What is this tool?

[palmerit]

I saw this tool illustrated in some Model Shipways instructions. Seems to be used to shape metal. What is it called and what is it used for?

 

[vossiewulf]

Round-nosed pliers, standard jewelry-making tool mostly for making chains. In ship modeling they're useful for making eyes and hooks.

[druxey]

Also called needle-nose pliers.

[palmerit]

Thanks. I have several needle nose pliers. Never seen round-nosed pliers.

[Dr PR]

Chain-nosed pliers. Used for making chains. I have one that I use for making eye bolts, ring bolts and such. Very useful when you need it!

[palmerit]

Are there particular widths that are useful? I saw a bunch on Amazon and Otto Frei, but I'm not sure what size(s) might be useful to have around.

[popeye2sea]

I have a pair with tips starting at 4mm and tapering down to just less than 2mm, but I modified one tip so that it tapers down to about  0.5mm in order to make really small hooks, eyebolts and rings. That one plier will suffice for any size rings that I am likely to encounter.

 

Regards

[Gregory]

8 hours ago, palmerit said:

Are there particular widths that are useful? I saw a bunch on Amazon and Otto Frei, but I'm not sure what size(s) might be useful to have around.

FWIW, I have found that wrapping wire around a drill bit is the best way to get consistent size eyebolts, rings and hooks.

[CCClarke]

Round-nose pliers as stated, come in multiple diameters.  Their chief use has been in the electronics industry for decades to form wires prior to attaching them to terminals and posts.  I attended a very tough NASA-level electronic repair course once where any marks left on the conductors resulted in a failed inspection.  We placed Kapton tape on the ends to prevent any noticeable conductor deformation. 

 

I continue to use these for my ship-building, and still wrap the ends.  Precision flat nose pliers are also very useful.  

 

CC   

[wefalck]

Only useful for larger scales, I suppose, but jewellers also have a variety with stepped round jaws instead of tapered ones.

 

Like for all tools YGWPF (you get what you pay for) - buying the m on-line can be a hit an miss, the jaws may not perfectly round and only rather roughly ground. Watch out for well-kept antique ones ...

[KeithAug]

On 12/5/2024 at 8:32 AM, wefalck said:

buying the m on-line can be a hit an miss, the jaws may not perfectly round

Nor are the jaws perfectly aligned, which makes them pretty useless. I have bought on line and from reputable modelling suppliers but both sources have by en large failed. I think jewellers may be a better source.

[vossiewulf]

1 hour ago, KeithAug said:

Nor are the jaws perfectly aligned, which makes them pretty useless. I have bought on line and from reputable modelling suppliers but both sources have by en large failed. I think jewellers may be a better source.

Contenti, Rio Grande, Otto Frei all carry reasonably priced pliers sets that are made well and will last a lifetime. I long ago stopped buying any tools from model manufacturers/supply places because the tools they sell are pretty inevitably the cheapest versions of those tools and it's false economy to buy from them.