A Short Clinic on Tools, Sources & Organizing
by Russ Boehm
Presented at the January 2008 BMRC Meeting

Any clinic on tools is going to be a severe compromise on what’s available or on how to use it. To list all sources of tools would be equally as difficult. A few examples:

Micro-Mark – http://www.micromark.com/ includes 48 categories. Looking under just clamps gets you to 4 pages with 10 items each. If that’s typical, the catalog would have about 2000 catalog items.

American Science & Surplus - http://www.sciplus.com/ is a source of everything under the sun from junk to very good tools at a very reasonable price. A typical catalog will contain hundreds of items and they change over time.

Harbor Freight – http://www.harborfreight.com/ A good source of inexpensive tools that, with a reasonable level of selectivity, can give you a good set of tools that will handle many of the tasks without costing you very much at all.

Sears Craftsman – A great source for good tools for layout construction at a reasonable price and even some tools useful in modeling. The best part, all Craftsman hand tools have a lifetime, no hassle replacement warrantee if they fail.

So what kinds of tools do I need? Well, it depends; what are you trying to do?-

·         Layout Construction

o        Designing your own track plan

o        Using a proven plan

o        What level of complexity

·         Track Laying & Roadbed

o        Spline

o        Cookie Cutter

·         Scenery

o        Plaster

o        Foam

·         Model Building

o        Large or Small Scale

o        Wood

o        Styrene

So obviously, I can’t begin to cover every angle, aspect, material, tool or source. However, I can offer you some maybe not so obvious ideas on this particular subject that I have found useful. Layout Construction

·         Laser Levels – Cost anywhere from about $15 - $100 and falling. Harbor Freight’s Item 92703-1VGA is a self-leveling unit with a range of 40’ and sells for $39.

·         Squares

o        Framing Square – for large and basic work with plywood & drywall Sears Item# 00939607000 $13

o        3D Cabinet squares – Woodcraft #144041 $33 for 2. If it’s built square and plumb, things just go easier. These may seem expensive but they really save time.

·         Chalk Line – If you really need a line on the wall Amer. Sci. & Surplus #31341 - $.75

·         Adhesive – Titebond Wood Molding Glue, Woodcraft #124513, $5.50

·         Brad Nailer – Requires a compressor but can be bought as a kit @ Home Depot for about $80. If you already have a compressor, try Harbor Freight’s 46309-4VGA  for $20. It may not be the greatest but at that price you can toss it when it fails. A Dewalt D51236K = $80.

Modeling

·         Squares

o        Engineers squares - $3-$5. If its square & plumb, things just go easier

·         Construction – Rockler Clamp-it  provides glue joint clearance

·         Glass Plate – If you want it square & plumb, you need to start flat. Get it at your glass shop from scrap sized to suit your scale. Heavier is better up to a point. Sand the edges or have the glass shop do it.

·         Scalpel – Amer. Sci. & Surplus Item 89241&3, #10 or #11 $2.25/3 Sharper than X-acto blades

·         Blade Sharpener – Accusharp $4 will resharpen blades fast when you don’t need perfectly straight edge. Great when you’re carving plaster.

·         Clamps

o        Clamp – Amer. Sci. & Surplus #92041, 4” clamp $1.95. These are great, I bought 10!

o        Clothespin Skewer Clamp – Can be used in any number of ways and it’s simple to make. Check it out.

·         Syringe – Amer. Sci. & Surplus #37664P10 & 100, $2.95/10 & $14.50/100 Good tool for wood glue or oiling in larger scales.

·         Mini Screwdrivers – I use Craftsman @ about $5 each. I found jewelers screwdrivers to be too small for couplers & trucks.

·         Snap-off Knife – Dirt-cheap at the Dollar Store and often sold as a loss leader in lumberyards and building supply stores. Leave the blade in tact and extend it full length for carving foam.

Organizing Your Stuff

·         Toilet paper & Paper Towel Rolls – Hot glue to corrugated cardboard for an inexpensive means to store tools, strip wood and styrene. Graduate the length to hold shorter pieces as they are cut.

·         Custom Fitted Tool Rack – made from plywood or particleboard. Make sure you provide non-tip storage for adhesives, solvents

·         Plastic Tubs – Watch Big Lots for sales. I bought mine for about $1. I classify them as, decoder installation kit, coupler installation kit, paint or a model in progress.