Scratch/Kit Building tools and equipment.
 

Builders, What are some of your favorite tools for creating such wonderful models? I have most of the basics but I am always on the lookout for something to help me create. I am currently shoping for a belt sander to compliment my scroll saw to help me work with 1/8th in. Ply. (Can't seem to get an X-Acto through it.) I am looking for tool ideas for wood, metal, and foam.

Favorite tools are:

X-Acto knife
Sanding blocks,
Fine tooth Zona saw
Miter for saw.

I have others, but these are the ones I use most. I found it best rather than to buy a bunch of tools based upon what others use was to buy the tools I needed as I needed them. This resulted in a set that is custom tailored to exactly the building I did; rather than someone else's set that invariably would consist of a bunch of stuff I would probably never use.

As part of Murcoflier's building events he started a thread over on RCGroups on tools used for building balsa planes.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1752811

Lots of good stuff, but like FlyWheel said, I do not have even 1/2 of what is on this just and I have been building for a couple of years now. You typically buy stuff as you need it.

Steve

Cool thanks, Second refrence to a ZONA Saw, gonna have to look that one up. Micro mark carries alot of "neat" tools. But I find it funny that the miniture power tools are almost as expensive as their full size counterparts.:eek:

I've got both a scroll saw and a small band saw. The scroll saw works when you have to saw inside a piece of material. For everything else, the bandsaw gets turned on. That saw has no problems cutting anything from 1/32 balsa sheeting to 3/4 inch solid plywood. Or even a 2X4 cut in the 4 inch direction for that matter.

What ever belt sander you get, make danged certain its got a high quality setup for pulling all the sanding dust out with a big shop vacuum. You won't believe how much dust one of these belt sanders can create in 30 seconds of sanding balsa, ply or similar.

I've got an old Delta belt sander with a 1 by 30 inch belt. It hooks up to my shop vac. Many places, including Harbor Freight now sell them. Buy a wide variety of belts from very fine to the coursest belt grit you can get for sanding that plywood stuff. The very fine belts make it easy to precisely cut the angle of the many many balsa sticks used in a stick built model.

I have a band saw and a scroll saw / drill press both table top and floor model all picked up at garage sales /flea markets . I did not buy cheap ones made newer than 1960 i bought old cast iron built tools from the 50's and older . If they still work today i cant wear them out .lol My stand up drill press i bought at a auction for 100 bucks when american airlines was selling off its stuff at the airport ,it has a 50's date on the name plate . It was very heavy i think thats why no one else was bidding on it to much. lmao I use the scroll saw the most for cutting out parts and its the go to machine. For small tools i have a cheap balsa stripper (master airscrew) i think around 7 dollars and their razor plane is about the same cost,both are used on about every build . I bought the best sanding tools in the world 15 years ago and they are not cheap but i have not wore them out and still work as good today as when i bought them. http://www.averytools.com/products.asp?dept=20 Small saws are a must and i even bought some fine tooth saws from Japan to cut large stuff up without tearing the balsa up. Foremost makes a angle stick cutters and angle sanding tools for around 20 dollars a piece and i want to buy both real soon,builder friends say they are great. I also make jigs and other homemade tools to get the job done on my own over 35 years of building and save them . Hope this helps.:D joe