Modeling Tools

Tools make the man, or woman, as the case may be.

Good models can be made with a few tools and a lot of patience.  Don't rush your work.  The biggest problem most people have when modeling is racing to complete the job.  We all want to see the finished product as soon as possible.  Therefore, your most important tool is TIME.  Use it wisely.  Always allow sufficient time for paint to dry and glue to set. 

	The Modeling Knife is your next most important tool. You use this knife to chip, scrape, pry, cut, and work with the model parts.  Be careful.  The blades are razor sharp.  If you stick the knife into yourself it will hurt.  Note that replacement blades can be purchased.  Replacement fingers cannot.
	Glue. Either a super glue, or a two part epoxy.  The cyano-acrylate cement (super glue) comes from a modeling shop.  These types of glues bond in a few seconds.  These glues can also be used to fill small seams and come in thin, medium, and thick styles.  Be careful.  If the cyano-acrylate cement gets on your fingers or skin it will bond instantly.  It will hurt when you try and pry yourself free.  If the glue gets in your eyes or mouth, see a doctor.
	Putty.  Mr. Surfacer 1000 from Gunze Sagyo is a type of paint or filler that covers small holes and imperfections.  Or, if you like to muck, take some Squadron Green or White, mix it with lacquer thinner until it is a paste, and then paint it or rub it in as a filler. Tamiya Putty is a liquid plastic that can be used to fill larger holes, but don't expect it to hold anything together.  You can also use a two part epoxy filler if necessary to fill large gaps or sculpt broken pieces. This type of epoxy will bond to the resin.
	Toothpicks.  These are used to mix the paints.  They can also be glued to model pieces as props to hold and manipulate the piece while painting.  Both flat and round style toothpicks are useful.
	Paper Towel and Plastic Wrap helps to cover and mask the model for painting.  Paper towel is soft and can protect the model.  The plastic wrap, if cut into small strips, can be wrapped around pieces to make precise mask lines.  Note that paint must be completely dry before you wrap the model in paper towel, otherwise fuzz can be left.  Plastic wrap should not be applied to uncured high gloss finishes or it can leave marks.
	Paint Brushes.  You will need various sizes and shapes.  Usually you will use round brushes or spotters.  Round brushes have a cone type tip for detailed lines.  Spotters are very small with just a few brush hairs.  Remember to clean and dry your brushes when you are finished, or they will not last.  I clean mine in lacquer thinner.
	Paint, in both gloss and flat finishes, including paint thinner.  Paints usually have to be thinned for airbrushing.  Many model paints are latex paints which means they are water based, however, do not thin with water.  This dilutes the dryers and other binding solvents in the paint.  Use a paint thinner specifically formulated for the paint.
	Specialized Paints, such as primer and sealer and liquid masking film.  I use a Tamiya white colored primer.  I also use Testor's DullCoat to protect and seal the model when necessary.  There are also times when a latex liquid masking compound must be used.  All these items are discussed in greater depth in the Painting tips.
	Miscellaneous Tools, such as a toothbrush to wash the resin parts, a fine tipped marker to draw lines impossible to paint, and tweezers to hold small pieces of the model when gluing.
	Airbrush.  Double action, if possible.  This means that you can control the amount of air traveling through the brush and the size of the spray.  This airbrush is a Badger Crescendo 175.  I mix my paint in the small paint cup and generally thin by 25% with thinner.  The larger bottle contains diluted blue windshield washer fluid that I run through the airbrush after I am finished with a paint.
	Cleaners for the airbrush.  Lacquer thinner will dissolve almost any paint, and blue automotive windshield washer fluid seems to do a good job keeping the airbrush clean.  What is nice about the windshield washer fluid is that it is inexpensive, contains Methanol as an active ingredient, and also has a little bit of soap. This is a winter grade solution. Methanol (alcohol) does not freeze.
	A Dremel Tool or equivalent, with a flexible extension. You don't really need one of these and it is a luxury item.  This tool has a Sears Craftsman label.  I use the grinding attachment and small cutter bits to shape and sand the resin.
	A Clamp to hold the work with a lighted magnifying lens.  This clamp was originally made to hold electronic circuit boards. It's quite useful, particularly when a part requires very detailed work.