"Tools of the Year" Topic

This year, I opened my wallet to upgrade some of my painting and gaming tools. I rely on TMP and bloggers to steer me to the good stuff so, I thought I'd return the favor with a "Best of" list. Here's my list of the upgrades I love:

Daylight Triple Bright Lamp: This was my top upgrade last year. Fabulous worklight & huge improvement over painting under 2 halogen shoplights.

Pro Arte Series 107 Spotter Brush 2/0 and 3/0: The point is very short and the effect is like using a micron pen for applying small, precise detail. I use these for 15mm and 28mm detail work.

Raphael 8404 Kolinsky Sable Brush: In my collection of Kolinsky Sables, the Raphael beats all others by keeping a perfect tip month after month. It's my go-to brush.

Dremel drill + the 225-01 Flex Shaft: I've been using a pin drill for years. Drilling out hundreds of 15mm Xyston hands is grueling and painful work. This combo lets me drill out a hand in seconds and the flex shaft gives me a smaller, lighter and more precise tool. Wonderful!

Tamjima Grass Tufts: I used to be a Silflor tuft guy but I like Tamjima's better. No gluing required. Peel a clump from the backing paper with tweezers and place it directly onto the base.

Core Sec Omni-Ruler: Cor Sec is a US company that makes (among other things) measuring stick in 1" segments. Each segment is threaded and colored so you can quickly custom build to any distance you like. I mixed and matched colors to build 2", 4", 6" and 12" sticks. Now that I've been using them, I'd never go back to a plastic ruler!

For a longer review and more recommendations with hyperlinks, see my blog here: link

So, what were your favorite tools or upgrades in 2013?

My foam cutter from the foam factory…

I finally bought a W&N Series 7 Kolinsky sable brush. It's like flying a F-14 after years of Brewster Buffalo.

Have you a link for that Tamjima Tufts you are talking about. ( or is it Tamiya? )

I'm going off my other supplier as it would cost 18 pounds to send 16 pounds worth of goods.So would like to try another brand.

Thanks Dan.

I've been meaning to buy a foam cutter. On to the list it goes!

Tajima offers free worldwide shipping when you buy 4 packs or more of the tufts. Here is the link: link

I did build links into each product on my blog post (linked above). I couldn't remember how to do that manually here.

Great idea for a post, Monty. Might have to check some of those out.

Cheers,
Aaron

Thanks for the Omni-Ruler mention! Glad we made the list.

I have a few more tool items in the pipe. One I'm really excited about if the company would only return my calls. The popularity of our Magnetic Applicator Tool has shown promise in the category so I might be expanding on that area more next year.

For those into DIY here is site devoted to making various hot wire cutting devices.

link

I have the CorSec Omni-Ruler and love it too! My wishlist for CorSec is a version with 20mm segments.

Metric is tricky. We may plan a kickstarter for an exclusive run of them in metric with plenty of stretch goals to add colors and sizes. It's just going to take a metric ton of R&D to get the numbers down. We just can't do them in small batches with our manufacturing partner without the cost going through the roof.

Hey thanks for the link for Tajima. The postage rates are really great.

Sorry I'm feeling really dumb as the link was on your Blog.

Dan.

@Corsec – I have your Magnetic Applicator and it's great (it's my best tool for this year), but the bulk of the magnets I use are tiny rare earth ones for 1/600 aircraft, so I'd love to see the Applicator one size (or so) smaller!

I'll have to check out some of the other things recommended here too, this is a great thread so far.

Someone posted on TMP about this unit: Badger Air-Brush Co. 121 Paint Mixer. It was inexpensive (~$8 + S/H), off Amazon.com, so I took a chance and ordered one…

Can't believe how good this unit is. I had an issue with a can of Minwax Polyshades (aka, The Dip), when I tried to dunk a figure into it, followed by a brush-off of the excess Polyshades: the figure went about 1" into the mix, then stopped, having hit a semi-solid layer of pigment! I had rolled the can for two minutes, thinking this would thoroughly mix the pigment into the solvent -- wrong! I put the spin-head of the Badger into it, and let it mix for about a minute: the whole became smooth, evenly pigmented, and it worked like the can was new.

Since then, I have used it repeatedly to mix up my craft paint, in the bottle. I get a glob of thickened, semi-solid paint, from the bottom of the bottles I have not used in quite a while (some are 8+ years old), but other than that, it mixes the pigment very thoroughly, giving much better results on my figures, and my terrain pieces. I have even added water to overly thick paint, mixed it well, and brought it back from un-useable goo, to normal paint. The Badger mixes paint much better than shaking ever has -- the texture and viscosity, as well as the pigment load, changes noticeably, compared to bottles shaken, then Badger'ed.

I learned that I have to wrap a paper towel into a tube, to keep the paint from splattering as I move the Badger up/down within the bottle, but aside from that minor inconvenience, it works wonderfully well. I appreciate whoever it was who posted about it a few months ago -- I love the way this tool helps! Cheers!

When I saw this topic I immediately thought of my new coworker who I just learned had a harrassment injunction and a firearm restriction enforced in the recent past.