tools for building etched kits

[28ten]

I thought this might be interesting topic, it is not intended as a tool gloat but more a helpful list.
to successfully build etched kits I would say some form holding parts for folding is essential and a simple riveting tool is also useful for forming half etched rivets. the others are nice to have but not essential

first up is a metal roller -essential for making boilers on steam locos or rolling a wagon roof

 

[28ten]

Hi,

I have the Leakey rivet tool which works quite well, I need to invest in some bending bars or 'hold and folds' as I have been using improvised methods using a minature vice etc...

Thanks for Posting - some nice kit too

CME :wave:

The kit has been acquired over some time, and I am a tool junkie :laugh: I have draws full of stuff....

 

[Rob Pulham]

Cynric, is that the large GW press?

I have the medium version but yours looks different (a round ended handle would make mine much more comfortable to use) Other than that I think it's a fantastic tool. I am a bit like you I have boxes and boxes of tools gathered over many years. I would recommend most of GW 's products I have a set of folding bars and his 10" rollers all are solidly constructed and very reasonably priced.

 

[28ten]

Yes its the large one. Actually its a bit too large for comfort on many jobs so the Leaky still gets plenty of use.

 

[Rob Pulham]

I thought so, I love mine apart from the uncomfortable handle - I keep thinking I will get a piece of braided hose to go over it but keep forgetting and then whinging the next time I use it. All the many rivets on Severn were done with it.

 

[lancer1027]

Mmmmmm puts my lot too shame . Just the trusted pliers, needle files, screwdrivers, razorsaw etc

Rob :wave:

 

[Ressaldar]

I have the Leakey riveter and a set of rolling bars similar to Cynric's set - amongst the packing in the box was a newspaper dated 1982 - I received them two years ago. I keep meaning to get the 8" Hold & Fold - perhaps a Christmas present from SWMBO - I think that we can mention the 'C' word now - Debenhams in Chester have half of one floor already covered in 3 for 2 decorations

regards

Mike

 

[adrian]

I have the Leakey riveter and a set of rolling bars similar to Cynric's set - amongst the packing in the box was a newspaper dated 1982

The Rutland Times perchance? If it was an early Cherry Scale Models or even IAC Engineering set then you might notice a strange similarity between the handle of that and the handle in a Rover P6 used to open the quarter light in the doors!
Adrian

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Adrian,

you are quite right, the Rutland Times - so it is as I thought, a Cherry Scale Models item. Very useful and still kept in it's box.

regards

Mike

 

[Simon Dunkley]

I have a Cherry rivetter, dating from the early 80s. It did not have a handle, but I fitted one 20 years ago.

I did have a GW press, but the way it is assembled, with screws rather than welding, means the head can move and get misaligned. I also didn't like the coordinate table - didn't feel it was robust enough. (These are just personal views, of course.)

The Cherry is well designed and well made, but the rivets are a single side: I recently invested in a Graskop tool, with a selection of punches and dies.

Mind you, a friend with a far more prolifc output than I simply draws lines in pencil on the back of sheet, then punches out the "rivets" using a slightly blunted punch and a light hammer, with the material resting on some ply, so technicque can be developed if you cannot afford the tools!

Personally, we get the Rutland Mercury in this household.

 

[adrian]

I have a Cherry rivetter, dating from the early 80s. It did not have a handle, but I fitted one 20 years ago.

I did have a GW press, but the way it is assembled, with screws rather than welding, means the head can move and get misaligned. I also didn't like the coordinate table - didn't feel it was robust enough. (These are just personal views, of course.)

That was my apprenticeship / Saturday pocket money job - turning down the rolling bars, churning out brass bushes and punches.

I suppose there's nothing stopping you welding up the GW press if required, on my Dad's rivetter we threaded a length of silver steel through the top punch bar and the bottom anvil bar to align both before welding in the packing piece. I just had to make sure I held the punch straight whilst quenching it!

Adrian

 

[OzzyO]

I recently invested in a Graskop tool, with a selection of punches and dies.

I to have a Graskop riveter, I've had it for years the on bottom it  has the date 06/08/92. I can't remember when I bought it but it came from Slater's. The only mod. that I have done is to replace the screwed collar with a piece of N/S wire that springs into the groves on the upright collom.

OzzyO. 

 

[iploffy]

I have a rivetting tool but I dont know how to use it tomorrow it will take it out of the plastic and take some photo's of it. By the way the Myford lathe has finally made it into the shed ( only after the tatters broke the door down on the lock up it was in and then it became imperitive to move it) now the hard work to make it whole again

Ian

 

[Steph Dale]

I've just dropped in on this thread and can't believe the number of 'specialist' and certainly pricey gadgets you have Cynric.  I say gadgets, 'cos I'm not sure they quite fit the description of 'tool'... :scratch:

There are a number of these sorts of things out there for modelmakers; any of the chassis building jigs currently in circulation seem to fall into this category.  The sorts of device where the solution drives the problem; rather than the other way around.  'I've got a lovely new toy, now; what can I use it for' rather than 'I have a problem I need to solve'.  I'm all for having a solutions-awaiting-a-problem box, but this habit is costing you.

I went the other route; buying decent, usually British made, hand tools.  So I do use Vallorbe files, Eclipse piercing saw frame and marking out tools, Spear squares and larger files, Mitutoyo or Moore and Wright measuring tools, a small surface plate and scribing block, etc, etc.  I find this much more helpful than buying a range of (expensive) tools all designed to fullfill only one purpose.  A largeish sheet of 1/2" plate glass sitting on a heavy MDF board with a layer of accurately drafted graph paper between the two makes a terrific all purpose jig for assembling models (of infinite variety) square and/or flat.  As an example you can add a set of Meteor jig axles and some 9" lengths of 3/16" silver steel and it's a damned good loco chassis jig too...

Steph (bad day at work, GW rivet press, Leakey rolling bars, 3" benchvise, Skoda lathe about 150miles away, realises when he's gone off on one, reasonable sense of ridiculous normally, normal service will be resumed shortly, deep breath, count to ten, wait for the beep/bang, etc ...:-[... )

 

[28ten]

Steph, I have edited out the double images it doesnt look so bad now!!
Some things, like my micrometers are 60 years old from ebay, but I tend to buy  tools because they make a jobs quicker, and some things like the hold and fold do save a lot of time 

 

[Steph Dale]

Cynric,

Do you use them instead of bending bars or are they for a completely different purpose (if so - what one? ???)?

Steph

 

[28ten]

Cynric,

Do you use them instead of bending bars or are they for a completely different purpose (if so - what one? ???)?

Steph

Yes instead of bending bars, I find on fine brass or N/S they give better results. The biggest white elephant I found was the GW rivet press, yet others really like them, so its just me 

 

[Rob Pulham]

I wouldn't be without mine but it is the smaller model. To be fair the smaller size can be a bit inhibitive in 7mm - I just use it without the graduated slide.

 

[Simon Dunkley]

The biggest white elephant I found was the GW rivet press, yet others really like them, so its just me 

No, not just you.

 

[Steph Dale]

I've got one of the '4mm scale' GW rivet presses and have to say it's been one of the best investments I've ever made in the workshop.  I don't doubt that a better one could be made; but I certainly do doubt I could afford it!

Now I've moved up to the larger scale I do find the current one a touch constricting and will eventually get hold of the larger model.

Certainly a much better beast than at least one, equally popular, similarly-priced, rivet press I could mention...

I should also mention that I know two very good modellers who work mostly from kits and find the old LRM/Fourtrack drop riveter to be all they need.

Steph