Some of these tools may already be in your basic household tool kit and can be used as needed for your miniature work. Before you buy the following tools, check magazines, clubs and shops which deal with your miniature speciality and choose sizes which are appropriate for your interest. Many of these tools are used by most miniaturists, regardless of whether they are working on model cars, railways, dollhouses or some other project. Buy them as needed.
These are basic tools which are useful for working with all types of miniatures and which make a good set of portable tools to take to club nights and workshops.
From Your Household Supplies:
- Toothpicks
- Craft sticks/frozen treat sticks
- Paper towels/rags
- Masking tape
- Small sharp scissors
- Water/paint containers (small empty yoghurt cartons etc.)
- Pen and Notebook
More Specialized Tools:
- Hobby Knife/X-Acto knife: Essential for cutting all types of thin materials, thin wood, styrofoam, plasticard , cardboard. Replacement blades come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and are sold separately. The most useful is a straight edge blade #11. Make sure you choose a handle which fits comfortably in your hand. Some are available with retractable blades. Available from hobby shops, craft shops and online.
- Pliers or Hemostats: Fine pliers and hemostats (locking or not) are useful for holding things, bending wire etc. Choose smooth jawed pliers if you can find them, serrated jaws leave marks on plastic, wood and paper which are hard to remove. Available from hobby and craft stores, hardware stores, electronics shops.
- Self Healing Cutting Mat: Used as a protective surface to avoid work surface knife cuts.
These come in two varieties:
- Gridded green or blue cutting mats - found at hobby shops, art suppliers, craft shops, quilting stores.
- Kitchen counter cutting mats - thin transparent flexible plastic mats to place on a kitchen counter. These are often found in bargain/dollar stores, hardware stores, kitchen supply stores.
Keep both, a large inexpensive kitchen one to act as your main work surface and a more expensive self healing craft type, which makes a better cutting surface for sharp hobby knives. The expensive one should be a size you can fit in your take to shows/clubs kit.
The plastic surface is firm for cutting through tough materials, and any cuts into the surface will close over and not affect the mat. Don't saw or drill things on the mat. That will create holes which won't heal.
- Steel Ruler: Used as a straight edge for knife cuts as well as for measuring. Choose one with imperial (inches) and metric (cm) measurements. For a start, get a 12 inch/30cm rule. Later add a smaller 6 inch/15cm. length.
Available from hobby stores, craft stores, art supply and stationery stores. Choose one with a cork base if possible as it will not slide on the surface when you are cutting against it.
- Scale Rule: Hobby scale rules are useful for judging the size and scale of minitures. The example in the photo has 1:48, 1:24 and 1:12 scales marked on it for Dollhouse miniatures, but special scale rules are also available for architectural miniatures and model vehicles/trains.
- Wire Cutters: These are useful for cutting wire and clipping small bits of extra metal and plastic off of moulded pieces in kits. Choose a pair whose edges can cut flush with another surface.
- Needle Files: Needle files are useful for shaping plastic and metal. They are available in inexpensive sets from hobby shops, hardware and craft stores. Try an inexpensive set first, it may be all you need unless you plan to work in exceptionally fine detailed scale with fine metal.
- Set Square: A set square is used to mark out perfect right angles. For miniatures choose a small, six inch (15cm) version, available from a hobby or craft store.
- Box Cutting Knife/Stanley Knife: These knives have retractable blades and are used for cutting dense materials, wood, foam, carpet. Replaceable or break off blade types are available. Available from a hardware store. Smaller varieties are useful for light materials.
- Tweezers: Fine bent nose tweezers with non serated jaws are the most useful. Some miniaturists also like using very fine modelling or electronics tweezers. Available from cosmetics departments, hobby stores, craft stores, electronics suppliers.
- Dental Tools: Useful for placing small items, filling small holes. Ask your dentist if he has any old tools you can have, or check with hobby shops or online.
- Paint/Glue Tray: Plastic flower trays are useful for mixing paint, laying out small parts, and setting out glue which needs to be applied with a pin or toothpick. Inexpensive, available from art supply stores and some craft stores.
Depending on Conditions
- Light Source: Small folding portable natural fluorescent lights are useful at club and show workshops and as task lighting at your main miniature worksite.
- Magnifying Headband: These flip down over your glasses or eyes when you are doing very close work. They are available with changeable magnification, with or without lights. Essential if you are working with very fine detail.
