Model Railroading Tools

This information is intended for the beginner to intermediate modeler. This information may be helpful to those new to the model railroading hobby. This guide may help achieve great results with time, patiences and experience. Many a modeler has a box of good ideas gone bad so do not feel bad if it takes awhile to develop good skills and achieve excellent results.

Also remember that sometimes people have a gift for certain tasks. If you find that you have a gift for a particular part of the hobby then go full steam ahead. Many clubs have members who only like to do scenery work, build structures or lay track. Not everyone likes to run trains. Your layout or a club's is a canvas, a scene from yesterday or today, so enjoy the trip and have fun! After all that is what a hobby is all about!

A Modeler's Toolbox

I have been a HO scale model railroader for about 20 years now. I got hooked on the hobby as a kid when my dad and uncle built me a HO scale 4 X 8 tabletop layout. What a Christmas gift, I was the envy of the block. It was the old Life-Like grass mat on particleboard, a large circle of track, two switches and a few buildings. A square had been cut in the center so I could reach everything with the control pack and switch control boxes mounted inside, great fun for a 7-year-old and his dad. Thanks!

Over the years I went through some phases of being in and out of the hobby. It seems more often than not I have been in the hobby in some way. Whether it be by reading books, model railroading and railroading magazines, drawing track plans, collecting railroad items, actually building rolling stock, detailing locomotives, assembling structures or building a layout itself.

The following paragraphs are my opinions of things that make for great model building. First, I want to cover the basic and advanced tools needed for building rolling stock. Second, I will explain how to build a freight car using most of these tools to achieve excellent results.

Suggested Tools

In photo 1 there are several items shown. Some are not shown because they take up to much space to be included in the photograph. I have listed them from the top right hand corner across and down. They are in somewhat of an order of importance in my opinion. These items are very important in the completion of good modeling projects, used not only for rolling stock but locomotives and structures as well. I have acquired most of them items over time as the need arose or budget approval by the CFO, (Chief Financial Officer) Mrs. Reed.

I have no allegiance to any tool manufactures or suppliers, so any and all name brands are used as examples. Several companies make the same products under different names so you are free to choose what meets your needs and budget. I will state that you do tend to get what you pay for so "Buyer Beware".

Necessary tools or items (Click on the image for a full size view)

Dremel Adjustable Magnifying Light  X-acto Knifes and replacement blades (Set made for model railroaders) Inexpensive Foam Sponge (3x5) Fine Sand Paper (600 Grit works great) Assortment of Jewelers Files (The finer the better) Plastruct's Brand Glue (plastic welder) Miniature Spring Loaded Needle Nose Pliers Miniature Screwdriver Set (Flat and Phillips Heads) Miniature Drill Set (Sizes 61-80) Pin Vise (For drill bits and taps / Adjustable collet type) Paint Brushes (round and flat for painting/weathering) Self-Healing Cutting Mat Food Scale (For Weighting Out Cars) Some type of plastic putty (I use Squadron Green Brand) Miniature Taps Assortment and Coinciding Drill Bits Graduated Syringe (I got mine at the local drug store.) Standard Pliers Jar Opener / Gripper Delicate Scissors (Small sewing type) Eye Brow Tweezers WARNING: DO NOT USE THE MRS', BUY SOME OFYOUR OWN. ACC Type Adhesive. (Do not like, sometimes necessary) X-acto Fine Toothed Saw Blade Miniature Miter Box (X-acto makes one) Old Toothbrush Wood Spring Type ClothesPins (Buy your own Fellas!)

Optional Accesories

Photo 2 shows a collection of items that will help make model building easier and help achieve professional results. Most of these have been acquired over time due to expense. If you were to run out and purchase everything on this list you would have a down payment for a new car. I would also suggest asking your local hobbyshop about people interested in selling any of these items. Also check your local newspaper's classified section. I bought my air compressor for $3.00 at an auction. I was the only one there that knew what that size air compressor was made to be used for.

Optional tools or items (Click on the image for a full size view)

HO Scale Ruler NMRA Standards Gauge Microbrushes (If you can find them get 'em) Dremel Multi-Speed Rotary Tool Airbrush (Single or Double Action) Extra Paint Bottles For Airbrush Air Compressor (Canned air not as good as a compressor) Moisture Trap on the Compressor Hose Respirator (Avoid breathing vapors of paints) Conversion Chart (I made my own, e-mail me if you would like a copy) Dial Caliper (Metal is a better choice than plastic especially if you are going to scribe brass.) Standard Calculator (They do make one for modeling conversions I personally can not justify the cost) Miniature Wire Cutters Individual Storage Drawer (Organization is critical) Used / empty 35mm photo canisters (For Storage) Plain White Paper Towels (Great for Clean up) Miniature Bar Type Clamps (Stanley makes Quick Grip)

Some of these tools may seem excessive to you, so try the ones you feel comfortable with and then work from there. If you find that something works better for you use it. I always look for better ideas for model construction.

Glues

I think the most important part of modeling is application of glue. One fact is that glues are dangerous! Most are flammable and all are dangerous to the eyes and skin. Plastruct's brand plastic weld will not bond skin but all ACC's will, and fast if not carefully handled. If the gluing is sloppy then the glue runs out on to fingers and the sides of the project. This can detract from the model's detail and appearance. Some glues will actually remove fine detail due to the nature of the glue properties.

