The Right Tools

 It is sometimes amazing what a difference the right tool can make.  While growing up, I learned a lot about hand tools for basic carpentry, plumbing and yard work from my dad and grandfather.  Using the "right tool for the job" was a mantra that many of you have likely heard and a lesson I absorbed early.  

When I was getting into model aircraft building as a teen, I started out with just a few basic tools, including an Xacto knife, paint brushes, household tweezers and toothpicks.  Soon, my developing skills were bumping up against the limits of my tools.  My grandmother lifted my modeling to the next level by introducing me to Brookstone, which at that time was a mail order catalog house that offered garden and hobby tools.  She would periodically ask me to pick out a tool from their catalog and would order if for me.

The tweezers and clamps from Brookstone in this photo are on my workbench to this day, more than 40 years later, and still help me regularly.

I have continued to add useful tools to my kit, with recent additions of specialized precision pliers and chisel sets.  I will cover the pliers in more detail in a later post about bending wire for details.  The modelers chisels have made a step change in my modeling, both from a level of detail and confidence perspective.  Here's the first modelers chisel that I acquired a number of years ago.

Micro-Mark Modelers Chisel #80893

This chisel, sold by Micro-Mark, has a very sharp hardened blade that is 4mm wide, with rounded edges.  I have found this much superior to an Xacto No.17 blade for removing cast on details, or smoothing out ejection marks.  The tool has a substantial weight and a ridged gripping surface, both of which provide good control.  It works well to remove cast on grab irons and other details from flat surfaces with less tendency to dig in or skip versus the No. 17 blade.  In some cases, however, this chisel is too big and it is not ideal on curved surfaces.

A recent post on Ted Culotta's Prototype Railroad Topics blog introduced me to another option for chisel blades.  I had been looking for narrower chisels with a shorter handle to use in tight spaces, and had considered a variety of options from several manufacturers that other railroad modelers had recommended.  Once I saw Ted's review of the GodHand chiseling tips, I decided that they looked like just what I was searching for, so I ordered the round and flat blade sets shown here (Ted also reviews some other modeling chisels that he uses in the link above) .

GodHand Flat Blade (green) and Round Blade (red) chisel tip sets

GodHand Power Pin Vice below

Both sets include five tips with widths from 1mm to 3mm.  The flat blade set is item code GODGH-BBH-1-3, the round blade set is item code GODGH-BBM-1-3.  Each set come in a sturdy plastic case that holds the bits firmly.  Be aware, these are very sharp!  The base of these tips is 3mm in diameter, and is designed to fit into a pin vice or similar holder.  Be sure your pin vice collet can accommodate the 3mm diameter.

I also purchased a GodHand power pin vice, item code GODGH-PB-98ST to hold the chisel tips.  I was concerned about my other pin vices being large enough for these tips, plus I really wanted a more substantial high quality  pin vice, and this one certainly meets those requirements.  It has a soft rubber grip, a good weight, and a spinning top.  The pin vice is well made, with a very nice blackened knurled steel cap and a precision steel collet.  The collet will tightly grip tips or drill bits from 1 to 3.2mm diameter. I like the short length of this tool for precise control and the ability to work in tight places on my models.  Other versions are also available.

These are available from HobbyLink Japan as well as other sources, including Amazon.  GodHand makes a variety of modeling tools, with many different chisel tip sets.  I found the ordering process and service from HobbyLink Japan to be very good, with reasonable and fast shipping as well.

I have been using these chisel tips with great results working on both flat and curved surfaces, such as in between the corrugations on box car ends to remove material with good control.  This photo shows use of a rounded tip on the end of a Tyco gondola where I have removed the cast on brake housing.

The rounded tip is ideal for working in this area, following the curves in the plastic.  Combined with the sharp working surface, it provides excellent control.  In a later post I will describe my kitbash of this "toy train" gondola into an accurate representation of a Texas & Pacific steel gondola, greatly helped by this superb tool.

I'm grateful for the skills my father and grandfather taught me, and for the appreciation of fine tools they, and my grandmother, fostered as I was growing up.  Having good tools that are "right for the job" increases my enjoyment of the hobby, and allows me to accomplish a higher level of modeling.

Beginnings

 The beginning of a story (or a blog about railroad modeling) sets the scene and points in a direction of travel or narrative.   The main characters are also revealed, although not always right away.

My scene is a proto-freelanced subsidiary of the Great Northern Railroad in the Puget Sound region of Western Washington in 1965, with an emphasis on forest products, particularly paper mills.  I model in HO scale and enjoy building models that are reasonably accurate and detailed.  Currently, my layout is only a concept although my intention is to begin construction of a shelf layout module this year.  My workbench is active with model building projects ranging from straightforward plastic kit builds to resin or mixed media kits, along with some superdetailing and kitbash projects.  Scale vehicles are an aspect of my interests and will feature here from time to time as well.

In this case, the direction is topics around my interests in the hobby of model railroading, as well as the history of my chosen railroads, and related subjects that capture my interest or may be of interest to others. 

I'm no modeling or historical guru.  My blog is intended as a creative outlet and a way for me to share my efforts as I continue to build skills and knowledge.  It's also a means to give myself some encouragement as well as accountability to work toward my hobby goals.

Set Box Top & End From My Collection

The model railroading bug started for me when I was about eight or nine and my dad brought home an Athearn starter set.  This is the box that set came in, which currently is in use as an open topped tray to hold a few structure models.  Although the picture is a steam engine with passenger cars, the set was a diesel engine with freight cars.

This was a typical beginners set that included the engine, a few freight cars and a caboose - all Athearn classic "blue box" models that were ready to run, along with an oval of sectional brass track.

The photo below shows those set cars as well as a few items from those that my dad purchased to expand our small Plywood Pacific over the next few years.  There were others as well, many still stored in my boxes of rolling stock, some kitbash or upgrade fodder.

The boxes in the set are distinctively different than artwork for Athearn blue box cars sold separately, with the rolling stock boxes being nearly all light blue, no image on top.  Even the locomotive box is different in that it has the blue band on each end of the box top.

You will note a few things here.  First, the locomotive and caboose are Southern Pacific, not Great Northern.  At least there are two Hill Lines box cars in the set, the Northern Pacific mechanical refrigerator and the Great Northern plug door box.  Later purchases trended more closely toward my growing fascination with the GN and other Hill Lines (NP, CB&Q, SP&S and Pacific Coast RR).

The Tyco C420 locomotives are both fantasy schemes, although to my eyes they were very attractive at the time!  Many hours of fun model railroading were provided by these locos, which featured working headlights and had a massive look.  My deep appreciation for Alco diesels may have just started with these two models.

The Roundhouse covered hopper kit is one of those early cars that I have started to kitbash and upgrade.  It is getting square hatch covers from Details West, along with wire grabs and ladder rungs, more detailed brake gear, new trucks, paint and decals.  This is one of those on again, off again projects that sits and waits patiently for inspiration.  

From this start, my interests in building models developed, as did my focus on the Great Northern.  Much later I settled on 1965 as my  modeling year.  This was due to a number of reasons, including the type of equipment operated, roof-walks and a somewhat contrary attraction to the struggles of railroads at the time from the competitive pressures of trucking, consolidations and fading passenger traffic.  Last but probably not least, I found Glacier Green to be a favorite rolling stock color scheme, while not sharing an appreciation for Big Sky Blue with the simplified Rocky logo, which was introduced by the GN in the next year.

Later posts will expand on these themes but for now this gives you some idea of what I am about.  I hope that you find something that is of interest and I welcome the opportunity to hear from you as the journey progresses.