Must Have Tools

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brubakes

brubakes

Member
What kind of tools do you have or have used that you could consider needed or recommended when laying your track? I've seen things like radius tools, parallel tools, flex track alignment tools. Things like that.
 
Dremel tool, rail nippers, safety glasses, needle nose pliers, mudding spatula (lifting set track), soldering iron, nail on a string, Sharpie marker,

more later

bandaids, antiboitic spray.....
 


I would also suggest a level or metal straight edge 24" long to easily detect any dips or humps in your track.
 
Some more to add...
Rail nippers (already been said but are very important), rolling pin (to press track into place, you may need a smaller roller), file, eye dropper
There is many more I haven't mentioned.
 
Lots of exacto #11 blades and bandaids. :) An NMRA gauge for sure, a set of jewler's files for cleaning up burrs and filing points, a good carpenter's level, as has been mentioned. A curve radius tool is nice to have but you don't really need it. Same thing with parallel spacers. Oh, yeah, a yardstick, which will do the job of both of those tools for a lot less money.
 
UP2CSX said:
A curve radius tool is nice to have but you don't really need it. Same thing with parallel spacers.
Click to expand...

These were actually the two I was looking at getting first. I know how anal I can get about them being straight and dead on curves. I can't find a radius tool that will do larger then 23" though. I was hoping for one that will do at least 26" if not 30".
 
As Jim said, a wooden yard stick can do the job of a radius tool. Just put a nail in one end, say at 1", then drill holes big enough for a pencil or pen at several spots toward the other end, say at 25", 27", up to 35". You can easily draw arcs up to 34" radius.
 
GWT&P said:
As Jim said, a wooden yard stick can do the job of a radius tool. Just put a nail in one end, say at 1", then drill holes big enough for a pencil or pen at several spots toward the other end, say at 25", 27", up to 35". You can easily draw arcs up to 34" radius.
Click to expand...

Oh you and your making complete logic.
 


If you have long tracks, a 5ft aluminum straight edge is great. They are about 3 to 4 in.'s wide & I bought mine at Home Depot. Like everyone else, I used an alum. yard stick for arks. I drilled holes at 25", 267 & 29" on a 36" ruler. The 1st hole was already there at the top, 1" line.

Larry
 
After nailing down the first piece of HO flex track, I decided the curved needle nose hobby pliers and a tack hammer were necessary investments. I think my fingers are more "G" scale.:D
Tweezers are very handy for aligning switch throws.
Mikey
 
A good set of modeling Tweezer are handy for less the surgeon steady hands !!! And also a little vise to hold stuff !!!!
 
A pair of locking forceps is great to have when trying to get a joiner on/off the sliding rail of Flex.
 
To revive an old topic...

My Dad sent me this tool set a while back, and I got around to using the flat tip pliers almost immediately, not knowing what else I could use in the set... Recently I found that the flush end nippers work amazing for removing large details from Athearn locomotives, and for cutting the .015" brass wire for re-detailing.

In any case, the flush end nippers make the job of removing a cast on Athearn air tank simple, 2-3 nips and it pops off! Just minor cleaning to remove the left overs! I removed the nose on an Athearn locomotive with the nippers as well, though I needed to use the normal ones a few times as well in that process.

Here's the tool I'm talking about:
View attachment 13170

You can buy the set online, and it comes with a nice mini-screw driver as well:
http://www.hardwareandtools.com/invt/u522984
 


I use sprue cutters, less work and finer cut.

One of my most appreciated tools is my spring pick used to replace the springs in couplers and on trucks.

Bob
 
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