A new page for FSM — and you're in it!

General Discussion FSM Ready Room
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We’re working on a new feature page for FineScale Modeler magazine, and we’d like your help.

We’ll be asking a question and compiling your answers to the great, and sometimes not so great, issues of today’s scale modeling hobby. Once the answers have been received and organized, we’ll present them on the final page of the magazine in a feature we call “Last Details.”

Our first question is one that a few of our longtime authors had fun answering as we celebrated FSM’s 30th anniversary (“Take it from the experts,” November 2012):

What five tools are most essential to your modeling?

Whether it’s your trusty hobby knife or a Foredom flexible-shaft variable-speed motor tool with foot pedal, tell us what your five most important tools are and — briefly — why.

You may respond directly to me by e-mail, but please limit your response to 150 words or less. And please don’t send any pictures or other attachments. Just the answers. Use the subject line Last Details. And remember to sign your real name and where you’re from.

I’ll look forward to hearing from you!

Subject line: Last Details

mhembree@finescale.com

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Hi Mark :

I tried your address and for some reason I couldn’t get there ( I am not the most computer literate person in the world ) Now that said if you don’t mind here’s my list .

First and foremost a good ability to visualize you project finished .

Next a sharp X-ACTO no . 11 blade and handle .

Good quality adhesives - And the chemicals to free yourself , if , you glue yourself to the model or parts thereof

A well lit clean , and uncluttered workspace.

A great big stash .He! He! no , not really , but it helps.

A good camera -so you can document the build .Oh and perfect you skills even more .( a camera will NOT lie to you ! )

Last , a good site to go to where you share ideas and ask for help when you’re stumped . I guess that covers it in a nutshell . DOC.

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Here are 5 that I tend to use the most (in no particular order):

  1. Yes, a get set of xacto blades, especially the #11 blade.
  2. Flexible wet/dry sanding sticks
  3. A good airbrush
  4. Good welding cement
  5. Tamiya masking tape

Here are some others that I use very often as well:

  • Plastic bottle lids for mixing paint/thinner
  • Micro Set/Micro Sol
  • Aves Apoxie Sculpt
  • Various tweezers to hold/position parts
  • Sprue cutters
  • Razor saw
  • Quality brushes for detail painting
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Besides a comfortable, quiet place that one will not be interrupted (also well-lit & ventilated):

  1. My trusty (and just a bit rusty now!) Tamiya Basic Tool Set. It includes:

A. Plastic nippers

B. Hobby Knife

C. File

D. Tweezers

E. Straight & Phillips Screwdrivers

  1. A good quality #11 blade holder and supply of #11 blades, along with single-edged razors.

  2. An assortment of adhesives (liquid plastic cement, tube glue, white glue, Superglue)

  3. An assortment of Files, Sanding Papers & Sticks (Nail files & Polishing Sticks)

  4. A hobby mat with a place to put various Brushes, Tapes, Scissors, Marking Implements, Saws and Decal Solvents.

That’s 5, right? :wink: