Below are some great tools suggestions from an awesome listener, Andre!
Enjoy his tool tips this week:
TWO piece Angle (stainless Steel) Plates – These are small, and service to insure correct angles are measured in tight and small places while constructing precise structures. I like detailing some “interior” walls with 2×6 studs and cross bracing. These little tools never fail. You can use it as a ruler to draw straight lines on your project, and use it to hold pieces being glued in place with the exact 90 degree position for very clean accurate work. You can pick these up at Amazon for $10.00, with the hard case. Item number is listed on one of the shots above.
The next tool is a color pallet. I used a piece of North Eastern Scale Lumber – 3” x 24” long sheet stock. Create a grid and separate the colors (I am color blind) so this quickly identifies the color name, brand and category as you fill this info into each square. I also do the same for the various Hunter Line & Dr. Bens stains and washes, as well as the light, medium and dark India Ink and IPA.*
Lastly – in the last shot, you see a small stick (with “X”s) and a round dowel with a pin. The dowel was created when I was building model ships and needed something long and pointed to go deep into the model to handle the small rigging lines and ties. I use this long pin to remove excess glue at seems, corners, and tight places. The wooden stick is a 1/8” x 1/8” (10” x 10” scale) which is used to space bracing where you need to recess one piece so that all aligns when assembling. No chance anything will not fit!!
Let me close with this comment: I know Jason Jenson loves “washes”. He uses water and craft paints to achieve his results with excellent success. I recently learned from a veteran model builder and manufacturer (who lives very close to you) that you can make a “wash” by still applying acrylic craft paints but without using water, rather Isopropyl Alcohol (a different IPA). You MUST mix it vigorously for a minute to get the paint completely broken down into the alcohol…. But the results are very little wood movement (curling, bending, warping) that you see with water. I like mixing a blend of Golden Ochre and burnt umber with alcohol for the inside, while making a black or dark gray wash on the outside, at the same time… two brushes, two mixes, and both sides done virtually at the same time.
Thank you for the tips Andre!
