Feb 062015
 
Here's an airbrush with the main parts labeled so that you can get familiar with the terminology

Here’s an airbrush with the main parts labeled so that you can get familiar with the terminology

I’ve been thinking about airbrushes a lot lately and there’s been increasing discussion on some of the various hobby groups and boards I participate with or lurk on. The discussion usually starts with someone asking what specifically they should buy or do when they’re starting out with airbrushing. This is a pretty interesting subject and I’ve got a fair amount of experience with it so I thought I’d share a bit of what I know with you all. After I started writing about airbrushes I realized that there is so much to talk about that it would probably be better if I broke this up into a series of articles rather than one ginormous TLDR post. What I’ve decided to do is to turn this into at least a three part series where I’ll cover airbrush basics and my recommendations on specific airbrushes based on my experiences in part one. Part two will cover compressors, hoses and other related hardware and finally, part three will cover necessary and optional accessories – things that I find handy to have around when airbrushing.

Before we really get rolling here I want to mention a couple of important things. First, through this entire discussion I’m going to talking about airbrushes and painting using Acrylic water based hobby paints. These are the same type of paints you’ll typically use for brush painting miniatures and hobby models, brands like Vallejo, Reaper, Games Workshop, etc. I don’t use enamels or lacquers at all so the information presented here may not be suitable for people using those types of paints. Second, if you’re thinking that getting an airbrush will magically make you a master painter as soon as you hook everything up and start spraying paint, well, stop thinking that. Airbrushing will allow you to do a lot of neat stuff and get really nice finishes but it comes with its own set of problems and learning curve. Like any other skill, you’ll need to put the time and effort in to master your craft and fully take advantage of what an airbrush can offer you. Lastly, all airbrush paints are different and most will need to be appropriately thinned in order to spray them with an airbrush. Even the ones that are pre-thinned or labeled “air” paints will sometimes need extra thinning or benefit from some tinkering. I’ll cover this at a later date in a separate article.

The Basics – Airbrush Feed Types

There are three types of feeds for airbrushes. The feed type describes how your airbrush moves paint from the reservoir through the brush body and out the nozzle as you paint. These types of airbrush feeds are Siphon Feed, Side Feed, and Gravity Feed.

Siphon Feed Airbrush

A typical Siphon Feed airbrush

Siphon feed means that the reservoir is connected to the airbrush via a spigot under the body. The reservoir is typically a jar with a screw on lid that has an integral hose/pickup tube that sucks paint up into the airbrush when you press the trigger. This style of airbrush is good for moving large volumes of paint which makes it good for terrain or base coating larger models but will generally not be precise enough for detailed work. To be honest this isn’t much better than using a rattle can so I don’t really recommend this style of airbrush for miniatures. (Rattle can = commercially available aerosol spray paint cans with a ball agitator inside that rattles around when you shake it up)

side feed airbrush

A Side Feed airbrush, this one only allows you to mount the color cup on one side

Side feed airbrushes have the spigot or attachment point for the reservoir straight off the side of the airbrush body so that the paint reservoir sits parallel to the body. These typically have a paint cup and some can be attached to either side of the airbrush which is helpful for left/right hand users. This airbrush style is used a lot by illustrators but in my experience isn’t that great for people doing models or miniatures as the cup seems to always make using this style of airbrush awkward because of the widely varying surfaces and angles you encounter when painting small models.

gravity feed airbrush

Gravity Feed airbrush with a fairly large reservoir/color cup

Gravity feed airbrushes have the paint reservoir attached to the top of the airbrush right on the barrel. Paint goes in the cup and when you press the airbrush trigger paint flows into the air stream and out the nozzle. Gravity feed airbrushes, in my opinion, are the best choice for painting models and miniatures because they require lower air pressure to operate and allow you more control over the amount of paint coming out of the nozzle. (You can really thin down paints or use inks and dial down the air pressure to get very fine lines when using this type of airbrush).

Gravity feed airbrushes will sometimes be manufactured and sold with different cup sizes or interchangeable cups so make sure you know what you’re getting before you purchase. I tend to favor the medium size cups although a large cup is handy if you’re base coating something large or assembly- lining a bunch of miniatures.

Airbrush Action Types

Airbrush action refers to what happens when you press the trigger on the airbrush. There are two kinds of airbrush action, single action and double action. Single action airbrushes are the spray guns of the airbrush world. This means that when you press the trigger it operates the same way a rattle can works – paint and air flow out of the nozzle all together. You don’t get to decide how much paint comes out when you press the trigger, it’s all or nothing. For this reason you should avoid a single action airbrush.

A double action airbrush has a two stage trigger system. The trigger moves up and down as well as traveling front to back. This means when you depress the trigger you get airflow without paint and as you slide the trigger back towards you, the paint starts to mix with the air and flow through the nozzle. The further back you slide the trigger, the more paint flows through the nozzle. This allows you a great deal of control over the paint and air mixture enabling you to go from a large flow of paint for broad coverage to fine lines when you need to hit some small details. This does take some getting used to and you’ll need to practice controlling your paint this way but eventually it becomes fairly intuitive. I absolutely recommend you get a double action airbrush.

Airbrush Needle and Nozzle Sizes

Airbrushes come in a variety of needle sizes and you usually find that they have a matching nozzle that either comes packaged together with the needle or will need to be purchased along with it. Needle sizes are usually defined in millimeters, like .21mm, .35mm, .5mm etc. The larger the number, the larger the coverage with that needle and nozzle set.

The largest needles that you’ll be interested in are the ones around 5mm but you really only want to consider this for areas where you need to put down a lot of paint as you won’t be able to do fine detail work with this size range of needle.

Going down a bit from the largest are the .3mm – .35mm “mid range” size of airbrush needles. These are pretty good all around sizes and will allow you to base coat and do some detail work, stripes, checks, camo patterns, etc.

