Essential Modeling Tools

1. Hobby Knives & Chisels
   • Angled blades for scraping, Chisels for small areas and spreading putty
   • Fiskars makes a nice handle that feels good to hold
2. Tweezers
   • Good tweezers are always useful and worth the cost
   • Self-closing tweezers are great to hold small parts for painting
3. Saws
   • Hobby saws have a bunch of uses
   • This 52 TPI Zona Saw is amazing, I even cut off part of one saw and made an attachment for a Hobby Knife
4. Sanding Stuff
   • Get a set of sanding pads for curved surfaces, sanding sticks for flat surfaces
   • Godhand sanding sponges/sticks are pricey but last longer
5. Putties & Fillers
   • Tamiya Grey Putty is my go-to putty for gaps as it sands well
   • 2 part Epoxy putties like Tamiya, Apoxie Sculpt, and Kneadatite or Green Stuff are great for larger gaps
6. Nippers or Sprue Cutters
   • Single-edge nippers are 100% WORTH the price, even Godhand, though Stedi MS-109 is very close
   • I love having IGAN Wire Cutters for thick stuff and brass wire
   • I also love Godhand's special nippers for resin supports on 3d-prints
7. Pin Vise and drill bits
   • I love the Zona brand as it won't dig into your hand while drilling, DON'T get the double-sided ones
   • Drill bit sets can be found all over (I prefer metric)
8. Containers
   • Little medicine cups are the best for mixing paint & thinner for airbrushing
   • Beer caps are cheap and perfect for holding CA glues and other stuff
9. Blu tack or Poster Putty
   • Reusable putty that is great at holding parts, masking, and test-fitting pieces
   • Not affected by acrylic paints - but enamels, lacquers, and alcohol dissolve it into a gooey mess

If you plan on doing more extreme conversions, scratch-builds, or kit-bashes, then you should invest in a Dremel rotary tool. I prefer the Dremel Stylus, if you can find it at a decent price. The Stylus is just the easiest to hold, and it allows more control than most other rotary tools.

• Start off at mid-speed and adjust as necessary. Most people use it at too high a speed, which melts the plastic.
• Dremels use different collets to fit smaller bits. A universal chuck is available, but it's bulky and I've hit models with it trying to meaneuver into tight spaces.
• Be careful with smaller drill bits, as they will snap easily.
• High-speed cutters are my most used bits, but I also love the drill set and sanding drums.
• Off-brand accessories include the big saw blade you see in the picture. Watch your fingers.

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