Da Dremel  /  Utility Desk  /  Airbrush and Compressor  /  Heat Gun
The Shredder  /  Sculpting Tools / Files / Paint and Glue
Lights & Electronics  / Boxes  / 



DREMEL XP400


The Dremel.  How can anyone live without one?  Is there another tool with which one can shape the destiny of humanity?  I think not.  If you don't own one, get one.  If you own one, get another for a friend or relative! So far, there seems to be nothing that cannot be done with this tool!!!

Masonite, metal, polystyrene, PVC, resin, stone, it seems that there's nothing that can't be cut, drilled, sliced, sanded, buffed, smoothed or polished with this tool! How can anyone get away with not having one? Always wear your glasses and dust mask!

070117
I've given the old thing lotsf work with a bunch of resin kits I've gotten lately. A new can of air blew tons of dust out of the interior of this thing. Still rocking!

070201
Well for all the work that I've given this tool, it just keeps going. I dusted out several times now. I've worn down a few different drill bits, snapped a few others, and simply broken still more. While bits can get expensive, the judicious use of them means they will last a long time. I've talked with a couple other owners, and they've had theirs for years. I love this tool!

070531
I was at a swap meet/computer fair last weekend.  In addition to all the good computing stuff, there were several dealers set up with nothing but drill bits, 'dental tools', and other similar hardware items that were perfect for precision work such as scale modeling! 

I am psyched about this and will be returning next month to scope things out a little better.  I had my hands full with computer goodness and didn't have the opportunity to explore as I would have liked at that point of the day. For those in the greater L.A. area, it's the 'TRW swap meet' on Aviation road, off Rosecrantz, south of LAX, on the last saturday of every month thru 1pm.


071224.22
I've gotta lookup the warranty on the dremel as the motor burned while I was working on the K-7. It was getting extremely hot and I should've slowed down, but I pushed it once too far. A new one would be about $100, so that's not bad, but bad timing to replace it.


080609.01
Never found the receipt, so just bought a new one.  I may still be able to send the old one in as they should have the serial on file regardless.

The new one is wonderful to work with.

081004.20
I got the dremel workstation today.  It's a nice addition to the arsenal.  I was hoping I could do some routing with it, but I will have to get the special routing station as well.  I've got a few projects in mind.  For about $35, it's worth the expenditure. 



081020.23
Acquired the reciprocating saw attachment yesterday.  I was hoping for the micro-buzz saw, but it was for previous models.  Haven't been able to use it yet, but I do have a couple projects lined up.



I used the snake arm attachment. I had tried previosuly.  I was lacking the proper nut, which I only realized because the saw also usess the same thing to lock the drive shaft in. It was a lot of fun. In additiona to the plunge router, I have been having a dremel blast!


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Utility Desk

Picked this table up for $20 at a tag sale.  Modified it by gluing the monitor board level with the main desktop.  Slide away keyboard tray now holds my heavy tools such as pliers, extra files, pens and so on.  I put more shelving underneath int he form of a box.  I will build shelves later. 
The casters make it perfect for moving it around.  I'll have to caster my main work bench.


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Airbrush and Compressor


061104
I'll have more accurate reflections later after usage and system shakedown.

061231.18
Initially the airbrush seemed not to work too well. But I was still trying to get used to the controls and the paint mixtures. The first kit done was Tachikoma. I couldn't have done this kit without the airbrush. And the results, all things considered, look great. There is no way this kit could've been hand brushed. The results would have been pitiful.

The main problem I had, was the paint mixture. I'd read a couple different things. From using a one to four ratio of paint thinner, to using a one-to-one ratio of paint thinner. None of them seemed good. So when I get back into it, I'll have to do some more experimentation.

Also, I think that i have just found the pressure regulator.  The thing is capapble of 45 psi, but it's only been running around 15.  Based on usage so far, I think in the mid-to-upper 20's would be ideal.

070326
The pressure is fine enough afterall.  The compressor works fine.  The airbrush itself has been a nightmare! Don't know that I've been able to get more than a dozen hours of it since purchase back in November.  And that's being generous too!

070525
Somwhere along the line, I got some enamel thinner that was not enamel thinner.  Even though it cleaned the brushes well enough, when mixing with paint to thin it, this stuff turned the paint into a solid piece of 'gum'.   This is what killed the previous airbrush.

I picked up another brush for $30 and got some definite enamel thinner and things have been great!  I'd forgotten how much I miss airbrushing.  After a couple kits, I got my basic technique back and after a couple more I was fully competent again with the tool.  Just ran out of all my thinner, so will have to get some more.  I'll do some careful research first! This last jar of stuff must have been mineral spirit, linseed or something else that enamel doesn't like at all.

081012.16
Been loving the airbrush over the last year. I think over that time, the fine mist control has lost some finesse.  I could be mistaken.  It gets cleaned thoroughly everytime.  Getting a pressure regulator for the compresor would be a good thing.  There is no control on it at all.


