/lepage-ultra-gel-control.html

Hello there! I looked that up - where are you buying it from? The page you linked is a product brochure and MSDS; Amazon has a Loctite brand of ultra gel...same thing? And if it is, great Gandalf - it's almost $20 for a little tube!

 greatbigtree wrote:
Negative on Gorilla Glue. This is what you want...

I like having a pin vise for drilling pinning holes. I rarely work with metal anymore, but occasionally I get a finicky model that needs to be pinned. I'd suggest finding one with a swivel end on the "palm" side, as it makes using it more comfortable.

I've never used a pin vise or pinned models...I did make a stab at magnets once, and magnetized weaponry on Ork nobs so they could swap around weapons as needed, but I literally glued magnets onto things without drilling out holes to put the magnets in, so they weren't beautiful, they were functional. If pinning is primary for metal...do I realistically need to learn how to pin models? If I do, is there a guide you'd recommend?

 Dashofpepper wrote:
If pinning is primary for metal...do I realistically need to learn how to pin models? If I do, is there a guide you'd recommend?

If you can wait 2 or 3 days, I'll provide one ... from one noob pinner to another ...

Assuming we're talking about dealing with plastic, I'm wondering why people are discussing super glue at all?

Cyanoacrylate is for metal or resin, but you really need to be using polystyrene cement on HIPS. Not only does it form a stronger bond, by effectively welding the top layers together, but it better flexes with the plastic, whereas superglue forms initially strong, but ultimately brittle joins.

There's perhaps an argument for using superglue on joints you may wish to undo in future, such as swapping weapons down the line, but not for the structural stuff.

As for mould line removal, the back of a craft knife blade does just fine for 90% of work, and some fine emery boards take care of the rest.

I can't give any direct advice on the Xurons except by reputation, all I can say is I've gone through two very cheap sets of flush cutters in about 8 years with little issue, but if I was going to spend big on a hobby tool though, it would probably be on cutters, a sharp edge that cuts flush and doesn't blunt easily is going to be a huge time saver long term.

You will never need to pin a plastic model except in the most corner of corner cases, you will need a pin vise or similar to drill the countersink holes for magnetising. This can be done with a hand operated drill, a dremel type tool or a normal power drill depending on what you're working with.

 Dashofpepper wrote:

 greatbigtree wrote:
Negative on Gorilla Glue. This is what you want...

http://www.lepage.ca/en/lepage-products/super-glue/super-glue-gel/lepage-ultra-gel-control.html

Hello there! I looked that up - where are you buying it from? The page you linked is a product brochure and MSDS; Amazon has a Loctite brand of ultra gel...same thing? And if it is, great Gandalf - it's almost $20 for a little tube!

No, it's like $5-7 CAD in any hardware store in Canada. Amazon dealers LOVE soaking people with jacked up prices.

X-Acto knives, superglue, sprue cutters, files, all can be acquired at a hardware store for a fraction of hobby store prices. The only thing that's hard to find is plastic glue. I recommend Model Master Liquid Cement for Plastic Models

hand held pin vise with drill bits(drilling gun barrels, pinning, holes for magnets),
paper clips(used for pinning),
super glue(thick variation), DON'T get plastic cement/glue,
pliers to cut plastic and metal,
ceramic tile to thin paint on,
sanding sponges(220 and finer grit),
xacto knifes 45 and 60 degree angle blades(45 for normal mold line removal use, 60 for spots that are hard to get to areas),
brushes(soft hair make up brushes for washes, bristle for dry brushing, regular for details),
brush soap(I clean mine after every few sessions),
Vellejo acrylic medium, metallic medium(few drops with some bottled water if pots starts to dry out),
micro sol decal softner, GW lahmian medium, brush on gloss varnish(decal use),
rock slate and sand, at least 3 or more grains for basing along with any resin/brass basing kit bits,
turf, static grass, or any that you wish to basing with,
scenic glue(its a stronger version of white glue),
jewelry files/modeling tools and green stuff to make repairs on resin bubble/metal gaps/damaged plastic, sculpt some extra detail,
some form of container to sort your paint pots,
a good lighting source and comfy chair.

I'd recommend a bottle or two of this for reasons that will become bloody obvious soon enough.,

https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/skin-shield-liquid-bandage/ID=prod6194505-product?msclkid=2201f8f1ee1a178cab77a303fe823343&ext=msnKBM_PLA_-_Health_Care&kpid=sku6171597&sst=3af673d4-fe1a-40c9-9b75-62495b992523&o=acs

 Dashofpepper wrote:


Hello there! I looked that up - where are you buying it from? The page you linked is a product brochure and MSDS; Amazon has a Loctite brand of ultra gel...same thing? And if it is, great Gandalf - it's almost $20 for a little tube!

Shouldn't be that much.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Loctite-4g-Control-Gel-Super-Glue-234790/100371839

Hi, looks like I’m late to the party. Indeed, should be $3-5 CAD for that glue. Once you try it... the blue tabs on the side are for squeeze control. You’ll never go back.

Pin vise is something I like having. I do a fair bit of converting, so sometimes I pin wrists / blades for weapon swaps. Same deal for plasma pistol upgrades. Pinning is basic. Drill a hole in both sides of a join, put a small piece of metal (staples, paper clips, brass rod for heavy pieces) inside. I don’t like working with green stuff, so pinning and using the gel glue works very well for strength and minor gap filling.

I usually buy my glue at Home Hardware in Ingersoll, ON. The website says $8, but it goes on sale 6 times a year for 4 or 5 bucks. I swear I’ve bought it for less.

Iv gotten a pair of cheap flush cutters from Wish (basicly taobao china direct) for like 2 dollars and its basically perfect. i need to get more.

For glue. if its plastic to plastic tamya super thin plastic cement or otherwise sci grip #3 if i can get my hands on it.

otherwise blue cap gorilla super glue or the purple cap gel stuff that most hobby shops have branded.

a good xacto. (i get mine from daiso (japanese dollar store) and the quality is pretty good)

harbor freight micro files

as well those harbor freight small cheap plastic clippy clamps can be very useful too.

 Desubot wrote:
Iv gotten a pair of cheap flush cutters from Wish (basicly taobao china direct) for like 2 dollars and its basically perfect. i need to get more.

For glue. if its plastic to plastic tamya super thin plastic cement or otherwise sci grip #3 if i can get my hands on it.

otherwise blue cap gorilla super glue or the purple cap gel stuff that most hobby shops have branded.

a good xacto. (i get mine from daiso (japanese dollar store) and the quality is pretty good)

harbor freight micro files

as well those harbor freight small cheap plastic clippy clamps can be very useful too.

Careful picking stuff out from harbor freight. A lot of people call it "Hazard fraught" due to the questionable safety of some of the tools sold there.

Eh thats more in regards to actual industrial or "heavy duty" applications. power tools, bolts, welding and jobs that peoples lives depend on like vehicle maintenance, building safety and structural stability is probably where that matters more (edit also just power tools in general crapping out even in the home game). dont think anyone ever gotten hurt with 10 cent plastic clothes pins or some cheap files filing plastic. (though i could see it happening with almost any tool)