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[Post New] 2017/09/18 20:06:21
    Subject: Scratchbuilding tools
[Up]
Made in us
Sneaky Kommando






Hey all. I’ve been experimenting with some new tools lately and thought back to when I first started the hobby. It can be a little intimidating to get into scratch building as there are so many tips and tricks to pick up along the way. That said, I thought I would put together a list of some of my go to tools that people may not know about. Hope this helps!

So here’s my list and some links to amazon. I would be super interested to hear of any other tools that are out there if you all have any recommendations!

Cutting Tools

Circle cutter
http://a.co/ao0irkk
Spoiler:
This tool is great for cutting out perfect circles from 1cm to a 6 inch diameter. It can give you some quirky cuts at times, but I’ve found that it helps to rotate the material you are cutting rather than the actual tool for the best accuracy. I’ve had some issues with thicker materials (blade tilts as the cut gets deeper) but still have success up to a 2mm thickness.


Miter Box
http://a.co/3X2gHTG
Spoiler:
Awesome tool for cutting precise angles. While there are less expensive options out there, I recommend the aluminum version. The plastic ones tend to wear down over time and have a negative impact on precision.


Rod / Tube Cutter
http://a.co/3f9LUYK
Spoiler:
Pretty straight forward – good for cutting styrene rods on the fly. The Miter box can accomplish the same result with the added bonus of precise angles, but this is a good one if you want expediency.

Leather Hole Punch
http://a.co/dJlw6RW
Spoiler:
Great for punching holes in styrene. Unlike a standard hole punch, this tool affords extra power to get through thicker materials. I’ve had success with styrene up to 3mm. While the smallest gauge is not ideal for tiny rivets, they are still good for larger bolts. This tool also gives you precision and as such, will allow you to punch smaller holes into larger gauge pellets to create tiny rings for a gasket / hinge effect. The only downside is that your cutouts will be stuck inside of the reservoir and either require multiple punches, or something small to jam them out. Here's an example with the image below. The circular links between the chains were punched out of 3mm thick styrene. The little rings on the edge give the "hinged" effect and were done by punching smaller holes inside of larger disks that were punched out.


Hole Punch
http://a.co/b7z52j5
Spoiler:
Small gauge hole punches are great for mass producing smaller rivits. I typically use this on .8mm styrene with success. Just be careful as you can bend the handle due to the material thickness / resistance. If you want smaller rivets, I would recommend small gauge styrene rods.


Silhouette Cutter
http://a.co/4yCWzM6
Spoiler:
This tool is really nice for plotting out your cuts. While it typically won’t cut all the way through your styrene (I use .8mm) it will score it enough to help guide your blade or just snap it right out if your design is not too complex. The program allows you to create very precise shapes and lets you play with exact measurements for what you need. There is a bit of a learning curve with the software they provide, but overall, I’ve had a ton of success once I got used to it. There is also the added con of having to buy additional materials over the life of the tool such as cutting matts / extra blades, however; the cutting matt is not necessary if you are using styrene that’s not paper thin. The example below was plotted using my cutter. I made each sheet with a slit so that all of them could fit together and be held in place without glue.



Measuring Tools

Digital Caliper
http://a.co/ad2Sbpq
Spoiler:
This tool was a godsend. It gives you the exact measurement on the readout and lets you get into spaces that a ruler just can’t fit into. As an added bonus, I got the one with the little screw on the top to lock the measurement in place and frequently use it as a little vice to hold pieces together while the glue dries.


Contour Gauge
http://a.co/2RMPydr
Spoiler:
Seriously awesome tool for plotting out the contours of a shape. helps when trying to fit complex shapes together.


Glue (pretty sure these are toxic)

Testors
http://a.co/gozUErE
Spoiler:
Great for styrene. This particular product bonds extremely fast and strong. This glue works by literally melting the plastics together, but be warned, if you are not precise, it can mar the plastic and even leave fingerprints if you touch it while wet. This stuff is limited in what it will work with, so I typically use it for styrene / GW models as it won’t break down other types of plastic.


E-6000
http://a.co/geIOajc
Spoiler:
This glue has a high viscosity similar to that of molasses. It can be very unwieldy as it will leave little strings when you pull away, but is fantastic for those areas where you don’t have a solid point of contact between two pieces. It adheres to most surfaces (Not resin!) and is terrific for adding strength for structural buildings if you just wanted to glob some on the insides where no one will see.


