Modifying Tools

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Tools
1

Here’s one for you .

How about this .You take an X-Acto knife handle that has the knurled butt end and soft-touch plastic handle and make it stiffer and better locking . How ? You replace theSoft-Touch handle with a Thick-walled Aluminum tubing piece and this does the job.

Drill bits for Dressing molded holes or De-Burring Plastic or metal tubing . Set drill bit down butt end in a jar with a hole in the direct center of the lid . Now you prep the bit by filing flat spots in the sides . Pour Sprue -Glue in to a depth of the bottle where it starts to narrow . Drill holes around the lid so the product can gas out .

When this , done , yeah , it takes a little time , Do this . Break the bottle releasing the part . Now , file the resulting cylinder to a rounded ball like profile with a flat spot on one side ( It won’t roll of the table that way )

There it is , a perfect to the hand ( much like the little drills made this way with wood balls . ) and sure better to control .You can do this to bits that won’t fit a pin - vise but are ones you use a lot . Instead having to break out the power drill .

Hammers . Want a hammer you can pound on plastic Gears and Wheels and you don’t have a small wheel-gear press ? Coat the smallest hammer you have with the coating made for handles .

Air Brushes . MMMMMM This is a hard onne .Is it ? Say you have an old one that you can’t get new innards for ( Internal Mix style) Well don’t throw it out . Use it to blow out a gentle stream of air to dust off those old models on the shelf .They will appreciate it and you won’t pull out hair over broken masts or antennas . Bye T.B.

2

I took a excell swivel blade handle and a heavy gauge sowing needle cut the eye in half then tig welded them together and now use it to apply small amounts of CA glue.

3

Clint, I did the same for the same purpose. In my case I didn’t weld it. I still need the handle for drill bits and such.

4

Some time back a contributor named Chuck W. posted this tip, and it’s worth a repeat. Those of us who use the razor saws by UMM and others will have blades break. Instead of throwing these away, use them as mini-saws. I do woodworking, so my handles of choice are wooden dowel pins, about 2" long and 1/4" in diameter. I saw a slot in one end and superglue in the broken blade…viola, a small saw that gets into little places the big blades won’t reach.

With a little practice (wearing safety glasses, of course) you can snap the broken blades with pliers to make handy shapes. These little saws have become my go-to for removing delicate parts from sprue and working in tight areas with lots more control than a #11 blade.