What is your latest new tool purchase, not something ordinary like a screw driver, but something special that pertains to our hobby? Mine was an A-West Needlepoint Bottle with a #16 size applicator. I fill it with MEK and use it to glue styrene. MEK is really cheap and the A-West bottle dispenses the MEK precisely where you want it. This is a tip I learned from a Joe Fugate video. What it your new and kool tool?
MEK is a great solvent and works well when gluing styrene type plastics. We used to use it to clean flux off circuit boards in my last place of employment till it's use was discontinued for safety reasons. Be aware that exposure to MEK can have some unintended consequences; according to a report from the EPA: However, if you are careful, you shouldn't have any problems. I don't mean to put down your new acquisition in any way. I just wanted you to be aware of some of the side-effects of MEK, in case you weren't already aware of it.
DD, Thanks for the reminder. I do appreciate it. One of the advantages of the A-West applicator is that you actually put on less solvent when you are applying it to the joint being bonded, AND the extremely small tube virtually reduces evaporation to nil. Certainly we all try to put stoppers, lids or caps back on glue pots, but forgetting is easy. Perhaps I'm the only one to come back in the morning and find that a gremlin had stolen most of my plastic weld. Thanks again Joe
tt ruler I picked up a tt scale ruler. And a pocket reference card that I haven't started carrying yet. I had made my own for HO, but will probably get a professional HO scale ruler at some point.
my newest favorite kootool is a X-acto Hobbyknife and its mutch easier to cut plastic with one of those rather than a pocket knife
My latest acquisition was a package of daubers from Wal-Mart (see pic). Great for applying color to rock faces. Be sure to randomize the edges with scissors so you aren't applying circular spots of color! Tim