Sculpting Tools

sanding sticks
http://a.co/hlqA7Hq
Spoiler:
More of an obvious one, but still, I can’t recommend these enough. Various grits to get a nice finish on when sanding. I use these a lot when cutting styrene since you can get some beveling / roughness. This would typically be a good thing for orks, but overall, it gives me the impression of being "unfinished". These sanding sticks help to smooth out those edges and even add a minor bevel to soften everything out.


Rubber Sculpting tools
http://a.co/jcBKi5t
Spoiler:
These tools have a bit of “give” as they are made of silicon at the tips and will allow you to create a smoother finish on your sculpt. Just be sure to use some sort of lubricant like water or olive oil when sculpting to prevent the greenstuff from sticking.


Metal Sculpting tools
http://a.co/807eBdZ
Spoiler:
Great for sculpting details. You can find these all over the web at various prices. This one is at the higher price point, but gives you everything you need in one go. The GW version comes with 4 tools, but is way overpriced compared to what you can find online.


Heat Gun
http://a.co/17UywkR
Spoiler:
Awesome for manipulating styrene without burning it. I use this primarily to create warped / buckled metal effects, but have also had success in creating fabric effects.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/09/19 13:37:57

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[Post New] 2017/09/18 20:31:26
    Subject: Scratchbuilding tools
[Up]
Made in us
Legendary Master of the Chapter






Seems you covered the majority of it.

Personally for glue, i like to also have normal super glue and baking soda on hand, as well my go to plastic glue is sci grip #3

also for rivets dont forget various flavors of woman's nail beads.

also 123 blocks are fantastic for many things.
 Unit1126PLL wrote:
 Scott-S6 wrote:
And yet another thread is hijacked for Unit to ask for the same advice, receive the same answers and make the same excuses.

Oh my god I'm becoming martel.
Send help!

 
   
[Post New] 2017/09/18 22:03:10
    Subject: Scratchbuilding tools
[Up]
Made in gb
Potent Possessed Daemonvessel





Why Aye Ya Canny Dakkanaughts!

Only thing I've used for scrap building, not mentioned, was a hammer and chisel and a drill: I used it to split a piece of wood I was using as a central support for a dynamic base and then I drilled a hole into the top of the piece of wood to fix the model to.

(I don't really go for the expensive building/sculpting tools, eveything I use for my hobby comes from a big 'tools bench' I have at the back of my shed, which is really just a big board with tools hanging from it, a bench and two boxes of tools underneath)
Ghorros wrote:
The moral of the story: Don't park your Imperial Knight in a field of Gretchin carrying power tools.
 Marmatag wrote:
All the while, my opponent is furious, throwing his codex on the floor, trying to slash his wrists with safety scissors.
 
   
[Post New] 2017/09/18 22:03:31
    Subject: Scratchbuilding tools
[Up]
Made in gb
Mysterious Techpriest







I'd say those are the more advanced tools. but you are missing some of the basics

nice fine permanent pens, I buy sets of Staedtler lumocolor

a good steel ruler with 0.5mm markings

I picked up a steel protractor with a small ruler part a while which keeps coming in useful.

Tweezers, good fine modelling tweezers

Blue tack [other brands and colours are available]

2 pairs of pliers, useful for bending metal rods.

Some tips for the tube cutter, only buy solid metal ones, and if you are cutting tube try putting a length of tube that is the next size down inside, it gives more resistance so you can cut the tube you want rather than just squeezing it.

pretty good list tho.



 
   
[Post New] 2017/09/19 00:57:00
    Subject: Re:Scratchbuilding tools
[Up]
Made in us
Imperial Agent Provocateur




Jeweler's saw: Allows for much finer cuts and control than common hobby saws; with a decent blade you can cut out curves and angles. Especially useful on metal models.

Transparent ruler: While you'll want a metal ruler to guide your knife, the transparent grid on these is great for lining up your marks in the planning stage.
https://www.amazon.com/Westcott-12-Inch-Beveled-Transparent-B-70/dp/B001THRMGS/ref=sr_1_3?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1505780329&sr=1-3&keywords=transparent+ruler
   
 
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