Top 7 Unique Tools to Have on Your Model Workbench
Posted by MegaHobby.com on May 4th 2015
Tools are the most important part of your workbench. Not only are they helpful in completing your project, but with the correct, quality tools, you'll make your life much easier -- and possibly even more fun!
Tamiya, $9.43
As simple as you can get for a hobby tool, Tamiya’s angled tweezers continue to be one of the best on the market. Made from stainless steel with a black cationic finish, they are durable and last for years before needing to replace them. The edges of the tweezer are rounded to prevent scratching the parts.
Medium Triangular Craft Cotton Swab Tip(50)
Tamiya, $4.56
Industrial strength cotton swabs are a must for any workbench, but the biggest issue with most on the market is the fraying when dipped in cement or paint – resulting in ugly little fibers all over your project. With Tamiya’s triangular craft cotton swab, not only do you get a strong tip that does not fray while using, but the unique pointed shape of the swab helps get into even the tightest crevices for gluing, painting, weathering, and more. A pack of 50 swabs runs just $4.56, so you can easily stock up on as many as possible for very little.
Professional Quality Sprue Cutter
MegaHobby.com, $4.99
This professional quality sprue cutter is 4 1/2" long, has a single wire spring, and can cut up to 1 mm thick copper wire. With a comfortable grip handle, this is a great addition to your workbench and cuts sprues as efficiently as the top of the line sprue cutters on the market.
Professional Photo Etch Scissors
Xuron, $21.38
Xuron’s long, ultra-sharp tip is the best tool on the market for getting even the smallest pieces of photo-etch off the fret. It has a large, curved ergonomic handle that fits comfortably in your palm, giving you greater stability and control while you work. The incredible precision of the tool allows you to snip the metal right off with no pinching or twisting required. And if that’s not enough, all of Xuron’s tools are 100% made in the USA!
Glue Looper Micro-Glue Applicator
Creative Dynamic, $14.24
The Glue Looper was released a few years back with great fanfare, and the product has not disappointed. A way to apply a small amount of thin glue to a project, the looper fits into a standard hobby knife handle and can be used for nearly any glue application. It comes with four each of three different sizes (small, medium and large) and is versatile for uses all over your hobby needs. One of the biggest benefits of the tool is Creative Dynamic’s ability to continuously upgrade the tool based on consumer feedback. Already on version two and reportedly working on a third, the tool has been upgraded to stainless steel, made twice as thick, and now has “fluid groove” that helps accumulate fluid in the head to avoid constant re-dipping. A great, inexpensive add on to your hobby workbench!
Scale Motorsport, $14.55
Grabit StiX is a parts placement tool set made for small parts. Each kit contains 15 re-usable Grabit StiX packaged in a matchbook clip. Paint Small Part, Glue Small Parts, Set Screws of All Types, Thread Nuts and Bolts, Reposition Delicate Parts. Scale Motorsport has hit the ball out of the park with this one, as the tool is almost a necessity when working with small parts of any type on your workbench.
Paragrafix, $4.46
Arguably the simplest idea in a long time, Paragrafix created and packaged what we all should have thought of years ago. The hold and place pencil has a sticky top that holds a small part with just a tap, and releases it with a simple twist. The stickiness renews by simply re-sharpening the point. A pack comes with two pencils, each of which last months, or even years, before needing to replace.