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Modelers are always on a budget of sorts, and choices often come down to buying that next locomotive or boxcar kit or spending some of that hard-earned income on tools. If you build kits, scratch build models, add detail parts, paint, lay track, or just want to maintain the ready-to-run rolling stock you have, you’ll need some basic tools. Good tools make your modeling easier and a more pleasant experience. You will be surprised at the results. Tools aren’t always cheap, but good tools that are well maintained last a long time.
Below is a list I’ve come up with that would get most modelers off to a great start. You may not need all these tools right away. If you are primarily building kits, you probably don’t need a soldering iron and multi-meter, but boy will that sprue cutter be handy! Then again if you only buy ready to run rolling stock and locomotives, but want to install DCC in all the diesels, a good soldering iron and multi-meter will be worth more than a fine paint brush.
All of the items are readily available at the local hobby shops. The Walther’s catalog is a good reference source for all the tools mentioned here. If you want to go beyond this list, some really nice specialty tools are available from Micro Mark (they advertise in Model Railroader).
1. Screwdriver set – probably the most used tools. Get Phillips and slotted types. Cheap sets abound, but a good quality set will last for years.
2. Fine forceps (tweezers) – You’ll find a lot of uses for these, picking up small parts, decals, threading wire, etc.
3. Scissors – Make sure the tips close on the pair you buy. Use them properly for cutting paper, decals, and maybe some very fine wire. Using scissors on thicker wire or metal will damage them quickly. Get a wire cutter or metal shears for these jobs.
4. Files – You need a set of these. The come in various sizes and shapes. They do wear out eventually, so plan on replacements.
5. Brushes – As in paint brushes. Buy good quality red sable or equivalent brushes, Use these for your fine painting jobs. Brushes last longer if you keep paint out of the ferrule (the metal part where the brush hairs joint the handle). Clean brushes immediately after you use them and keep the point from being bent or crushed. When a brush no longer works well for paint, use it for placing decal setting solution or MEK-type cements.
6. Small “Tack” Hammer – Plenty of uses, but primarily used to drive track nails. Get one that fits between the rails. Some of the fancier ones have multiple heads.
7. X-acto knife and plenty of blades – Again plenty of uses. The main thing to keep in mind is that the blades are extremely sharp when new, but dull quickly. Replace them at the start of each now job.
8. Sprue trimmer/clipper – This is a relatively new tool, designed to make quick work of removing parts from plastic kit sprues (runners). This makes building an InterMountain, Red Caboose, Branchline, and other high quality kits a lot easier. For all practical purposes, replaces razor blades for this job.
9. Drill and bits – These can range from a pin vise up to a drill press. It kind of depends on your budget. A pin vise can get you through most situations as far as a model goes, but if you are going to do a lot of repetitive or delicate drilling, a drill press works the best. Note – a battery-powered, pistol-type screw driver can substitute for a drill for larger work, but most small bits will not hold well and will break easy. As with knife blades and files, bits get dull and dull bits break and jam in the work. Start with ordinary carbon steel bits. As they dull, replace the most used bits with ones of higher quality tungsten carbide.
10. Optivisor – Even if your eyes are still pretty good, this will help you see details better. Very helpful when adding detail parts, placing decals, painting.
11. Kadee height tool – This is a multi-purpose tool that allows you to make sure the coupler height and trip pin are set correctly. A great addition to this tool is a Kadee coupler tool. This little gem makes quick work of adjusting the trip pin on Kadee couplers. It isn’t absolutely necessary, but it works much better than a pliers. If you want the complete suite, throw in an NMRA standards gauge. This will help you make sure your wheels and track are in gauge (not too wide or too narrow). Quick note – gauge is the distance between the rails, scale is the size in which you model. So it’s standard or narrow gauge, but it’s G, O, S, HO, N, Z, etc. scale. HO gauge or N gauge is a misnomer. You may see such things as HOn3, this means HO scale, 3’ narrow gauge. When no number is associated with a scale, standard (4’ 8 ½”) gauge is assumed.
12. Scale – Nothing fancy, we’re not weighing gold, but a good postage scale that weighs up to about 10 ounces will do the trick. Use it to make sure your cars are up to NMRA standard weight. You’ll be surprised how much better a train runs when the cars are at the proper weight!
13. Rail nipper – Xuron makes the best, and the most long lasting. These make quick work out of cutting flex track to length without crushing the end. Don’t use them to cut piano wire, you will ruin the tool. Use a wire cutters for hard wire.
14. Multi-meter – If you plan on doing any wiring, this electronic device is a must. It allows you to check track for voltage, check locomotive wiring for continuity, and a number of other things (also does double duty for “honey-do’s”!)
15. Soldering iron – Another basic tool you’ll use mostly for electronic (soldering wire and components), but it’s also necessary for soldering track joints, brass parts, etc. A pencil-point type is the most useful for model railroading work in general. The pistol type heats fast and delivers a lot of heat, but it’s usually a little too big for most jobs. If you want to spend big bucks, a resistance soldering unit is wonderful, but really only needed if you are into things like scratch building or super detailing brass locomotives. In addition to the soldering iron, solder is also important. Look for solder labeled 60:40, which is a ratio of the lead and tin in the solder. Fine rather than thick solder is easier to handle. NEVER let acid core solder or acid flux near any model railroad project. Acid flux eats copper wire and corrodes electronic parts. ALWAYS use rosin core solder or rosin flux. We’ll cover soldering techniques and other types of solder at a later date.
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