It occurs to me that alot of modeling supplies are found/purchased at places other than the hobby industry. I am always looking for tools, supplies, and raw materials no matter where I am. Anyone have a product or source of supplies that comes from a place other than the plastic kit industry? If we share these sources, I think we can all benefit. Someone, on this forum, mentioned Norton sandpaper the other day. I went and found the sandpaper at Home Depot along with small rolls of masking paper and Norton synthetic steelwool in 0000 grade. I’m looking forward to checking out any other tips you might be able to share with the group. [;)]
Hi Woody. i use the stick on wheel weights from car tire shops to add ballast to the noses of aircraft and used to use them on those R/C planes that i was very good at crashing for balancing them out. …Greg
Small tools for modeling can be found at www.micromark.com. They are a great source for small tools. They cater to the modeling industry.
I’ve just started buying my superglue at Lowe’s Hardware. I really like the Loctite varieties. One is super thin, and the other is a gel. Container design helps to get out the final drops, too.
Also, I’m finding accessories for my Dremel there as well.
Asking your dentist for dulled or broken hand tools, and dulled dental bits is usually a good source. Usually the tools (scrapers, etc.) are only broken or dulled on one end. A good file can sometimes be used to re-sharpen.
Gip Winecoff
Gip Winecoff
Rio Grande Jewelers supply.
RTV molds, small tools, etc., the jewelry production industry very closely paralells the model building industry for tools and some supplies.
Lee Valley wood working supply.
Flyfishing and or tying shops. Great source of line, small jigs and fixtures as well as other assorted doo dads that come in handy.
Pic up a mag called Cinefex. Its pricey, but in the back are ads for companies that sell supplies to the movie industry. Model building supplies, casting, tools etc.
Mike
I have found things at wal-mart, the dollar store and scraps of stuff off job sites. And of coarse friend’s garages.
See your dentist for old picks and other dental equipment. My dentist (who is also a hobbiest) keeps a cigar box of old picks for anyone who asks to look through.
Try Michael’s or any good arts and crafts store. They have a myriad of stuff for other hobbies that can be applied to modelling. And Michael’s usually has at least a 40% discount coupon weekly.
Boy this is some great stuff, I’m going to be tied up doing some web searches. Here are a couple of my favorites http://www.smallparts.com/ and http://www2.mooremedical.com/index.cfm?PG=CTL&FN=storedirectory&CS=HOM If you search the Moore Medical site, you can play a game. It’s called what are my hobby tools really called! LOL Seriously though Micro Mark must do alot of shopping at medical supply stores. One example is the small eyelet tool that Micro Mark sells for pinpoint glue and super glue accelerator. It’s real use is an ear, nose and throat curette (item #10659 in the Moore catalog)! Be sure to check out the surgical chisels. If you use stainless steel tubing for gun barrels you will be in hog heaven when you get to Small Parts’ site. Both these sites will send you a free catalog and I highly recommend them as they are valuable references. [8D]
Thanks for the links, Woody. I’ve already added them to my favorites’ list and requested catalogs. I ordered stainless tubing too.
Harbor Freight sells all kinds of tools, air compressor supplies and other goodies that we pay a bundle for from specialty shops and since they’re not listed as “hobby” tools, they don’t jack the price up. If you work on metal stuff (in 1/1 scale) their tools might not last very long, but on styrene they’ll last a lifteime![;)]
There is a product called SuspendStrips and SuspendDots found in the fishing section of most department stores, they’re adhesive backed lead strips about the thickness of posterboard used to weight crankbaits down so that they’ll suspend instead of float. They work great as counterweights in tight places.
-fish
I’ve gotten tools from the drugstore or the dollar store, Wal-mart you just have to look around
For raw materials try your local recycling center (I used to work for one) in the metals buy back area they buy all kinds of brass finnials and doo-dads that can be used to mount stuff on like ships etc. They also buy stripped lamp wire (it’s copper) of any guage, copper sheet, lead (dentist’s x-ray tabs, the little ones that go in your mouth), aluminum… all kinds of stuff. Just get there before they ship it all to the smelter, once a week, once a month, whatever. They’ll sell it to you at a small profit. (what’s brass? 35cents per pound right now, copper 30?) there’s a lot of wire strands in a pound of copper. Enough to wire engines in any scale!!!
G.L.
I work for a Factory that among other things makes vinyl shutters. One type of shutter is actually made of light grey styrene and I’m quick to snatch up the scraps. Some of the flat pieces are 10"wide X 14"long, perfectly smooth on one side and wood grained on the other. We also have product lines that use plexiglass and I can get as much of it as I can haul off![:p]
You can also try small parts inc. (www.smallparts.com) They are great for tools and supplies like fine grill mesh, telescoping tubing in many shapes etc. I also get stuff from a friend who is a doctor. They get kits for procedures and are required to throw away the whole kit for sterility purposes. Obviously, models do not have to be sterile so he gives them to me instead of the garbage man. I have a whole array of tweezers, hemostats, alligator pliers, scalpels, syringes (no needles, but don’t need them), scissors, even hammers and chisels (he’s an orthopedic surgeon) If you go to the doctor, ask for the disposable stuff. If you know someone in the medical profession, ask for anything that is not a biohazard and your tool box will fill up quickly and the price is right (FREE).
Good tips guys! Here’s one for another free tool. Save the little three legged do-hicky that comes in your pizza box. I use them for paint stands. Points side up for large parts. Place a small piece of double sided tape on the flat round end to hold small parts! You can also modify them to do a particular job because they are free and aren’t you getting a couple more pies tonight! LOL [:D]
If your wife/girl friend/sister has her nails done. The nail techs use a foam sanding block that is washable. When the tech thinks its worn and wants to get rid of it, snap it up, its great for smotthing plastic!
An addition to my Harbor Freight reply… -just ordered 60 bucks of stuff (including the magnifying lamp that Micro Mark sells for 3 times as much) and they didn’t charge me anything for shipping! I must have over 20 lbs of stuff too. Now that’s service!
-fish
If any of you guys use liquid cement (IPS Weld-On #3), check your area phone directory for a plastics distributor. He may have that product on the shelf as Pleximent or Pleximent-chloride. Weld-on #3 origionally sold for $3.95 a bottle 15 years ago (that’s for a 2 oz bottle). For years I bought Pleximent for 4.95 a quart, which lasted me 1 1/2 to two years. I was checking last week cause my supply was running low and found out that it is no longer available in the quart size but the gallon size is $27.95. I figure that will last me 8 to 10 years. Better yet, get some of your buddies to go in with you.
If I had a gallon of liquid cement it would become a family heirloom!
Hit Lowe’s up for Methyl Ethyl Keytone. It’s about $15 a gallon. It’s the stuff most of the liquid, solvent type cements use. They put stuff with it to make is work slower. Talk about a fast glue! But keep the can tightly capped. I bought a quart can some years ago (can’t find quarts locally anymore) and filled up a little plastic glue bottle with a needle in the end. It completely evaporated out in about a month. The quart can didn’t last much longer. I guess I didn’t have it capped well enough. (I even put a layer of wax paper over the top before putting the cap back on.)
Great thread! Thanks, Woody.
Bill