After more than 30 years of being out of model building, I would like to get back into 1/35 armor kits (plastic). Is there a good listing on this site that has a the tools I should purchase before getting back. Since it has been so long, I will need both basic and advanced tool suggestions.

Frank - I'm not sure if there's a feature on the site, but I'd recommend the following:

- A trusty X-Acto hobby knife with #11 blades (pretty much the standard)
- Sprue cutters - lots of brands, I'm partial to Xurons
- Sanding sticks or sandpaper. You could hit up the health & beauty section at the store for the sticks or buy hobby types. I've been using the ones made by Flex-i-File and I really like them.
- Cutting mat - one of those green or blue self-healing plastic mats from Staples, Office Max, or the craft store.
- Tweezers
- Small files
- Pin Vise and drill bits
- Tooth picks - handy for applying small amounts of CA (super glue) or regular glue

Speaking of glues, I got back in using the standard Testors orange tube. Once I found liquid glues, all bets were off. Tamiya Extra Thin is great.

I know the list is short, but I was thinking of what's close at hand for me and what I use the most often. For more advanced tools, if you plan on getting into Photo Etch, I'd recommend a folding tool like the Hold n Fold or the Etchmate (check the reviews on the new 3C before committing and draw you own conclusions).

That should be a good starting point.

- Frank

Basics:

1. Xacto knife. You can buy one under $10 USD withe a few blades. mainly you need #11 blades.
2. Thin wire cutters. Radio Shack has a set called Nippy Cutters that cost about $7 USD that are really good.
3. Sanding sticks. Try the emery boards at your local discount store. They have various grades of corseness.
4. Nailclippers.
5. Brushes. Buy a few good natural bristle brushes.
6. A few jewlers files.
7. Plastic containers large and small to hold parts, completed assemelies, and completed kits.
8. Clamps.
9. Tweezers/hemostats
10. Good lighting

Advanced:
1. An airbrush
2. Compressor for airbrush or CO2 tank.
3. Pin vise and a selection of bits.
4. A miter box.
5. Razor saw.
6 Waldron Punch set.
7. Scribing tools.
8. Photo etch bender.
9. A miniature lathe (hey a guy can wish)
10. Practice practice practice....

Hope this helps!

Visit your local Dentist and ask him for any tools (probes, picks etc) that he no longer wants.

A Dental knife/scalpel with replacable blades is very handy and much sharper than the Xacto ones.

A cordless/rechargable Dremel tool or equivalent with variable speeds is a must.

Don't skimp on the airbrush, buy the best and do it right with the compressor and water /moisture trap/pressure guage.

Keith.

You may want to purchase a magnifying visor, Make the little stuff a lot less aggravating. Many types available, I have a cheap plastic kind $10 or so, serves me quite well.

Welcome back to the hobby, Frank

-Bruce

I, too, have just returned to the hobby after more than 30 years (I remember when the Tamiya Sd.Kfz. 7 was just released with the 88 mm gun). I can't suggest much more than has been listed so far. I have a set of X-acto needle files that are very helpful. And some nail polish remover to get rid of excess filler putty.

And younger eyes. I keep a white sheet on the floor for the parts that commit suicide from the edge of my table.

Hey Frank,
Welcome to the site.
All the guys have given you a good list of must have tools to start with
A real must have is a pair of shear clippers like Testors or Xuron make.

http://www.xuron.com/consumer/shears.htm

They're great for clipping off small parts from the sprues without damaging the parts.
Different kinds of small flat mouthed pliers are also handy for bending and forming wire grab handles and photo etched parts.
A good selection of Xacto blades and razor saws are also a must have.
Wooden and plastic cocktail toothpicks are handing when using and applying CA and other types of glues.
And a filler putty like Squadron Green or White will be of use for correcting gaps and any number of problems.
Sheet styrene and formed plastic shapes from Evergreen are also useful when filling in gaps, scratch building or shimming parts into place.
Cheers

jjumbo

Thanks to everyone who has posted a reply. I think this will give me a very good starting point for equiping my work area.

Next step will to determine what AFV and which company's to start with.

Have a look at this thread

http://www.track-link.net/forum/modelling_construction/2831

Depending upon how accurate or easy you want your first build to be I'd suggest one of the following as a minimum stress way to restart in teh hobby:

Tamiya Cromwell/Centaur
Italeri M47 Patton
Italeri M24 Chafffee
Tamiya M8 Greyhound

There are others, but any one f these four will produce good results if lovingly sprayed with glue, shaken in the box and dumped slowly out onto your workbench. Any work in addition to that is well rewarded by an even better looking model.

Paul