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Post by Keith Tanaka on Nov 12, 2012 14:30:28 GMT -8
This forum will present the various tools used for scratchbuilding. For those who are new to scratchbuilding, this forum will strive to provide pertinent info and how-to-do it tutorials on scratchbuilding.
Contributors to this forum are welcome!
I will be posting various info on this topic soon, stay tuned.
Keith
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Post by brucewayne on Nov 17, 2012 8:51:44 GMT -8
A few assorted measuring tools from the workbench... . Top to bottom: Combination square. General purpose tool, comes in handy to draw reference lines across your jig. X-acto mini-square. One of my most used tools. Useful for squaring up brass motor brackets, verifying your bent wires are a true 90 degrees, marking wire and tubing for length etc. Seamstress tape. Flexible tape works well on curved or uneven surfaces, useful for marking stripes and decal locations. 6"scale. General purpose measuring, small size is handy, can also be used as a depth gauge. Available in Inch measurement ranges as small as 1/64, reverse side features fraction/decimal equivalents. Also available in Metric. Also used as a guide for scribing lines into plastic sheets or bodies. 4' Vernier Caliper. Accurate to ~.001", general purpose for precision measurements of motors, chassis parts etc. Also acts as depth gauge. Small size is light weight and fits into your pit box easily.
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Post by brucewayne on Nov 17, 2012 9:21:36 GMT -8
Marking, holding, cutting... Left to right: Automatic center punch. Great for marking brass sheet for drilling, frees up one hand to hold workpiece. Large pin vise/drill chuck. Made from an old 1/4" Jacob's chuck, drilled tapped an old screwdriver handle so it would thread in. You can now buy a similar tool off the shelf, but it has a 1/4" hex drive for use in a manual driver handle or screw gun. Used for drill bits and accessories that are too large for the small pin vise. Good to hold tubing while cutting too as it doesn't crush or distort it. Holds bushings and tubing for reaming or chamfering. 1/8" to 1/2" Tapered reamer. Removed T-handle and inserted into old drilled out screwdriver handle. Reams tubing, plastic, wheels etc easily.
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Post by brucewayne on Nov 17, 2012 9:36:49 GMT -8
Cutting, shaping, holding... Bastard file. General shaping/filing of brass, steel and plastic. 1/8" counter bore. 1/8" Drill blank guides the cutter, use it to spot face and narrow 1/8" wheels, gears and axle tubes. Can also be used square up crooked/angled cuts on 1/8" tubing. 3/32" counter bore. Used in similar fashion as above for 3/32" applications. 1/8" to 1/2" step drill. By far the best tool for drilling brass and plastic. Doesn't snag, distort or tear the work, steps up in 1/32" increments, automatically chamfers and deburs holes if used carefully. Machinists vise. Holds work square and steady for filling, drilling, shaping etc.
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Post by Keith Tanaka on Jan 25, 2013 11:11:59 GMT -8
Soldering tools Clockwise starting at top: Mini-phase soldering iron temp controller, Wrightway Hakko 55W soldering iron, Inland 100W soldering iron, 60/40 solder. 55W iron is good for most soldering. 100W iron is needed when soldering .062" brass or .093" piano wire. "Edsyn" fan (blue), "Stay-Clean" acid flux. Highly recommend using Stay-Clean brand rather than other brands. Fan reduces "lead" and acid flux fumes. Keith
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Post by Keith Tanaka on Jan 25, 2013 11:17:57 GMT -8
Small file set: Small file set from Harbor Freight is very useful and inexpensive.
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Post by Keith Tanaka on Jan 25, 2013 11:22:28 GMT -8
Piano wire cutters: Medium size wire cutters from Harbor Freight. Good for cutting piano wire up to .062" diameter. Heavy duty line cutters from Harbor Freight. Good for cutting piano wire up to .125" diameter (1/8 and 3/32 axles, .078" chassis rails). Having the right type of wire cutters makes cutting piano wire easy. These cutters from Harbor Freight are inexpensive.
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Post by Keith Tanaka on Jan 25, 2013 11:27:46 GMT -8
Dremel tool: Dremel model 8200. This is a powerful cordless dremel tool. I highly recommend this model or the 8220 (longer battery life) as it has plenty of power compared to the cheaper/smaller Dremel tools.
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Post by Keith Tanaka on Jan 25, 2013 11:31:21 GMT -8
Gear pullers: The "Ninco" gear puller on the bottom is also used to press on pinion gears. The smaller gear puller is handy when the pinion gear is mounted very close to the motor can bearing.
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Post by Keith Tanaka on Jan 25, 2013 11:36:19 GMT -8
Geezer googles: Geezer googles from Harbor Freight. 2.5X reading glasses from drugstore. I highly recommend using these for closeup work. They also help protect your eyes when using a dremel tool. When checking the brush wear on the Falcon motors, it helps to have a good strong pinpoint light source to see into the Falcon can. These small LED flashlights are inexpensive and available at Harbor Freight, Staples, etc.
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Post by brucewayne on Mar 7, 2013 8:16:19 GMT -8
Call me old fashioned, but I still like using an Unger/Weller soldering iron, even though I've worn out a few tips/handles. The current tip is 45 watts made for stained glass work. Heat is controlled by an old Dremel speed controller. Really like using Radio Shack Silver Bearing solder as it stays real shinny. Acid flux from the track, and a 20 year old tin of NoCorrode. Stand is from Radio Shack too...
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Post by brucewayne on Mar 7, 2013 8:23:01 GMT -8
They say you can never have too many clamps Clothes pin come in handy as you can trim the tips to suit your needs, and they are real cheap. To hold small parts for painting I put together some Alligator clips glued to skewer sticks. The small bar clamp is from HF, and have used the S out of it since I got it home.
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Post by brucewayne on Mar 7, 2013 8:27:47 GMT -8
What's a schrach builder without a jig? This is an old one a friend made out of Aluminum. Built a bunch of cars including all my current hardbodys with it. With no front axle holes 1/2" x .032 brass strip serves fairly well as wheelbase jigs.
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Post by brucewayne on Mar 7, 2013 8:30:48 GMT -8
Can't say enough about how handy and versatile the RGEO jig is. Super spoiled by it now
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Post by brucewayne on Mar 7, 2013 17:58:29 GMT -8
A good selection of files and abrasives in assorted grades are a must.
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