Favorite PHOTOGRAPHY: FRANK FANELLI M
y model workshop is loaded with all kinds of tools. They hang from pegboards, and workbench and almost each gets used one time or another. But during a recent re- view project I reflected that some are the real “go-to”
tools. They’re used almost every time a model is on my bench. A workshop and its tools are a personal thing. They’re a reflection
of the techniques and preferred work habits of any modeler, so I of- fer these favorites of mine for whatever they’re worth. Each of the ones I’ve chosen has been used consistently to make the building and assembly of a model, kit or ARF, significantly easier. A few may require a small investment like the number drills need-
ed for use with the drill gauge seen in one of the pictures. But if you’re into building for the long haul, as I suspect most of you are, it becomes a small price to pay for less aggravation, a better built model and streamlined production. Most, though, are inexpensive, and easily found. Hopefully, at least some of these tools may be exactly what will
help you. Maybe there are some of your own favorites that you can share with all of us.
Workshop Tools
By Frank Fanelli
All these measuring tools come from General Tools
www.generaltools.com. The 6-inch rulers come in various widths and on the back of them are very handy reference tables for conversion of fraction sizes to decimal. Some have dual scales, metric and English. The caliper is used to check sheet and stock dimensions, and can measure inside and outside diameters. The steel protractor is great for measuring or reproducing angles on sheet and stock. It also takes a pencil mark to act as a quasi depth gage. These tools are found in most hardware stores.
These are the tools I find that I reach for almost always no matter what kind of model I’m doing. Nothing fancy but worth their weight in gold and a great antidote to minimize that expressive language we utilize once in a while.
I inherited this drill bit gauge from my father, a machinist. Designed for use with number drills 1–60, I find it helps me find the exact diameter drill bit that best fits the job like the pin of a clevis (#52) or any other item—pushrod sleeves, dowels, screw pass throughs, etc. Obviously, if the gage is used, it needs the drill bits to go with it. A set of them is a minor investment but well worth it for the precision they provide.
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Can’t beat these small machinists squares to draw exact perpendicular lines. Micro Mark
www.micromark.com sells them with blades of 3, 4, and 5 inches. A lot easier to work with than a 12-inch square. The pencil next to them has been in my shop for 30 years. It’s a Pentel 0.5mm mechanical pencil and has been great for making very precise marks and repeatable marks. Regular lead pencils dull and then leave a broad mark. That may be okay for carpentry but not precision model making. Pencils like these can be found in a stationery store like Staples
www.staples.com.
FEBRUARY 2012
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