I use Plastruct's brand plastic weld for most gluing. This glue actually melts and rebonds the pieces together. I do not have to worry about removing paint from surfaces to make the glue and pieces stick together. Only a small amount of this glue is needed for a tight bond. Plastruct's plastic weld should be used sparingly and in a well-ventilated area. I do not use the brush provided very often. I use a 5/0 fine sable hair brush that is solely used for the application of this glue. This gives me excellent control and the glue fills into the gaps by capillary action to form tight and secure bonds. Plastruct's plastic weld will actually bond broken pieces together almost unnoticeably if done neatly. I have had to use this method several times due to a deadline on a project.

It is true that some mistakes can be and are hidden with weathering. It is better to have the model as close to perfect as possible before any painting, weathering or decals are applied. It is twice as hard in my opinion to cover something up as opposed to adding weathering for detail.

I have just found a newer product called Microbrushes and they are SUPER! I use these Microbrushes when I need larger amounts of glue for the mounting of roofs, photo-etched roofwalks and doors, etc. Again, these little devils are great! They can be bent into all sorts of shapes for hard to reach places and have little drip, mess or waste. If you have a hard time finding them let me know and I'll see what I can do. Microbrushes can even be used as paint brushes for detail work and for the weathering of rolling stock as well as locomotives and structures.

I really do not like the ACC type adhesives. First off, they seem to give me a touch of asthma. Not cool since I have never had asthma before! I have not found anyone else that it affects this way. I am not going to take a chance of a hypersensitive reaction due to repeated use. I do have an extremely well ventilated area that I work in so that is not a concern.

Second, they can dangerously bond skin and eyes or cause heat if gotten on clothes. Sometimes it may necessary to use a drop of ACC so in this event I put on my respirator to prevent the hazard of breathing the fumes from the ACC. Third, you have to remove all of the paint from parts that you will be joining to get a good secure bond. Sometimes this is the tricky part and detail parts become broken or damaged. This is aggravating when things have gone so good until this point!

Fourth, I can reuse the 5/0 brush and the Microbrushes dipped in the Plastruct's plastic weld. Just re-dip the brushes in the Plastruct's and wait a minute. Good as new. This is not true of using ACC with these brushes. I have heard you can soak ACCed brushes in acetone to reuse them. No thanks, that is just something else on the workstation for someone to spill.

Last but not least the most important reason of all, better control of the glue. With the finer brushes, rather than have a bottle with a tip that plugs or tube that squeezes out everywhere, I can get the glue right where I want it. There are other glues out there but when I find something I really like I generally stick with it.

Knives and Saws

Next in line for me is the importance of clean cuts and smooth edges of all modeling parts. I always start every project with new, sharp blades in all my x-acto knife handles, a fresh sheet of 600 grit sand paper and a clean workstation. I have toyed with the idea of a sprue cutter but some of them are really expensive compared to bulk cutting blades. I know the new blades are sharp every time I start a project! The sharpest blade will cut the delicate parts with no problems if done gingerly, except for the occasional poor workmanship of a part. There is always a part that breaks no matter what you do so do not become discouraged just be careful.

Most manufactures send extra detail parts with a kit to start. Ask your local hobby shop for help first, sometimes after market detail parts are better than the original. You can usually get replacement parts for a model if you write and ask them for more. Describe the problems that you encountered and I am sure parts will be in the mail to you in no time at all.

Manufactures like to hear from modelers. They like praise as opposed to complaints but do not be shy let them know what you think. Complaints actually help them in the manufacturing of new and better models for all of us. They get to hear your side of model building and the challenges you face, not just from the pros that write an editorial for a model railroad magazine.

Safety Tips

Earlier I mentioned a respirator. I purchased mine at a farm supply store. Get one that has a rubber face seal and is for chemical vapors. This is a good idea if you do any type of spray painting, whether it be an airbrush or spray cans. Also some type of ventilation is a good idea while painting. Any fine particles of paint that float in the air can be dangerous to your lungs. Water based paints can be just as bad for the lungs though not flammable like the petroleum based paints.

Another thing to remember about petroleum-based paint and thinners is to extinguish any source of flame/ignition. Petroleum based paints and thinners used to be the norm and are dangerous. Flammability was a big problem and the vapors could cause brain damage if over-exposed or not used properly. Any particles that you breathe can cause respiratory problems if over-exposed long enough.

Additional Tools

Some other items that I will mention that make for good rolling stock modeling, though not really tools are as follows:

1. Appropriate Paints (Railroad colors and other types)
2. Distilled Water (Pure bottled water)
3. Decals (Your choice)
4. Decal Application Solutions (Use the same brand of solutions as the manufactures of the decals for best results.)
5. Miniature Screws (For mounting of trucks and couplers)
6. Model Mask (Liquid or Tape type is fine)
7. Dull Coat Or Gloss Coat (Spray can or airbrushable type)
8. Alphacolor Brand Chalks (Earthtones)
9. Cotton Swabs (Q-Tips)
10. Detail Parts (Your Choice)
11. Weights (Some come with a peel and stick backing)

These are just my ideas of what it takes for good modeling. I am not a professional writer, just sharing what I know from years of experience. There are several schools of though on good model construction. I suggest reading all you can on this subject and make informed decisions on your own. It is a learn as you go hobby and no one person is the authority on model railroading.

Now that these ideas have been established, let's build a freight car? I am hoping to do an article actually building a freight car soon with photographs and step by step instructions soon.

Author: Scott A.Reed

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