Whereas some activities, such as oil painting or skiing, may require a larger upfront financial commitment, model building is a hobby that can be started for a minimal amount of money. The three items you need are a model kit, glue, and tools to build the kit.
The best model tool kit will have a quality pair of nippers as well as a sharp knife and a variety of filing, sanding, and polishing tools. We like Rustark’s 21-Piece Modeler Tools Kit because it gives you a little bit of everything so you can jump right in and get building. If you’d like to learn more about this kit or the key features to look for in other quality model tool kits, keep reading.
Considerations when choosing model tool kits
Quality
Admittedly, the quality of the tools in a model tool kit are likely not as high as tools that you purchase individually, but they are much more affordable. That being said, you should still look for kits with a quality pair of nippers that cut clean and even, a sharp knife, and a range of files that aren’t too aggressive.
Variety
When purchasing a model tool kit, variety is the key. If the kit places too much emphasis on several versions of one type of tool, you are not going to be able to do all that you need to do.
Quantity
For most modelers, having a quality pair of nippers, a sharp knife, and a quality file or polishing board is far more desirable than having 10 different types of files and no nippers. Before purchasing, consider the individual tools in the kit to determine if they are items that you truly need.
Main types of tools
Nippers
Think of these as tiny pruning tools. They are used to free the molded plastic pieces from the discardable frame. Nippers need to be very sharp and have a precise cut.
Knife
This versatile tool can be used for tasks ranging from slicing away imperfections to creating surface textures. The best knife has a fine, razor-sharp edge that comes to a point.
Files
When you need to grind away subtle imperfections or reshape the plastic, a file does the trick. Different shapes are important (round, flat, triangular, etc.) as well as a less aggressive texture, so you can gradually achieve your goals.
Polishing board
After filing, the plastic’s surface will be marred, and a polishing board or block can remove this imperfection.
Tweezers
When the pieces in models are smaller than fingers can easily hold, tweezers become essential. You can accomplish most tasks with just a straight pair or a curved pair.
Price
Model tool kit prices fall roughly between $10 and $20. The main reason for price difference is the number of tools you get in a kit. It is more important to base your selection on purchasing a kit that includes the tools you know you will need rather than picking a kit that simply has the most tools.
FAQ
Q. What is a runner?
A. A runner is the main part of the frame surrounding the molded plastic pieces. Other parts of the frame include a sprue, sub runners, and gates. These are all just names for the channels where the plastic flows to mold the parts. The frame needs to be snipped away. This is where a high-quality pair of nippers and a sharp blade are needed — both are used to remove the frame without damaging the model pieces.
Q. Are modeling tools dangerous?
A. While files and polishing blocks are relatively safe, there are a number of extremely sharp items in a model tool kit. The blades, for instance, should be as sharp as razor blades to function properly. If you catch a piece of skin in a quality pair of nippers, it will easily slice it off. Even the tips of the tweezers can be remarkably sharp. Because of this, a model tool kit is not meant to be used by a young child.
Model tool kits we recommend
Best of the best: Rustark’s 21-Piece Modeler Tools Kit
Our take: A well-rounded kit that provides a beginning modeler with a good variety of decent starter tools.
What we like: The quality nippers in this kit are worth the investment. The variety of files and polishing tools helps the modeler achieve whatever type of finish you desire.
What we dislike: While a thoughtful inclusion, the screwdrivers probably will not be used by the average model builder.
Best bang for your buck: Keadic’s 9-Piece Modeler Tools Kit
Our take: An affordable, basic, entry level kit that includes the most essential tools.
What we like: If you are looking for just the tools you will need the most when starting, this is the kit to consider. It features nippers, files, polishing boards, tweezers, a knife, and more.
What we dislike: Rarely, a user reported that a pair of nippers that was loose or unaligned had slipped through quality control.
Choice 3: Alemon’s 13-Piece Modeler Tools Kit
Our take: A mid-range kit that includes a good variety of tools for the beginning modeler.
What we like: This kit includes three sanding bars, two tweezers, one part separator, nippers, a variety of files, a storage case, and more.
What we dislike: While the knife features an innovative design, some users noted that there was a little too much play in the blade.
Allen Foster is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money. BestReviews never accepts free products from manufacturers and purchases every product it reviews with its own funds.
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