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PE Tool Suggestion


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I'm getting into some PE projects to gain some positive experience. I'm building 40mm Bofors quads by Veterans Models.

Even though I have a good selection of tweezers, I wonder if you folks with experience with the tiny stuff have anything

special you find helps handling very small parts without going crazy.

Thanks, Harley 

Cheers, Harley<p 

                     

 

Under Construction:       USS Curtis Wilbur DDG-54 1/200 by ILoveKit

Completed:                     F-35A 1/48 by Tamiya

                                        USS Atlanta CL-51 1/350 by Very Fire 

                                    Liberty Ship John W. Brown 1/350 by Trumpeter

                                    HMS Spiraea K-08 1/350 

                                    USS Arizona BB-39 1/200 by Trumpeter/Mk1 Design

                                 HMS Sir Gareth 1/350 by Starling Models

                                  USS Missouri BB-63 1945 1/350 by Joy-Yard, 9/11/21

                                  USS Indianapolis CA-35 1945 1/350 by Trumpeter

                                  USS Kidd DD-661, 1945, 1/350, on The Sullivans kit by Trumpeter

                                  USS Alaska CB-1, 1/350, Hobby Boss, Circa 2/1945

                          Brig Syren 1/64 Model Shipways, Wood

Started,On Hold:     Frigate Confederacy 1/64 Model Shipways, Wood

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A blob of Silly Putty or modelers clay - on a stick - or not - to hold or pick up small stuff?

NRG member 45 years

 

Current:  

HMS Centurion 1732 - 60-gun 4th rate - Navall Timber framing

HMS Beagle 1831 refiit  10-gun brig with a small mizzen - Navall (ish) Timber framing

The U.S. Ex. Ex. 1838-1842
Flying Fish 1838  pilot schooner -  framed - ready for stern timbers
Porpose II  1836  brigantine/brig - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers
Vincennes  1825  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers assembled, need shaping
Peacock  1828  Sloop-of -War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Sea Gull  1838  pilot schooner -  timbers ready for assembly
Relief  1835  ship - timbers ready for assembly

Other

Portsmouth  1843  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Le Commerce de Marseilles  1788   118 cannons - framed

La Renommee 1744 Frigate - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers

 

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Cut a flat angle in the end of a toothpick and lick it. This works well for parts that are a bit small for tweezers.

 

Use one or two tiny drops of PVA glue to position the part, allow to dry for a few minutes, then apply CA glue. A sewing needle with the end of the eye ground off, held in an Xacto handle, makes neat work of applying a small amount of CA.

 

Danny

Cheers, Danny

________________________________________________________________________________
Current Build :    Forced Retirement from Modelling due to Health Issues

Build Logs :   Norfolk Sloop  HMS Vulture - (TFFM)  HMS Vulture Cross-section  18 foot Cutter    Concord Stagecoach   18th Century Longboat in a BOTTLE 

CARD Model Build Logs :   Mosel   Sydney Opera House (Schreiber-Bogen)   WWII Mk. IX Spitfire (Halinski)  Rolls Royce Merlin Engine  Cape Byron Lighthouse (HMV)       Stug 40 (Halinski)    Yamaha MT-01   Yamaha YA-1  HMS Hood (Halinski)  Bismarck (GPM)  IJN Amatsukaze 1940 Destroyer (Halinski)   HMVS Cerberus   Mi24D Hind (Halinski)  Bulgar Steam Locomotive - (ModelikTanker and Beer Wagons (Modelik)  Flat Bed Wagon (Modelik)  Peterbuilt Semi Trailer  Fender Guitar  

Restorations for Others :  King of the Mississippi  HMS Victory
Gallery : Norfolk Sloop,   HMAT Supply,   HMS Bounty,   HMS Victory,   Charles W. Morgan,   18' Cutter for HMS Vulture,   HMS Vulture,  HMS Vulture Cross-section,             18th Century Longboat in a Bottle 

Other Previous Builds : Le Mirage, Norske Love, King of the Mississippi

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Dan’s needle idea works great. 

What I’d like to know is where to get “really great quality” tools.  Most of the online suppliers offer good stuff but not great stuff. For example the tweasers you get from most of them are good but not great. I’m sure a great pair from a good jewelry supply store would cost more but I’d like to have choice to buy great products.....Moab/Allan

Completed Builds:

Virginia Armed Sloop...Model Shipways

Ranger...Corel

Louise Steam Launch...Constructo

Hansa Kogge...Dusek

Yankee Hero...BlueJacket

Spray...BlueJacket

26’ Long Boat...Model Shipways

Under Construction:

Emma C. Berry...Model Shipways

 

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Thanks very much for all the good ideas. Time to experiment.

