Power tools

[redout]

Hi all.

With a renewed interest in this hobby, and having been in preparation for it for some time, I feel I am on the verge of substantially increasing the time I spend building. I have completed only one proper kit so far, a Sig Banshee. Over the past couple of years, I have accumulated many small hand tools in anticipation of their usefulness e.g. various hand saws, wire bending equipment, drill bits, rasps, squares, etc.

Is there any power tool that experienced builders' feel is very worthwhile obtaining, besides what I have already, being a hand drill, a drill press, dremel and jig-saw.

I have some space problems so would prefer not to add another item if the above are judged to be enough. But if there is that item that is felt to be "indispensable", I would try to obtain it.

For information, I won't be scratch building at this time - only kit building - both profiles and full-fuselage models.

Thanks,

Richard.

[Howard Rush]

Big belt-disk sander

[Dan Berry]

Jigsaw
Do you mean a bench top tool or what a lot of us old guys call a saber saw?
If you have a saber saw I would recommend a scroll saw.
Elsewise the disc sander.

[Motorman]

 A solder gun comes in handy if you're going to make tanks. A 3" PSA sanding disk is good to have for your drill motor.

Motorman

[Dennis Nunes]

Indispensable Tools (Listed by Most Used):

1. 4"x36" Belt/6" Disk Sander
2. 5-Speed Bench Top Drill Press
3. 16" Variable Speed Scroll Saw
4. 9" Bench Top Band Saw
5. 1"x30" Belt Sander
6. 16" Scroll Saw
7. 10 Gal. Oil Lubricated Air Compressor
8. 7" Table Saw


I couldn't settle for just one as my favorite or most indispensable. I can't live without any of them. All the tools are from Harbor Freight with exception of the 30 year old B&D 7" Table Saw.

Strangely, when I was a kid I didn't have any of these tools to build with, only hand tools.


Dennis

[Dave Hull]

In priority order (for me):

1. Drill press with variable speeds, and with at least fractions and number drill index (or metric equivalent)
2. Dremel, variable speed
3. MonoKote Heat gun
4. MonoKote ir on (to replace the clothes iron and keep the peace….)
5. Soldering iron
6. Bandsaw (or as a lesser substitute, a scroll saw)
7. Stationary sander (the vertical belt sanders with wide belt are so much nicer than the others…and adding the disk is helpful.)
8. Compressor for painting
9. Pedestal or benchtop grinder if you are going to be making controls
10. Vacuum pump, if you are going to do much composite work

If you never plan on using plastic finishes, drop out #4, but #3 still has a bunch of other uses.

There are always more tools you will want, but for making models, you likely would rarely need them. But, people develop their work techniques around what they have, so there are always advocates of one tool/technique or another.

[redout]

Jigsaw
Do you mean a bench top tool or what a lot of us old guys call a saber saw?
If you have a saber saw I would recommend a scroll saw.
Elsewise the disc sander.

Dan, this is what I have always called a jigsaw. It came in handy the other day for cutting out the 1.0 mm thick plywood doublers for the electric Banshee ( using a finer blade than shown in the photo ).

[redout]

Thanks to everyone for those suggestions. I did realise afterwards I do have the heat gun for Monokote type coverings and I also have some soldering irons ( largest 80 W ).

I notice that several people mentioned belt sanders, disc sanders, scroll saws and band saws.

Forgive the rookie questions but are these power tools mainly used on non-balsa woods ?

And if the sanders are used on balsa, doesn't the abrasive material get clogged with the soft wood ?

[Dan Berry]

Dan, this is what I have always called a jigsaw. It came in handy the other day for cutting out the 1.0 mm thick plywood doublers for the electric Banshee ( using a finer blade than shown in the photo ).

Yup. I grew up calling that a saber saw.
For your next tool I would recommend a scroll saw.  Or a small bench top band saw.  In that order.