Lastly for our purposes is the range of needles that fall around .20mm to .25mm. This size range is going to give you some really fine lines and allow you to do some nice freehand work. You can also do some base coating with this size but you’ll need to have everything cranked up so you can get the coverage you want. This size range is what I typically recommend because while it may feel a bit overwhelming when you first start out, if you do even a moderate amount of airbrushing you’re going to grow into this fairly quickly. You’ll be able to take advantage of the fine control you already have rather than buying a less capable “starter” airbrush and then needing to replace it a few weeks or months later.

So What Kind of Airbrush Should I Buy?

To sum up you’re going to be looking for an airbrush that is Gravity Feed, Double Action, and .20mm to .30mm needle and nozzle size. Next we’ll take a look at some different airbrushes and I’ll share my thoughts with you based on my experiences with some that I own or have used.

Airbrush Reviews and Recommendations

I’ve been using airbrushes for close to 30 years but not continuously during that time so it’s been sort of a weird learning curve. I started like a lot of people probably did all that time ago – with a cheap plastic hobby shop single action siphon feed brush that was basically akin to a rattle can that you could change colors with. This came with a thin plastic hose and an adapter that allowed you to attach it to a canned air source. This is probably the worst way you can start and I bet that a fair number of hobbyists never get any farther than this because it’s a big dumb ungainly set  that doesn’t give you any of the control or benefits of a quality airbrush set up. I’m pretty sure you can still find these Testors brand airbrush kits at places like Michael’s or other craft and hobby stores. Avoid these, you’re going to waste a lot of time fiddling with this and no matter what, you’ll never get fine detail work out of one. On top of that, canned air is ridiculously expensive and wasteful. At $12 to $14 per can of air, it’s likely that by the time you learn to get any decent results with this setup you will have spent enough money on canned air to have purchased an actual airbrush compressor.

Having owned and/or used several different airbrushes I feel very comfortable recommending the following three. These are quality products backed by reputable companies. The airbrushes, accessories and parts are all readily available at good hobby shops and online. Here are my top three recommendations:

Iwata HP C Plus Airbrush Mini Review

Iwata HP-C Plus Airbrush

The Iwata HP-C Plus Airbrush is a solid, high quality dependable workhorse that will take you a long way

When I finally decided to get serious about airbrushing – about 10 years ago – I made the jump from a Badger series 150 to the Iwata HP-C Plus airbrush. It was a huge step up in quality and control. This airbrush is a high performance, high precision workhorse and has served me well. It is dual action, gravity feed and has a nice 1/3 ounce color cup. These can be purchased with either a .3mm or .2mm needle and nozzle and you can swap them out if you decide to start with the larger size and work your way down as you become more skilled. Retail for one of these airbrushes is around $136 but I have seen it on Amazon regularly at around $100 which is a nice savings. This also comes with a machined metal cap for the paint cup which is nice when you’re holding the airbrush at odd angles for some of those more fiddly models.

I want to note that I have an older model of this airbrush that is no longer available and it has a solid handle back piece as opposed to the current models which have a really nice cutaway designed to help you control your paint flow. About a year ago I noticed that the trigger action had worn down on this and it wasn’t as smooth as it had been so I gradually moved away from this airbrush and tried some others out.

Badger Sotar 2020F-2 Mini Review

Badger Sotar 2020-F2 Airbrush

The Badger Sotar 2020 -F2 Airbrush is a high precision, user friendly, budget friendly (when purchased on sale) tool. I highly recommend this one

The Badger Sotar 2020F-2 is my current go-to airbrush. This is also a dual action gravity feed model. The designation F stands for Fine and they’re not kidding, this needle is .19mm and will allow you to get some really precise freehand work in. It also has a very fine adjustment dial at the back end so that with properly thinned acrylics or inks and good air control you can make some “hair” thin lines if needed (but believe me, this takes some practice!). The -2 designation is the paint reservoir size and you’ll want to make sure you’re getting that model as it has decent sized 1/12 ounce paint cup. The -1 model is designed for illustrators and the reservoir is actually built in to the airbrush body to facilitate one drop at a time ink usage, you’ll want to avoid this as it won’t hold enough paint for most of the tasks you’re going to be doing.

The Sotar 2020F comes apart easily for cleaning and maintenance and parts are readily available online and direct from Badger – who coincidentally have great customer service. This airbrush kit includes an extra Fine sized needle and a wrench for maintenance. Retail on this airbrush is an astounding $422 but I have to tell you I have NEVER seen it for sale anywhere at this price. They seem to mostly show up in the $200 range if you see it in a shop. However the Badger Sotar 2020F is on sale pretty frequently on Amazon for right around $100 which makes it an incredible value for the level of precision and control it gives you. I highly recommend this one but don’t over pay, wait for a sale!

Grex Tritium TG3/TG2 Pistol Style Airbrush Mini Review

Grex Tritium TG3 Airbrush

The Grex Tritium TG2/TG3 Pistol Grip style airbrush. Another great choice with lots of well executed design features

I’ve saved the Grex Tritium TG2 for last because even though it is another dual action, gravity feed airbrush it is a beast of a different nature. Unlike the other airbrushes I’ve talked about that have a top mounted trigger that you push down and slide back, this one has a pistol grip and trigger style control assembly. This means that when you engage the trigger you’ll feel that it moves back about half of its travel and then sort of stops/hesitates. The first half of the trigger pull is when the air starts to flow and as you pull the trigger back farther paint starts to flow out (this sounds weirder when I describe it than it actually feels when you use it). This is an entirely different feeling action than what you’re used to if you previously used a regular airbrush but it’s actually a pretty natural feel and becomes very comfortable after you use it for a bit.

The Grex Tritium series has some very well thought out design features that I really like. First the nozzle and needle sets come packed together and are easily changed out. TG2 is the designation for the .2.mm needle and nozzle kit and TG3 is the .3mm needle and nozzle kit. This airbrush also has interchangeable color cups in three different sizes and all three cups include a lid. These cups thread on so they won’t work loose while you’re working. Another great design feature is that nozzle guard/crown tip. These are actually magnetic and will also stick to the back end of the airbrush if you need to change them while painting for those times you’re doing detail work and need to get in really close to the surface you’re painting. While it takes some getting used to if you’re switching from a standard airbrush setup to this pistol grip style it really works well and allows you to do some fine detail work and I think that for me at least the pistol style grip and trigger is less fatiguing during long painting sessions. This kit comes in a plastic carrying case and includes the 3 different sized cups, a regular nozzle cap, a crown cap and a wrench,

The Grex Tritium is pricier than the competition but I think it’s due to the well thought out and improved design features that it has. Keep in mind that it includes extra color cups with lids and a crown cap which other airbrushes do not include in the basic set up. Retail for this airbrush is $299 but it is usually available for right around $200 online. For the extra accessories you get and the nifty design ideas I think it is a good value even though it’s a pricier choice.

The Not So Final Word on Airbrushes for Hobbyists and Modelers

This is intended to be a basic overview of airbrushes and their various features. I’ve also posted some comments about airbrushes I have used and am still using. It is by no means an exhaustive list and I am not a “tool collector” either so you won’t see me buying and opining on every airbrush that’s out there. Let me also say that what works for one person may not work for another. Realistically there is no “be all, end all” airbrush because there’s a learning curve that comes with airbrushing as well as some trial and error for most folks. I am confident telling you not to buy a cheap “starter airbrush” with the intent to try it out for awhile and move up to something expensive. You’ll most likely find yourself frustrated by the limitations of cheap tools and may give up entirely if you have some bad experiences. You’re better off buying a good airbrush and growing in to it as your skills improve.

There’s a lot to learn about airbrushes and in the next few articles I’ll cover a broad range of subjects related to airbrushing.. Next up will be an article about compressors and related hardware and after that I’ll talk about all of the various accessories and airbrush odds and ends that you’ll find handy to have around.

As always, comments and constructive feedback are welcome. Feel free to add something in the comment section below but please keep things civil.

Images: 1 2 3 4 5

Jun 052014
 

You’ve probably realized that miniatures hobbyists are a fairly diverse group and while there are a lot of tried and true tricks of the trade there’s also a lot of varying opinions about how to get things done. One thing that the entire community is in agreement on though, is that you need good lighting and lots of it when you’re working on miniatures and models. Particularly so when painting.

One bit of advice that’s often repeated is that you should be using a daylight bulb in your lighting setup. This gets mentioned a lot but unfortunately no one usually bothers to explain what exactly a daylight bulb is and why you should use one. Today we’re going to do just that.

Just What the Heck is a Daylight Bulb Anyway?

This is probably the reaction some people have when hearing the phrase "daylight bulb" for the first time...

This is probably the reaction some people have when hearing the phrase “daylight bulb” for the first time…

The term “Daylight bulb” usually refers to the actual lamp in your desk light, in particular the color temperature or Kelvin (K) value. Without getting overly technical here we’re not talking about the wattage of the bulb but the actual color temperature of the light that the bulb gives off.

All bulbs have a K rating. Bulbs with a lower K rating will give off a more yellow colored light. As you go up the K rating scale the light becomes bluer and brighter. Your typical CFL light bulb around the house is probably in the 3000K to 4000K range. These typically have labels like Soft White, Warm White or Cool White. Candlelight is around 2000K or less, with the older incandescent bulbs coming in around the mid 2000’s.

Here's a reasonable example of what the  Kelvin (K) rating actually indicates over its range when it comes to light bulbs

Here’s a reasonable example of what the Kelvin (K) rating actually indicates over its range when it comes to light bulbs

At the other end of the spectrum we have bulbs that are considered Natural Light and these clock in around 5000K. Daylight bulbs are typically right around 6500K and simulate the suns light at mid day on a slightly overcast day. When people refer to Daylight bulbs this is the sweet spot (6500K) although you will see some bulbs marked as Daylight that are around 6000K.

Why Should I Care About Daylight Bulbs?

Are feeling kind of like Homer when it comes to Daylight bulbs? Don't worry, it'll all make sense in a minute!

Are you feeling kind of like Homer when it comes to Daylight bulbs? Don’t worry, it’ll all make sense in a minute!

There are several advantages to using Daylight bulbs. They give you close to ideal natural light so that the colors you are seeing aren’t distorted by the typical yellowy light source found in most homes and office or desk lamps. Daylight bulbs are commonly used by artists and designers who need to see colors in as close to natural lighting conditions as possible. This will help you accurately reproduce the colors you want when you’re painting miniatures, model kits and scenery.

Daylight bulbs will appear brighter even though they may be the same wattage as a lower K rated bulb. This will help you pick out details and see things better when you’re working on the small details and things like mixing and blending or shading paints.

Lastly, working under Daylight bulbs is actually easier on your eyes. This will allow you to work longer and with less eye strain than with more yellow, lower K rated lighting.

Where Do I Get Daylight Bulbs?

Ok, sounds good. Where do I find Daylight bulbs?

Ok, sounds good. Where do I find Daylight bulbs?

The nice thing about Daylight bulbs in 2014 is that they’re readily available. Finding these used to be kind of a hassle but over the last few years finding Daylight bulbs in a variety of packages has become fairly easy. They are available in most sizes of fluorescent tubes as well as CFL bulbs. Most brick and mortar hardware and lighting retailers carry a selection of Daylight bulbs and they can of course be found at Amazon and online specialty lighting shops. You’ll also be pleased to find that Daylight bulbs aren’t typically any more expensive than lower K rated bulbs – and if they are more expensive it’s usually only about a 10 to 15 percent premium. You may even be able to find Daylight rated LED lighting although that is still pretty pricey and not widely available.

Here’s a search results page at Amazon for various types of daylight bulbs.

Have something to add or a helpful tip? Feel free to share it in the comment section below. Thanks for stopping by and see you next time!

Images: 1 2 3 4

May 282014
 

Something that I get asked a lot when I’m talking miniatures is what glue to use for various projects. For a lot of folks coming in to the miniatures hobby, glue is almost an afterthought, something you throw in to the pile of stuff you’re buying at checkout. For others it can be a mystery, meaning they’ve seen a bunch of different glues but aren’t sure what they should use for the miniatures or model kit they just bought. The truth is there are lots of different types of glues and they have different uses depending on what miniatures or models you’re assembling.

Lots of model and miniatures glue

An avalanche of adhesives!

Miniature and Model Glue Basics

Not all model glues are the same, in fact there’s quite a bit of variety. There’s also variety in how these are dispensed or applied. One of the key things when choosing a glue for your project is knowing what material you’re going to be assembling. Different types of plastics and resins will require different glues. Look at the package for the item you’re assembling, some manufacturers will suggest what you need for assembly. If you’re not sure, check the manufacturers website or one of the many forums dedicated to hobby modeling and miniatures. You can also ask the resident expert at your Friendly Local Game Store, he or she will probably be happy to talk to you and answer your questions.

One of the most important rules about using glue is, “less is more”. Use glues sparingly, you want to bond parts to parts and using a thin film of glue will accomplish this. If you get too much glue on your parts you’ll end up gluing large blobs of glue to each other. This will result in a poor bond and the parts not fitting together correctly. Too much glue can also etch or warp the plastic, depending on the material and the glue you are using.

Prepare your miniatures surfaces. There are three keys to preparation: clean, test fit, and surface preparation. Most miniatures and models use a mold release agent to make getting the parts out of the molds an easier process. This release agent can be greasy or powdery. The release agent will interfere with glues and it’ll also prevent paint from sticking to the models when you get to that stage.

It’s recommended that you wash parts in warm soapy water – dish washing liquid is fine for this with plastic and metal models. For resin models you will need to use something more powerful like Simple Green or Fabuloso (I think Fabuloso is the Mexican version of Purple Power, I get it at the local Mexican market. It’s cheaper than the name brand stuff and works just as well). After washing, make sure parts are completely dry before gluing them.

You’ll want to dry fit your parts before applying glue. This just means putting the parts together without glue so that you understand how they fit together, that it’s a tight fit, and that you get an idea of where the best places are to apply glue. Lastly you’ll want to do surface prep like removing any burrs or sprue gates/mold lines that will get in the way of a tight fight or be difficult to access after the parts are glued together. (Sprue gates are the bits where the part is attached to the sprue so that the material can flow into the mold during manufacture.)

Sometimes with very smooth parts it’s a good idea to rough up the surfaces where the parts will join in order to get a better surface for the glue to bond the parts. You can do this with your needle files, small emery boards or even an X-acto knife.

These small sanding sticks/emery boards are really handy for surface prep on miniatures and model kits

These small sanding sticks/emery boards are really handy for surface prep on miniatures and model kits

When applying glue, use a tool that gives you good control of your glue. This can be a needle applicator tip, a brush or even something as simple as a toothpick. As mentioned above you want to apply glue sparingly. Squirting it out of a tube is probably the worst way of applying glue. If tube glue is what you have, squirt a little bit onto some wax paper and then use a toothpick or cheap brush to apply it to the parts.

Types of Glue I Use

I actually have a large assortment of glues because there’s no such thing as “One Glue to Bind Them All”. I’ll go through the types of glue I use and what I use them for. As a general rule you’re going to use model cement for most plastic miniatures and model kits that are made of styrene or ABS. You’ll use Crazy Glue/Cyanoacrylates (aka CA) for resin models and some softer “bendy” plastics – this is where you’ll need to check with the manufacturer if you’re not sure. Those heavy duty large model kits may require some two part epoxy or extra thick CA. Last but not least you’ll want some PVA/Elmers White Glue for basing and scenery materials.

Crazy Glue/Cyanoacrylate (CA)

I have several different types of CA and use each one for different applications. I use a thin CA for general assembly of small resin miniatures and some small metal parts as well. I recommend you get one with a built in brush applicator. The brush gives you a lot of control and allows you to put the CA only where you need it. I recommend Games Workshops “Super Glue Thin” product. It’s easy to find and easy to use. The packaging ensures that the brush comes out of the bottle loaded with a moderate amount of glue and the GW product is widely available at game and hobby stores.

Game Workshop Super Glue Thin is widely available at hobby shops. Loctite also makes a thin superglue with a brush applicator.

Game Workshop Super Glue Thin is widely available at hobby shops. Loctite also makes a thin superglue with a brush applicator.

I also use a thicker gap-filling CA, Bob Smith Industries Insta-Cure+ for spots where I need some extra strength or to fill a small gap. Using a thicker CA can also give you better control of the glue when you’re applying it. CA’s go from very thin all the way up to gel like consistency. You can experiment with these various thicknesses to see which you are most comfortable with. This particular product has a plastic tip that you cut open on first use so just cut the very tip of it off so you have a small opening. If the tip gets gummed up you can buy replacement bottle tops and caps. (Another use for the thicker CA’s is as a gap filler. You can run some thick or gel type CA into a gap between parts and when it sets you’ll be able to sand and finish it so that it completely hides the gap. You can use an Accelerator to speed up the curing process – more on Accelerators below)

Bob Smith Industries Insta Cure+ is my preferred CA.

Bob Smith Industries Insta Cure+ is my preferred CA.

For places where I really need a strong bond, for example, large kits with heavy wings or that have heavy metal add on parts I use Bob Smith Industries IC-2000. IC-2000 is a CA that has had very finely ground black rubber added to it. I have used this to secure things like dragon wings to large metal models and it is very strong. I’ve dropped stuff that is glued together with IC-2000 and the actual metal snaps off close to join but not the joined parts. This stuff is really just for specialized applications but it is handy to have around.

Bob Smith Industries IC-2000

Bob Smith Industries IC-2000

The last two CA products I keep around are BSI Insta-Set Accelerator and BSI Un-Cure Debonder. The Insta-Set is an accelerator. You can use it to speed up the curing process for CA’s but be aware that a bond using accelerator will be less strong than one without. Another use for accelerator is quick curing when using CA to fill a gap. You run a bead of CA over the gap and the spray the accelerator over it to cure it immediately. Accelerator creates a chemical reaction and the by product is heat. This reaction can get VERY hot so be careful about having glue on your skin when using this product. Accelerator can also etch styrene plastic so use it sparingly.

Bob Smith Industries Insta Set Accelerator

Bob Smith Industries Insta Set Accelerator

Un-Cure is a CA debonder. You can use this product to dissolve the bond between parts or remove CA from your skin. Use debonder sparingly as it can soften plastic parts.

CA Tip: The reason CA’s are so good at bonding skin is because that was their original purpose! If you apply some lotion to your hands before working with CA it may help you by making any CA you get stuck to yourself a bit easier to remove. It won’t completely prevent it from bonding to you but may make cleanup a bit easier.

Model Cement and Solvent

There are lots of types of model cement. My biggest issue with this is how you apply it. Because of that I have a favorite product for those just starting out. This product is Testors Model Master Liquid Cement. This product comes with a steel needle tip allowing for very precise and controlled application. This has been my go-to model cement for at least a decade, possibly longer. The tip rarely clogs because it’s steel and any dried glue just peels away. The package does include a couple of fine wire tip cleaners for the rare clog. (There’s a similar Testors product “Quick Dry Cement”. This does not have the steel tip so make sure you get the Model Masters cement.)

The Testors Model Masters Cement with the steel needle applicator gives you great control over the amount and placement of glue on miniature & model parts

The Testors Model Masters Cement with the steel needle applicator gives you great control over the amount and placement of glue on miniature & model parts

The other Testors product I use is Model Masters Clear Parts Cement. This is formulated differently so it won’t etch or fog up clear parts like cockpit canopies or windows. Highly recommend this product as there’s nothing more aggravating that putting a ton of work into a kit and then having the windows get fogged by cement.

Model Masters Cement - this one's got the steel needle applicator tip

Model Masters Cement – this one’s got the steel needle applicator tip

The last type of model cement I use is more of a solvent. It’s very thin and has a brush applicator. I typically lay the brush at the join and allow the glue to wick it’s way in between the parts. This glue actually melts the plastic a bit so that the parts fuse together. I love this stuff because it enables me to get a really good join and a tight fit on parts that have been correctly prepped. I have been using Tamiya Extra Thin and I really recommend this particular product.

Tamiya Extra Thin Cement

Tamiya Extra Thin Cement

Model cements and solvents should be used sparingly as they can warp, soften or etch plastic. Quick tip: the thin cements and solvents are volatile and will evaporate quickly. Use with good ventilation and keep the lid on tight. If you forget to put the lid on you may return to a mostly empty bottle the next day!

2-Part Epoxy

I occasionally use a 2-part epoxy like Devcon or JB Weld. Just be aware of the short working time – I use a five minute epoxy and make sure you mix this thoroughly. I don’t recommend using anything with a quicker setting time than five minutes as you’ll invariably run up against the clock and that can be frustrating. Also, look at the package and see what you need for cleaning this up BEFORE you start mixing. You’ll want to be ready for clean up immediately upon finishing with this product.

PVA aka Elmers Glue

PVA is Polyvinyl Acetate, commonly known as Elmer’s Glue. You’ll want some of this for basing. Thin it slightly with water and apply it to your base with a brush, then add your basing material to the base. Once your basing material has dried completely you can paint a thinned coat of PVA over it to seal it on to the base. Some good alternatives to Elmers are Weldbond and Aleene’s Tacky Glue. Aleene’s can be particularly useful on bases with a slick surface. (Don’t forget that for slick surfaced bases you can also rough them up a bit before applying glue to help give the glue something to bond with).

Weldbond Glue - I keep this around because I use it a lot for large terrain projects as well

Weldbond Glue – I keep this around because I use it a lot for large terrain projects as well

Before we wrap up I want to mention that I have not talked about pinning models in this post at all because that is another lengthy subject that should have it’s own article. I’ll be putting together a guide for pinning models in the near future but in the meantime you can check this article for some thorough information on what you’ll need to have when we talk about pinning models.

As always, the way I talk about doing things and what I use is based on a my own history of building models and miniatures. These are the products I use and the ways I do things but they are by no means the only way of doing things. If you’d like to contribute an idea or an opinion of a product that you like, feel free to do so in the comments section below. Constructive dialog is always welcome here!

Miniature & Modeling Hobby Tools – More Essentials

 Hobby Tradecraft, News and Info, Tabletop Gaming  Comments Off on Miniature & Modeling Hobby Tools – More Essentials
May 092014
 

The last couple of posts here have been about not spending absurd amounts of money on your basic tools for assembling and finishing miniatures and model kits. If you read “How To Save $100 On Hobby Tools” then you’ll recall that I mentioned I’d recommend  some other tools beyond the basics that you’ll probably want to add to your hobbying tool box with some of the money you’ve saved. Today we’ll take a look at a few items that I think are good choices for expanding your hobby tool set.

The following items are things that I use on a regular basis and are the tools I’ve come to rely on after a couple of decades of building miniatures and models. While there are a couple of essentials, you probably don’t need to run out and buy all of this stuff at once. I’ll offer up some suggestions and provide links to where you can purchase those items, usually on Amazon for convenience sake and because lots of items there ship free or free with an Amazon Prime membership.

Self Healing Cutting Mat

This particular item is pretty much your first additional must have. It’ll keep your work area from getting damaged by your tools, paint and glue. This is especially important if your work area happens to be your wifes (or moms) dining room table. Get a self healing cutting mat and get the largest one you can reasonably use (and afford) for the space you’re usually working in. Measure! I use an 18” X 24” mat which generally gives me a lot of room. I also have a small one that’s about 6” X “10” or so that I can throw in a bag if I’m putting together a little travel tool kit for a demo or a group build at my local FLGS.

Set yourself up with a cutting mat - particularly if your work area is the dining room table!

Set yourself up with a cutting mat – particularly if your work area is the dining room table!

Let There Be Light

The next item you’re going to want is a good light over your work space. These days Ott Lights seem to be all the rage but I personally don’t care for them other than the fact that they’re compact and somewhat portable. I use a pair of swing arm desk lamps with daylight bulbs that I got from Ikea a few years ago, unfortunately those are no longer available so I can’t recommend the exact ones I  have. If  you have an Ikea nearby, it’s worth braving the crowds there to check out their selection of desk and office lighting as they have a large variety of stuff. (It’s also a great place to find a workbench/desk and shelving or display cases for your hobby/game room.) Another lamp that is very popular with miniature painters is the LSF 150 but these also seem to be somewhat scarce. A friend of mine uses this Daylight Triple Bright Lamp and has been very satisfied with it. It’s available at Amazon but it’s a bit pricey. It does however, ship for free.

The Daylight Triple Bright Swing Arm Lamp

The Daylight Triple Bright Swing Arm Lamp

Another alternative is a lamp with a built-in magnifier. These are pretty easy to find and Harbor Freight Tools even carries one. These come in both fluorescent and LED styles. If you buy fluorescent, you’ll want to replace the supplied bulb with a daylight bulb. Unfortunately I can’t speak much on whether or not the LED lamps are a good fit for this kind of work as I don’t own one and haven’t worked with one either. Whatever you decide, I recommend getting a lamp with a long swing arm that clamps to the edge of your desk if possible. This will give you a lot of freedom to position the lamp head where you need it and can save valuable real estate on your workspace, particularly if it’s a small area to begin with.

One last tip, check your local Staples/Office Depot type office supply store, they typically have a good assortment of lamps that you can check out before you order one online. You may also get lucky and find a sale/markdown item that’s just right!

Typical swing arm Fluorescent Lamp with desk clamp - Make sure you get a daylight bulb for this.

Typical swing arm Fluorescent Lamp with desk clamp – Make sure you get a daylight bulb for this.

A Clear View

This next item is optional and also somewhat dependent on you and your lighting choice and work situation. If you’re an older gamer/hobbyist you’ve probably noticed that those tiny details are probably getting a bit harder to see. I find myself getting a lot more squinty these days so I’ve had to look for some solutions. I was using a set of cheapo drugstore magnifiers/reading glasses and then stumbled across the Donegan OptiVISOR. This is a magnifying visor with an adjustable headband that you can wear over your prescription glasses if need be. The lenses are replaceable and you can buy several different sizes of magnification. These take a little getting used to but once you have them fitted correctly you hardly notice they are there and the visor part moves independently of the headband so they can be flipped up out of the way if necessary.

Donegan OptiiVISOR with replaceable lenses

Donegan OptiiVISOR with replaceable lenses

There’s also an accessory for the OptiVISOR that I really like. It’s an LED light kit that attaches to the lens plate and has 6 bright white LEDs that really throw some spot illumination on your subject for those times you need to see some up close detail. This accessory comes with everything you need to mount it and it only takes about 5 minutes to install. It’s powered by double A batteries which are easily replaceable. Once you’ve installed this you don’t notice that it’s even there, until you need it. This gives you portable light when and where you need it and can easily be throw into a travel tool kit if you need to.

The OptiVISOR LED Light Attachment

The OptiVISOR LED Light Attachment

Razor Saw

Another tool I like to have around is a Precision Razor Saw. Some of the tasks you’ll use this for will be cutting parts off of thick resin sprues, cutting molded bases off of miniatures or customizing and kitbashing models. These aren’t too expensive and if you purchased a knife set with a large handle you can just buy these X-Acto blades separately. If you’re going to be sawing wood or plastic for terrain construction or kitbashing, consider adding a mini miter box to go with your saw.

X-Acto Razor Saw Set

X-Acto Razor Saw Set

Motoring Along

You may be considering adding a Dremel type tool to your kit and I think that can be a handy tool. Keep in mind that those things run at high speeds and can quickly damage what you’re working on or get away from you. For that reason I really like the Dremel MiniMite. The MiniMite is a cordless version of the Dremel that fits well in your hand and runs at a slower speed, making it easier to control. It’s also portable and rechargeable. It accepts all of the usual Dremel rotary tool accessories as far as I’m aware. The best part? It’s only about twenty five bucks on Amazon and ships for free.

Dremel 7300- N8 MiniMite Cordless Rotary Tool

Dremel 7300- N8 MiniMite Cordless Rotary Tool

If you think you’d like a larger, more powerful, yet still portable tool, check out the Dremel 7700 Cordless Moto Tool. The Dremel 7700 does cost about twice as much as the MiniMite though. You’ll want to accessorize your Dremel with some attachments so check out a couple of the accessory kits, I have this 160 Piece Dremel Accessory Set which covers pretty much any eventuality.

This Dremel 160 piece accessory set probably  covers every task you're going to want to do with a moto tool

This Dremel 160 piece accessory set probably covers every task you’re going to want to do with a moto tool

Hold On!

Sometimes you wish you had a third – or fourth – hand. There are a couple of tools you can get that are almost like having some extra hands around to help you out. The first one is some small spring clamps. I have some similar to these Wolfcraft Hobby Clamps that I picked up a long time ago. My only complaint with the set I have that they are a bit stronger than I’d like and they’re all exactly the same size and shape. This Wolfcraft set actually includes some different styles of clamp and looks a little more suited to what we’re doing. I’ve ordered a set and will post my thoughts on them after I’ve had a chance to work with them some.

The Wolfcraft Hobby Clamp Set comes with a variety of different style clamps that will come in handy

The Wolfcraft Hobby Clamp Set comes with a variety of different style clamps that will come in handy

The next item is also a clamp but it’s a larger, different style of clamp that you may need if you’re making terrain or assembling some of the larger model kits like tanks, flyers, or laser cut buildings. This is a sliding bar clamp that comes in a mini size with a maximum four inch jaw opening. It’s just the right size for a lot of larger hobby projects without being ungainly and taking up your whole desk. These are available at Amazon in a two pack but hold the phone – Harbor Freight carries these for a mere two bucks apiece and you can buy them indiviually. I’ve looked around the ‘net and I haven’t found anywhere cheaper than these. Worth a stop by your local Harbor Freight if you have one nearby.

Micro Bar Clamps - these are great for holding larger models or terrain projects together while gluing and assembling

Micro Bar Clamps – these are great for holding larger models or terrain projects together while gluing and assembling

The last “third hand” type item I’m going to recommend is a little hobby vise with a set of wide jaws. This is the PanaVise Model 201 Junior and it has a nice solid base, fine controls for adjusting the vise jaws and it tilts and pans every which-way. You can also get a couple of different attachable bases for this vise. There’s a wider base that has little parts trays around the circumference and there’s also a vacuum base version of the PanaVise Junior that’ll keep the vise from sliding around on your desk/work surface.

The PanaVise Junior Miniature Vise

The PanaVise Junior Miniature Vise

The Brush Off

Last but definitely not least, you should probably pick up a couple of small brushes for clean up. These are handy for cleaning up your needle files if they get jammed up with the shavings from cleaning and smoothing model parts. I have a three piece mini wire brush set like this one. It includes a nylon, brass and steel brush. I’ll be honest with you, the steel brush is usually overkill for most hobby projects so I don’t use it much but the brass and nylon brushes have really become essential tools for cleaning other tools and miniatures.

This Mini Brush Set is great for those little cleanup jobs

This Mini Brush Set is great for those little cleanup jobs

There are probably a few other items that I could mention but these items are among the most frequently used in my experience. I think the two key items in this list are the cutting mat and good lighting. You’ll probably want to start with those and then add the other items as you need them.  As always, if you’d like to add a helpful tip or observation, feel free to do so down below in the comment section or find me on Twitter @HolyCrapItsLate. Next time we’ll take a look at the stuff that holds things all together, glue!

May 022014
 

Last week we took a look at Pin Vises and I talked about how to get a complete miniature pinning kit for around $25 instead of throwing money away on an  overpriced Games Workshop Drill Set. I mentioned in that post that there were some other approaches to getting yourself a complete set of hobby tools that don’t require you to shell out $150 for Games Workshop/Citadel branded stuff.

Now don’t get me wrong here, I’m not a “GW Hater”. To the contrary, I’ve been playing GW games for 20+ years and I really enjoy the worlds they’ve created, warts and all. My issue is that hobby gaming is already a fairly expensive pastime that has a way of sneakily “nickel and diming” you into spending more than you think you will when you start out. It seems crazy to me to blow the insane amount of cash on tools that GW tries to convince new miniature hobbyists that they should spend. GW gets away with this because people coming into the hobby sometimes don’t know any better.

The Games Workshop tool set that you don't need to blow $150 on

The Games Workshop tool set that you don’t need to blow $150 on

A Word About Methods and Tools

This article is based on my experiences building miniatures and models over a couple of decades. I’m not claiming that my way is the only way, just showing you how I do things. One of the best things about this hobby is the community and how folks are willing to share their techniques and tricks of the trade and I sincerely hope you find something useful here. I welcome your input and observations so feel free to add anything you think is helpful down below in the comment section.

Before we get started, a quick word about tools. I’m not a tool snob, nor am I a frugal gamer (can anyone in this hobby really be considered frugal?). Since this article is about getting the most bang for your gaming buck I will be recommending some fairly inexpensive items. A few of them will be from Harbor Freight Tools. Some folks think anything from Harbor Freight is junk and to be fair, if I was a contractor or a mechanic I probably wouldn’t rely on some of the stuff they sell. However for the purposes of what we’re doing Harbor Freight Tools is a great place to shop for hobby tools. For convenience, I’ll also link to similar items that are available on Amazon.

The Basic Tools Every Beginner Needs

To get started you’re going to need a few basic items like a knife set, some files, and a sprue cutter. These items are your core tools and what you will rely on most of the time.

This is an X-Acto X2000 Comfort Grip Knife with a #11 Blade and it's less than $6

This is an X-Acto X2000 Comfort Grip Knife with a #11 Blade and it’s less than $6

For knives it’s pretty straightforward, you’ll need a basic X-Acto style handle and some number 11 blades. Games Workshop sells one of these that also includes 5 replacement blades for $25 and to be quite blunt, that’s outrageous. If you’re shopping for a hobby knife you can either buy just a knife and some blades for around $10 or you could go with one of these Xacto Basic Knife Sets that’s got not one but three different handles and a variety of extra blades. The Amazon price for this is $16.29. Harbor Freight carries a 33 Piece Deluxe Hobby Knife Set that’s usually priced at $15.99 but is currently on sale for 13.99. The Harbor Freight set also includes some useful additional items like tweezers, a scratch awl, calipers and some tiny screwdrivers. You can also find the Harbor Freight set on Amazon here.

