I "discovered" two new "tools" this week:

When your flexible "emory boards" become "loaded" wiping them on a peice of foam rubber renders them magically clean and renewed.

After repeatedly dropping the tiny brass stand-offs that fit into rubber servo grommets I had a eureka moment...spearing the little buggers with a pencil made their insertion effortless.

As an aside to Alan's suggestion, have you seen the system some jewellers use? They wear an apron which has the bottom attached to their workbench so it forms a large pocket between them and the bench which catches anything they drop. If you were haveing a session of tricky and intricate work it may be worth arranging, even a bit of sheet or similar cloth held under the building board at one end and tucked under your belt at the other would do it.
as an off topic aside, if learning to juggle, do it over a bed, less bending over to pick them up!

Originally Posted by Kiwi

<snip>
as an off topic aside, if learning to juggle, do it over a bed, less bending over to pick them up!

I learned by bouncing rolled up socks off a wall.
-Mike

Originally Posted by FlyByMike

I learned by bouncing rolled up socks off a wall.
-Mike

Thats how you check if they need washing!

See the tutorial I did on SoLite over other covering:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&page=2&pp=100

Used a special balsa tool to squeegee out the bubbles and excess water.

I hate to paint.

Lets not forget tools that money can buy .

Roto-Zip bit for your Dremel! Sure beats pushing this sheet of foam through the bandsaw . The Beechcraft B200 takes form - it rises from the CAD files .

Gary
--

Umm Beech on a stick!
Can I post a couple of 'can't do without' store bought tools?

I mentioned this in another thread describing my Morane Saulnier 'L' model...not so much a home-made tool, but an alternative use for an existing one.

I use a 12" steel rule to cover models with Litespan - one end is square and the other is rounded and I can always reach any awkward part (so far!). Just hold the end against an ordinary domestic iron and then use it to tack down the covering, or gently adhere sheeted areas - the ruler retains the heat for quite a while. Just remember which end is hot if you need to change ends! The ruler is lighter than any commercial iron so there's less chance of damaging delicate structures like tailplanes when you're covering them.

Steve

I tried your steel ruler trick on the Baboon Steve - worked a treat in the awkward corners ....Pat

Hi, some neat ideas here...

Here:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...8&postcount=26

I already posted my setup for making precise and all the same cutouts in ribs... don't want to use up too much space posting all over again.

cheers,
RD

Great idea Ralf. Where do you live near Munchen? I lived in Munich from 1949-51 and went back in 2000 and found the house we lived in. Munich is a great place.

Pat Daily

Originally Posted by maltone

I tries your steel ruler trick on the Baboon Steve - worked a treat in the awkward corners ....Pat

It's great for sealing around the struts, isn't it? Keep your old blunt modelling knife blades too - fix them to a bit of dowel, heat 'em up and you can reach anywhere!

Steve

Originally Posted by Gordon

OK

You do have to buy this tool

Bob Partington came up with this great idea for feeding cables through difficult paths. Use a length of beaded bathtub chain. It flops down the most tortuous paths in wings and fuselages. Tape the cable to the end, and pull it through.

Gordon

In the burglar alarm industry that is called a "wet noodle". The ball-link chain is dropped into a hole and a small magnet on the end of a flexible stick is inserted into another hole and pulls the chain through. Works great!

Jarod Matwy
Winnipeg, Canada

feathermerchant,

As you can tell, most of these are adaptations of store bought tools. Any and all are welcome.

And, don't forget, you can send these same ideas to the mags and get some $'s if they include them in their "Tips" pages.

charlie

Funny how many times I've used these tricks on other projects, then when I really need them I forget to use them.

Just a few items I noticed among the bench clutter - stuff my wife disposed of and thought I might find useful
Nail files and emery boards have been popular with modellers for ages .The foam block with 4 grades of nail buffing surfaces can be handy as a very fine sanding/burnishing tool, the big needle I use to ease holes to make dowel etc fit, the make-up brush is great for getting dust and fluff from a model prior to painting etc and no-longer-fashionable nail polish is great to secure nuts, and linkage bits when they are finally adjusted. (I put a spot on every screw and clip in a model). Of course, you can go and buy this stuff new if you really want to!