In order to make kitbashing and scratchbuilding easy it is necessary to invest in some tools. The first and best investment should be a good scale ruler. I would purchase one with multiple scales- This allows you to transfer details from drawings to your project and if it has multiple scales you can utilize HO drawings, which are easier on the eyes. Another good measuring tool is a small metal square, which is critical to cutting styrene at a 90° angle. A caliper is also helpful and can be used for transferring measurements from drawings and for comparing parts. Another great tool to have in the box is a set of Waldron punches. These are oriented to airplane and armor modelers and are used for punching out disks and hex nuts. You simply slide a styrene sheet into the die, hit the punch with a small hammer and out comes a perfectly round disk. I would recommend the sub-miniature disk set for N scalers as it has most sizes that you will need. A variety of tweezers and small pliers, including one with round noses, are good for holding parts and also bending parts to certain shapes. Finally, a good set of needle files in various shapes are useful for shaping styrene and cleaning up the model prior to painting. For cutting I recommend investing in two or three good hobby knives with #11. #10, and # 17 blades. This way you can avoid changing blades during the project. A NorthWest Short Line's chopper is also helpful for cutting at exact angles.
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