The Gordon 33 Piece Deluxe Hobby Knife Set with Carrying Case and a slew of  extras. Available at Harbor Freight Tools and Amazon

The Gordon 33 Piece Deluxe Hobby Knife Set with Carrying Case and a slew of extras. Available at Harbor Freight Tools and Amazon

One last knife set I want to mention is this Mastergrip Craft & Hobby Knife Set. I mentioned this via my Twitter account last week and Costco has had these for quite awhile. It now looks like they’re no longer available at Costco.com and are on clearance at the warehouses. This set was $20 and at my local warehouse it is now on clearance for $13. Twitter friend @D3FFDR3AD found the same set at his local Costco for 10 bucks! These probably won’t be available at Costco for much longer but it’s worth a look at your local store if you happen to be a member.

Next up, you’ll need a set of cutters to clip all of those parts away from their sprues. Once again, Games Workshop has a set on offer for the astronomical price of $30. But they’re “precision made from stainless steel and have bypass micro-shear blades”…right. They’re angle cutters and you can get some for under $10. In fact unless you’re set on a name brand tool you can get a set of these for way under $10. Check these Hakko CHP-170 Micro Clean Cutters available on Amazon for $4.37! These will do the job and have the right angle to get at those tiny parts cleanly. Over at Harbor Freight you can get these Micro Flush Cutters for three bucks, I’ve seen these on sale there for $2 bucks on occasion and I don’t think you can beat that price anywhere.

Hakko CHP-170 Micro Clean Cutters Sprue Cutters

Hakko CHP-170 Micro Clean Cutters

Update 5/7/14: It’s been suggested to me by more than one reader that I mention these Xuron 170-II Micro-Shear Flush Cutters as these are widely available in lots of hobby and game shops and are a popular choice among hobbyists. At the gamer friendly price of only $7.68 they are also another great deal in comparison to the Citadel Cutters.

Xuron Micro Shear  170-II Flush Cutters

Xuron Micro Shear 170-II Flush Cutters

 

Lastly as far as basic tools go, you’ll need some files for mold line removal and prepping parts where they join together. Games Workshop is happy to empty out the rest of your wallet to the tune of $18 for a pair of needle files, but these files were probably blessed by the Emperor or something so you know, premium pricing. OR…you could get a set of these non-consecrated needle files that come in a pouch and have handles, and did I mention this is a ten piece set? It’s $7 on Amazon. That’s 10 files in various shapes with plasti-dipped soft grip handles. Harbor Freight also has some needle file sets (probably imported from the Eye of Chaos, but whatever) that are dirt cheap. There’s a set without handles that’s $3.49 and a set with plastic handles for $4. Both of these also come in a handy vinyl pouch.

The SE 10 Piece Needle File Set

The SE 10 Piece Needle File Set

The Extra Bits

For completeness, there are a few other tools that you should eventually get but they aren’t strictly necessary for beginners. First up is the Mouldline Scraper – once again GW has one of these, and it’s $17. This tool is strictly optional and to be honest, you don’t need it. It does the same thing your file set does and if you bought one of those knife sets I mentioned above that come with multiple handles and blades you can designate one of those as your mouldline scraper. Personally I use the back of a knife for most of these tasks. If you absolutely have to have a tool like this then I recommend this Squadron Products Seam Scraper. It’s 10 bucks which still feels a little pricey to me, your mileage may vary.

Squadron Products Seam Scraper

Squadron Products Seam Scraper

The next thing you’re going eventually need is a pin vise/drill. I wrote a post on that subject that goes into great detail bout how you can put together a complete kit for pinning models together for less than the cost of the stupidly priced Citadel Drill so I won’t repeat all of that here. For our purposes, this is the pin vise I use and it’s $8 from Amazon. It doesn’t come with drill bits but see my other post for some recommendations. Surprisingly, this is one of the few things for the hobbyist that Harbor Freight does not offer.

Amazon Pin Vise Drill

This is the pin vise I use, it costs $8 at Amazon

Our final comparison item is the Sculpting Tool Set. This is really optional and you probably wont need this as a person just starting out in the hobby. I do like to use the spreader for basing materials sometimes so it does have uses other than sculpting. Harbor Freight has one listed for $6 and it includes 6 different tools. It’s the 6 Piece Stainless Steel Carving Set and it has a nice variety of shapes and sizes. It’s really a much better value than the Games Workshop Sculpting Tool Set which has two tools and will set you back a ridiculous $25. You can also find this 12 piece sculpting set on Amazon for around $9 – check the various options here, some are free ship and some are free for Prime members but they’re all right around $9.

SE 12 Piece Sculpting Tool Set

SE 12 Piece Sculpting Tool Set

And The Winner Is…YOU!

So we’re at the part where we sum up how much our tool set costs us and compare it to what Games Workshop has on offer. Since I offered up some different options I’ve sort of averaged the cost here a bit, rounding up to give a little room for price fluctuations (keep in mind that prices on Amazon change daily, sometimes even more frequently). Lets take a look:

Knife Set – $16
Sprue Cutters – $5
File Set – $5
Mouldline/Seam Scraper $0 or around $10 (Completely optional and you can get by without one of these)
Pin Vise – $8 (You’ll need to add some drill bits but see my other article first)
Sculpting Tool Set $8

Total = Around $40 – lets say $50 if you throw in a micro drill bit set instead of building the complete pinning kit.

I just saved $100 on hobby tools in 15 minutes!

I just saved $100 on hobby tools in 15 minutes!

That means you’ve just saved a whopping $100 for your tool set compared to what Games Workshop has on offer. Sure, you didn’t get that nifty cloth roll up to carry your tools around in but I’m betting you have something around the house that will work or you can hit your local sporting goods store and find something there for about five bucks. You might even consider checking out etsy to see if someone there can make you the custom roll-up tool pouch of your dreams.

Saving that $100 means you have more money for actual miniatures and models, or you could expand your tool set with some other useful tools. In my next post I’ll show you some other items that I think are good to have in your hobby tool box. As always, feel free to ask questions and/or leave constructive feedback below in the comments section.