Model Building Tools and Materials

Measuring

We've all heard the adage, "measure twice, cut once", and we've all made that mistake in which has taught us how important it is to double-check one's measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of material; otherwise we have to cut again, wasting time and material. Having accurate measurements is one of the key fundamentals to having a high quality end product so you will need to make sure you have the right tools to make them.

Stainless Steel Ruler - Steel rulers are great for crafting because they provide a strong, damage resistant, surface for cutting and measuring. Plastic and wood rulers are slightly cheaper but over time will loose their straight edge possibly resulting in less than desirable lines and cuts. The cork backing on the ruler helps keep the ruler from slipping on leather, wood, glass or polished surfaces and prevents ink from bleeding under the ruler.

Digital Caliper - A digital caliper is important for measuring the correct dimensions of various physical objects. Look for one that offers Inch/Fractions/Millimeter measurements, a depth measure, as well as the standard inner and outer dimension calipers.

Cutting Instruments

X-acto Knife - You will want to find yourself a high-quality crafting knife that is designed to make clean and accurate cuts in light-, medium-, and heavy-weight materials. Most craft knives come with replaceable blades offer different cutting abilities suited for varying projects or crafts. You will want at least two knives so that as you change your cutting angles you won't have to constantly be changing the cutting blade.

Flush Cutters - These cutters are designed to allow you to make cuts on objects that are flush with another surface. This is your go-to tool when you want precision and control when cutting small pieces of light wood, wires, zip ties and other fine material when a straight blade just won't get the job done.

Mini Hand Saw - Perfect for cutting wood, plastic, and other soft material, miniature hand saws offer a fine kerf for getting into tight spaces and offering the strength of a toothed saw blade, especially useful for completing cuts to free parts that didn't get cut out cleanly during lasering.

Self Healing Craft Mat - A self healing craft mat will protect your tabletop and provide a work surface that won't hurt or dull the cutting blade. These mats have a special finish that reseals surface cuts, providing a continually smooth surface for all projects

Wood

When building wooden models, the two most common woods people use are Balsa wood and Basswood. When choosing Balsa wood or Basswood to cut, you'll want to check that the materials to be as flat as possible. Look for wood sheets that aren't warped or have noticeable imperfections.

Sometimes manufacturers will join pieces of wood together (referred to as composite pieces) and these tend to not be as good for model building. When selecting wood, take a moment to look at the grain -- you'll be able to see the seems where it was pieced together.

Balsa Wood - A very lightweight wood that is mainly known for creating models. It is generally cheaper and easier to find. Balsa wood will generally break a little easier than Basswood.

Basswood - This is a good hobby craft wood that tends to be a little denser (therefore heavier), with a tighter grain and in general basswood tends to be stronger than balsa wood. However, it can be harder to cut and sand but it can be painted or stained easily without having to seal it first (if you are going to be laser cutting the wood after its painted, make sure the paint is safe for laser cutting).

Misc

Miniature Bar Clamps - When joining pieces bar clamps are perfect for holding steady pressure during long durations of time. Miniature bar clamps are sized appropriately to ensure they don't get in the way and apply just the right amount of pressure just where you need it.

Hobby Tweezers - Getting into small spaces is often difficult and a good set of hobby tweezers should offer you versatile options for placing and aligning those small pieces in tight places.

Hemostat - Hemostats are generally used for surgery but have been widely adopted by hobbyists everywhere. Their locks have multiple positions to clamp onto various thicknesses of materials to hold them in place and are also commonly used to take the strain off your fingers when sewing by hand.