Cheers, Harley<p 

                     

 

Under Construction:       USS Curtis Wilbur DDG-54 1/200 by ILoveKit

Completed:                     F-35A 1/48 by Tamiya

                                        USS Atlanta CL-51 1/350 by Very Fire 

                                    Liberty Ship John W. Brown 1/350 by Trumpeter

                                    HMS Spiraea K-08 1/350 

                                    USS Arizona BB-39 1/200 by Trumpeter/Mk1 Design

                                 HMS Sir Gareth 1/350 by Starling Models

                                  USS Missouri BB-63 1945 1/350 by Joy-Yard, 9/11/21

                                  USS Indianapolis CA-35 1945 1/350 by Trumpeter

                                  USS Kidd DD-661, 1945, 1/350, on The Sullivans kit by Trumpeter

                                  USS Alaska CB-1, 1/350, Hobby Boss, Circa 2/1945

                          Brig Syren 1/64 Model Shipways, Wood

Started,On Hold:     Frigate Confederacy 1/64 Model Shipways, Wood

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One place I'm a happy customer of is UMM-USA. They cater to the armor and aircraft modelers, but good tools are universal. Check their site: http://www.umm-usa.com/

At the least, you'll get an idea of tools you "might" need.

Ken

Started: MS Bounty Longboat,

On Hold:  Heinkel USS Choctaw paper

Down the road: Shipyard HMC Alert 1/96 paper, Mamoli Constitution Cross, MS USN Picket Boat #1

Scratchbuild: Echo Cross Section

 

Member Nautical Research Guild

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Ken beat me to mentioning UMM-USA.  John was a vendor at the NRG's St. Louis Conference and his tables were always crowded and doing a brisk business.  I have a whole bunch of his tweezers - g\very good quality at a good price.  His tools are all of good quality and he has a bunch related to photo etch bending and handling.

Kurt

Kurt Van Dahm

Director

NAUTICAL RESEARCH GUILD

www.thenrg.org

SAY NO TO PIRACY. SUPPORT ORIGINAL IDEAS AND MANUFACTURERS

CLUBS

Nautical Research & Model Ship Society of Chicago

Midwest Model Shipwrights

North Shore Deadeyes

The Society of Model Shipwrights

Butch O'Hare - IPMS

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  • 2 months later...

Good sources of quality tools are medical and dental supply houses. Many jeweler's supply houses do carry good stuff, as well, but at a seriously high price. eBay can also be a promising hunting ground, if you know what to look for. Outfits like Micro-Mark have many hard-to-find tools, but sometimes at hugely inflated prices (wait for their sales) and often at a much lower quality. For example, MicroMark sells a cheaply made pair of 6" proportional dividers made by Tasco for around $100, or as low as around $60 on sale, but you can often find a cased 10" German silver Keuffel and Esser "Paragon" model with rack and pinion adjustment (their top of the line) on eBay for the same price, and seven and a half inch dividers of similar professional quality for much less. Notably, the K&E Paragon model 10" dividers have "universal decimal scaling," accurate to, IIRC, .005 using its Vernier scale adjustment.

 

Micro Mark 6" chromed steel:

 

14129_R-1.jpg

 

Keuffel and Esser "Paragon" 10" proportional dividers:

 

post-184-0-44114500-1386635355.jpg

 

 

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I will second Bob's comments.  The Dumont tweezers are beyond compare.  You can keep them sharpened on a stone when necessary and every time I buy one of the cheaper versions I am always disappointed.  They can be bought on ebay for fairly competitive prices.

 

Bob Cleek also mentioned the Proportional Dividers with rack and pinion which are also available on ebay for very reasonable prices at times.  I find myself reaching for these constantly to transfer dimensions for different plans which are not drawn to the same scale.

Bill

 

Current Build:

Kate Cory Scratch Built

 

Previous Builds:

Benjamin W. Latham Scratch Built

H A Parks Skipjack Scratch Built

Charles W. Morgan Model Shipways Kit

Rattlesnake Model Shipways Kit

Diligence Model Shipways Kit

 

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  • 2 months later...

The Small Shop https://thesmallshop.com/collections/photo-etch-bending-tools also have some tools availableDSC09949_1024x1024@2x.thumb.jpg.9fa72d8c97ea4e451358f7ad69935603.jpg

Samuel Pepys notes in his diary on 19 July 1667: "the Dutch fleets being in so many places, that Sir W. Batten at table cried, By God,says he, I think the Devil shits Dutchmen."

 

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