[Leonard Bourel]

Yes I agree with Dan The scroll saw is your best friend in this hobby My parents bought me my first one when I was 16 and just 1 year into the hobby It died when I was 48 I bought a new one then and it only lasted 5 years I bought another new one and it only lasted 6 years I then inherited one from a close modeling friend who passed It is a little beast I think it will last for a long time

[Trostle]

I know that the subject of this thread is "Power Tools", but these are also tools powered by a person and are the first on the list of tools that are indispensable on your workbench:

1.   Xacto knives with assorted blades including an unlimited supply of No. 11 blades

2.  Sandpaper blocks in assorted shapes and lengths with sheets of sandpaper of various grits from 60 or 80 to 600

Keith

[dave siegler]

two good soldering systems, one for larger stuff, a temperature-controlled one for electronics, and soldering wires.
good pair of fishing crimpers

[Ken Culbertson]

Scroll Saw
Drill Press
MonoKote gun
Dremmel Tool
Table Vise
Understanding Wife

That is my list of the most important - Ken

Almost forgot the most indispensable one:

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=cmkJFSTC&id=83C172DF35325B0AD9AAA48D32A54724E5237203&thid=OIP.cmkJFSTCCa-GvL2NfljE8wHaFj&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fwww.cottandco.com%2fmedia%2flot%2f69b6cd153ab35de9e045a9fa37a35d07381190ed.jpg&cdnurl=https%3a%2f%2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR.7269091524c209af86bcbd8d7e58c4f3%3frik%3dA3Ij5SRHpTKNpA%26pid%3dImgRaw%26r%3d0%26sres%3d1%26sresct%3d1%26srh%3d799%26srw%3d1066&exph=480&expw=640&q=Capstan+Turret+Lathe&simid=607996507108963857&FORM=IRPRST&ck=AF994C16C4BCBC8FADF123FDF8137F5D&selectedIndex=11

[Steve Dwyer]

A down draft sanding bench attached to your shop vacuum, especially important if you get complaints of dust reaching the living area.

[GERALD WIMMER]

Hello
Surprised no one mentioned a small 4" angle grinder as I always have a few in the modelling room, set up with a grinding wheel, cut off wheel and flapper disc to deal with alloy, steel and carbon fiber. With a flapper disc you can hollow out or rough shape a model in minutes before using a sanding block. My favorite tool is a 'hunting knife' my grandmother gave me when I was 6 years old that has shaped many leading edges and mixed tons of epoxy in the 50 years I've used it.

Regards Gerald

[Steve Dwyer]

Hello
Surprised no one mentioned a small 4" angle grinder as I always have a few in the modelling room, set up with a grinding wheel, cut off wheel and flapper disc to deal with alloy, steel and carbon fiber. With a flapper disc you can hollow out or rough shape a model in minutes before using a sanding block. My favorite tool is a 'hunting knife' my grandmother gave me when I was 6 years old that has shaped many leading edges and mixed tons of epoxy in the 50 years I've used it.

Regards Gerald

Gerry,

Sounds like a gouging blade in the Xacto set.

Steve

[Dave_Trible]

Scroll Saw
Drill Press
MonoKote gun
Dremmel Tool
Table Vise
Understanding Wife

That is my list of the most important - Ken

Almost forgot the most indispensable one:

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=cmkJFSTC&id=83C172DF35325B0AD9AAA48D32A54724E5237203&thid=OIP.cmkJFSTCCa-GvL2NfljE8wHaFj&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fwww.cottandco.com%2fmedia%2flot%2f69b6cd153ab35de9e045a9fa37a35d07381190ed.jpg&cdnurl=https%3a%2f%2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR.7269091524c209af86bcbd8d7e58c4f3%3frik%3dA3Ij5SRHpTKNpA%26pid%3dImgRaw%26r%3d0%26sres%3d1%26sresct%3d1%26srh%3d799%26srw%3d1066&exph=480&expw=640&q=Capstan+Turret+Lathe&simid=607996507108963857&FORM=IRPRST&ck=AF994C16C4BCBC8FADF123FDF8137F5D&selectedIndex=11

This would EXACTLY describe my shop and list.......er..except I dispensed with the wife(wives) many years ago.  Makes everything else easier..

