Category: Useful Tools
Touch-N-Flow Solvent Applicator | Welding Styrene
I’ve been using the Touch-N-Flow applicator for years instead of small brushes to apply my solvents and it’s one of my favorite tools when working with styrene. This applicator, in tandem with MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) used as a solvent, makes doing even the most intricate styrene work a heck of a lot easier. Building […]
OLFA Utility Snap-Off Knife | First Impressions
Once I started watching more videos on foam crafting, I began hearing about the OLFA utility knife model with the ratchet wheel. Over the years I’ve had a collection of utility knives but never really gave the quality or features of the knife a lot of thought, if it held a blade it was good […]
Raildig Scratchbuilder’s Calculator
Here’s a tool that can help you establish and maintain scale accuracy when scratchbuilding your next scale building, piece of rolling stock or pine tree. To show you how this calculator works, let’s say you wanted to know how large a 75′ prototypical tree would be in HO scale. Step 1: At the top of […]
Add Tungsten Putty To Your Model Trains
We’re always working on simple ways to improve the Z scale Rokuhan Shorty locomotive’s performance. In this video we’ll look at basic ideas that can help most model trains, regardless of scale, operate more effectively and hopefully make your train running more fun! This video started out as a tungsten putty video to increase model […]
USB Powered Vacuum For Model Trains
On one of my late night shopping trips on AliExpress (or it might have been eBay, I do these shopping “trips” way too much!) I picked up an $8.00 USB powered vacuum. I thought it might be a useful little gadget when building my small scenes and layouts. I’ve had it in its box for […]
Proxxon Thermocut Hot Wire Cutter Unboxing And Setup
I recently went shopping for new utility knife to cut foam with and ended up with a Proxxon Hot Wire Cutter… and the utility knife too! I was watching a video here on YouTube on a channel called Black Magic Craft (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Rlv-ug-mtnXuMwlpcqFgg) where the owner, Jeremy, writes “I build terrain and models for Tabletop RPG’s […]
Smartphone Video In Model Railroading
As a rule, I tend not to write articles on topics I’m unfamiliar with but today I’m breaking this trend as I talk about getting our model train work captured on video and shared online. Not only am I unfamiliar with video work, but smartphones too. So this is sort of a double “I’m not […]
Using Solder Paste
I’ve been using more loose, small LEDs lately in various projects recently and soldering them can be a bit of a trick. While it is possible to use regular solder from a spool, I thought I’d give solder paste a try. Solder paste is a thick, sticky material made up of small (very small!) solder […]
YOCTOSUN Head Mount Magnifier
For years I’ve used a simple swing arm magnifying lamp when I need to do close-up model work, and while it’s not particularity fancy, it does a reasonably good job. I recently saw a few folks using a new style of lighted headband magnifier and thought I’d pick one up over at Amazon. The new […]
NO-OX-ID A-SPECIAL For Model Trains
There was a recent post on a forum talking about revitalizing some old, corroded track and the product NO-OX-ID A-SPECIAL electrical grease was brought up in the conversation. This is one of those products you hear about from time to time, make a mental note to buy but never actually get around to buying it; […]