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Heat Gun
Just like the name says.

$15 at a flea market.  2 settings. 1500w. I used to use hot water to bend vinyl with little effect.  Now, things are just nice.


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The Shredder

Very handy for working with vinyl models!  Run all your old scrap and junk mail thru
this baby and your vinyl models are ready for stuffing! BTW- Skewer sticks are very cheap
and work well when combined with shredded paper.


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Sculpting Tools, 14 pc.

14 piece for Clay.
These have proven to be invaluable. Prior to using these, I was taking bits of sprue and mushing around the putty with them. While that worked for a time, it was not going to last. The precision that these tools offer is astounding and phenomenal.

I don't know how I got away without them


Marblex.
My original idea for this stuff was to roll out some sheets and build a jacket for one of my mockup characters.  Unfortunately, this stuff, or the two batches I bought, crumbles as it dries. Whether it be thin or thick, it made no difference. 


Sculpy.
Where putty was too insubstantial, and marblex proved near useless, I have turned to Sculpy>

I carved a bust from a few pounds of this stuff a couple years ago and people at work have great praise and great results.  At this point I have to start the whole production pipeline up again,  so I will get back to this stuff in a couple months.


Lichen, rocks, dirt sand, etc.
All from the local model train store.  Or free from your yard, the beach, forest and several other places.



Files
And how did I get away without these?!? Again, I was using a primitive method before these came along.  For a while I got some sandpaper and started using that, but even that wasn't going to be good enough.

Yet again, this is another tool that has proven itself to be immediately invaluable. Now I only have to figure out how to clean all the gunk out of the grating. (Ahhh. A steel brush!)

From steel to diamond coated and dozens of sizes, files are fun!


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Paints and Stuff

Sets of acrylics and brushes.

Standard enamels, about 100 jars now. Mostly Testors'.



Brushes. Don't use natural hair with enamels!

Putty. Tried Testor's, settled on Tamiya for most all purposes. Recently I've been
trying Squadron white putty.  It's supposed ot be for plastic, but seems to work
on resin too.  Gives 2x the Tamiya quantity for a little less money, dries faster and
seems easier to sculpt .

Glues,(various). Though I think I've settled on standard Crazy Glue.  It's ultra fast, works on almost everything, can be manipulated for a few seconds at the very least and is secure as anything.  Also, at the dollar store, it only costs a dollar per tube instead of $3+ at a hardware or department store!  Also, it's far cheaper than standard glue at this rate as you need far less of it!

Standard generic spray paints, along with Rustoleum, Model Master and other
ocassional brand names, approximately 40 cans.

Get some green scrubby dish pads! These will scuff up/dull down your paint exactly as needed. A little extra pressure will reveal underlying primer -perfect for metal scratches if you base prime silver first!


A thinner jar.



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Lights & Electronics

No particular brand names spring to mind.  However, a good tip is to get some night lights that are photon or motion activated. You can use these as switches for your models or diorama.  So whenever someone walks up to the model or the nightime comes, it goes on! Sweet!  Also going this route is less expensive than explicitly buying a photon or motion detector.

Rummage around at tag sales and flea markets for old wall warts.  Look for the voltage (usually even 3-5 volts is a great minimum and guarantees LEDs will fire, though 12v is more standard) , then look at your mA rating to see how many LEDs you can wire into the circuit.  You really only need a few source lights, which can then be attached to fibre optic strands for pinpoint dispersal.  You could even make aluminum foil tubes for light transmission or set up small mirrors!

Check ebay. Once the shipping is factored in, some deals may not be that great, but if you do it right, you'll beat the local prices. Example: local blue and white LEDs go for $3+ in L.A. On ebay, sold in lots of 'x', w/ shipping, can be under $2 ea!

Also, I haven't found any local places that carry EL tech.  That seems to be web only at this point.

If you've got some computer shows/fairs around your area, stop by and look for case mod lights -CCF tubes, El Wire etc.  You'll get it there cheaper than online! And you'll find an innumerable amount of spare parts that work as greeblies!

Also-also, rummage at the local dollar store!  You will find LED products and toys for $1 whose components, bought separately, would cost over $5!

Finally, get yourself wire strippers, a volt meter is handy, a couple 100' rolls of thin wire, a soldering gun (far better than an iron(!!!)), shrink tubing, uhmmm, I'll look through my box and make a list.

And speaking of boxes...


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Boxes

The local grocery store sells these 1lb. tubs of coleslaw and other various related foods. These (particular tubs) are perfect for storing all your paint jars, glues, and other noxious stuff!  Also, they are air-tight!!!



I've found that various boxes that things come in also are great for storing all the electronics, spare model parts, sprues, wall warts and every other bit of miscellany that you need for expert model making!

Finally, all that odd and uniquely shaped plastic packaging you usually throw away makes excellent kit bashing materials!