Dave

[Gary Dowler]

Paul Walker turned me on to one of the most useful tools you will ever have. Its a real game changer. Get yourself a Micro Mark mini table saw. Extremely useful tool, and at only a little over a foot square, it doesnt take up too much space.  Its got every feature a full size saw has, tilt, blade height, extended table, etc, and its extremely well made.  You can even get Dado blades for it, taper jigs as well as a host of other things.

You wont regret the purchase.

Gary

[GERALD WIMMER]

Gerry,

Sounds like a gouging blade in the Xacto set.

Steve

Hi Steve

The Flapper Disc on a light, small angle grinder may sound like one step down from a chainsaw but with the right grit disc and a bit of skill is an amazing tool. Ideal for trimming off epoxy , ply and hardwood where a normal sander would only round things and with a 120 grit disc on balsa and a careful hand its so fast shaping block , you just need a good dust mask or better till a full spray mask.

Regards Gerald

[Jim Hoffman]

Paul Walker turned me on to one of the most useful tools you will ever have. Its a real game changer. Get yourself a Micro Mark mini table saw. Extremely useful tool, and at only a little over a foot square, it doesnt take up too much space.  Its got every feature a full size saw has, tilt, blade height, extended table, etc, and its extremely well made.  You can even get Dado blades for it, taper jigs as well as a host of other things.

You wont regret the purchase.

Gary

They sell two models. I purchased the one with a tiltable blade.  I agree, it's a fabulous tool.  But one needs a jigsaw first.

https://www.micromark.com/MicroLux-Mini-Tilt-Arbor-Table-Saw-for-Benchtop-Hobby-Use_2?msclkid=d6cc8e780dc215a64e36ecba1bb15a66&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=NX_NTM_Shopping_Holiday%20Season_Top%20SKU%27s&utm_term=4575755084599696&utm_content=Holiday%20Season_Top%20SKU%27s

[redout]

Looking through all the suggestions ( apologies if I have missed anyone's - it's early here and the coffee hasn't kicked in yet... )

I have soldering equipment (including for electronics), a variable speed bench drill, air compressor, Dremel, fishing swage crimpers, heat gun, pedestal grinder, 4 inch angle grinder, table vise (in Australia, we actually spell the tool as vice), Xacto knives (thanks for No. 11 blade suggestion - was wondering), sanding blocks, dust and spray masks.

I do not have belt or disc sanders, scroll or band saws, table saw, vacuum pump, down draft sanding bench with vacuum or that mini table saw, nor a metal lathe ( that one will have to wait a while !  )

By consensus, I think the scroll saw came up most  and that's what I will look at now. But I also have a long list of other tools suggested and no doubt their usefulness will become apparent to me in the coming months.

Thanks for all the help !

[redout]

They sell two models. I purchased the one with a tiltable blade.  I agree, it's a fabulous tool.  But one needs a jigsaw first.

https://www.micromark.com/MicroLux-Mini-Tilt-Arbor-Table-Saw-for-Benchtop-Hobby-Use_2?msclkid=d6cc8e780dc215a64e36ecba1bb15a66&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=NX_NTM_Shopping_Holiday%20Season_Top%20SKU%27s&utm_term=4575755084599696&utm_content=Holiday%20Season_Top%20SKU%27s

That does look nice !

[Gary Dowler]

That does look nice !

Buy one and you'll never regret the purchase.

Gary

[BillP]

I mostly scratch build and have most of the tools posted except the micromark table saw. The least used is an electric scroll saw and electric sabre saw. They are too tedious to keep a smooth contour for me. I'd spend the money on a bench belt sander with disc and/or small band saw.

Aluminum jig for cutting accurate angles with wide blade xacto saws

Hand tool for ripping sticks or narrowing sheets..I think mine was made by MasterAirscrew and uses #11 bade.

Miniture planes...razor blade and standard blade types.

Long drill bits glued into ends of long dowels. Lets you hand drill into small places like firewalls.

Wood dowels with sandpaper glued for hollowing lead holes and such.

Outside calipers for measuring solid block carving thickness...I can't remember the name of this tool but I use it on tank lids and engine cowls.