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Introduction
to the Tools of the Trade
It all begins
here, with the tools. The best advice I can give you about tools is that
it is always important to have the right tool for the right job. Sometimes
when certain tools are too expensive or unavailable, improvisation may
be necessary, but otherwise, it is always better to try to obtain the
best tools for the job - even if they may cost a little more. Believe
me, you'll save yourself time and effort and probably finish with a job
you are happier with.
Keep in mind that
there are a zillion tools out there and it's impossible to cover them
all, what you'll find here is an introduction the the basic tools that
I've found invaluable in my little projects.
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1)
Hacksaw
Hacksaws are great for cutting aluminium. Since aluminium is a relatively
soft metal, it's pretty easy to saw (although that doesn't mean
it isn't hard work). There are some considerations when you go shopping
for a hacksaw. You will want to note that most hacksaws will have
limits to how far they can cut into a piece of aluminium. The 'spine'
of the saw often limits how long a cut it can make. Keeping this
in mind, you will want to purchase a bigger saw if you intend to
work on bigger projects. I use a full-sized hacksaw for larger jobs
and the junior hacksaw for smaller projects.
The other thing
to keep in mind is the type of blade to purchase. For thinner pieces
of aluminium, you will want to buy a blade that has finer (i.e.
smaller) teeth. A general rule I learnt from my metalwork classes
in school is that you should try to have at least 3 teeth in contact
with the surface you intend to cut.
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Hacksaw
Junior Hacksaw
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2)
"Spine-less" Hacksaw
The term is my own since I don't know what these are called. These
are saws that are essentially just handles which accommodate hacksaw
blades. As such, they do not have the limitations of the 'spine'.
Hence, these saws are capable of cutting as deep into the aluminium
as you want, but there is a payoff (isn't there always?): that is
that the absence of the 'spine' results in less power and control
of the blade. This means slower cutting and more work. You also
have to be careful during the cutting because the blade can bend
and even snap if you get to enthusiastic with the saw. This has
happened to me before and it's dangerous… be sure to always
wear safety goggles when you work.
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Spine-less Hacksaw |
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3)
Safety Goggles
Not much needs to be said except this: WEAR THEM! They may be a
hassle when you work, but believe me, you won't be thinking that
way when they save your eyes from flying debri - and believe me,
there WILL be flying debri.
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4)
Power Drill/ Drill Press
An essential part of customizing stuff is a drill. I started with
a dremel-type drill but it was a little too 'weak' for me although
I think the better models might suit most needs. Since we work with
scale models, the holes we usually need to drill are no bigger than
3-4mm… but these are too big even for some hobby drills. Make
sure whatever drill you get is capable of handling the holes you want
to drill. Consider getting one that can drill bigger holes too because
that extra cost is still cheaper than having to buy another drill
down the road when you need bigger holes. The biggest holes I've required
so far are 5/16 sized which accommodate the bearings on my cantilevers.
I currently
use a power drill from BOSCH used for most home-DIY work. I also
purchased a tabletop drill-press which can hold the drill while
I work. Drill-presses are great for drilling precision holes that
are perpendicular to the sheet of aluminium - this is quite important
for most custom work. If you ever purchase a drill press, you may
NOT want to go with my setup - because I've found that these hybrid
drill-presses just don't give enough precision - the drill bit tends
to wander from the spot. Still, for most work, it's sufficient.
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Drill Press |
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5)
Metal Files
Files are great for finishing up your cutting edges on the aluminium.
I usually saw 1-2mm away from the edge of my parts and then file
off the rest. Get yourself a regular sized metal file which will
remove lots of material with each stroke. The picture shows a straight
edged file and a curved edge one which are suitable for achieving
straight and curved surfaces respectively.
You may also
want to purchase a set of smaller hobby-sized files for finer work.
I have a small, cylindrical shaped file which has been indispensible
when it comes to enlarging/elongating holes for that perfect fit.
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Metal Files |
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6)
Clamps/Vices
Another essential to custom work. These are necessary to hold down
your projects while you work on them. Vices are essentially 2 clamps
in one - One clamp holds the vice to your workstation (mine's just
an old table) and the other will hold any work securely for sawing,
filing or even sanding - I use my vice for bending the aluminium
too (I will touch on this later).
There are also
'C'-clamps (shown on the right) which come in different sizes. Larger
clamps can be used to clamp a project to a workstation while you
work on it. Smaller ones can be used to clamp several pieces of
aluminium together while you work on them. For example, you can
clamp all 4 cantilever pieces together while sawing, filing and
drilling through them - doing this has the main advantage of producing
multiples of the same part… they also save you the trouble
of sawing and filing 4 different pieces of work altogether.
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7)
Scribe and Dot Punch
A scribe is like the customizer's pen or pencil. It's like a long
metal rod with a sharp pointed end. It is used to 'scratch' lines
into the project to you know where to cut, drill or bend.
The dot punch
resembles a short, fat pencil. A hammer is used to 'punch' a depression
to mark the places where holes are to be drilled. 'Punching' a hole
helps to guide the drill-bit when drilling the hole. This minimizes
wandering - which simply refers to the drill bit shifting out of
position - when the drilling takes place. Dot-punch your holes for
best results.
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Scribe & Punch |
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8)
Mallet or Hammer
These are necessary when using the dot punch. They are also helpful
sometimes when bending the aluminium. To get a good sharp bend,
try a few good knocks with a mallet - I place a soft towel over
the bend and knock it with a hammer. For thinner pieces of aluminium
however, just using your hands to bend them is not difficult - the
clamps help to give a nice straight bend.
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Hammer |
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9)
Rulers and Measuring Tools
These are necessary to make the markings for your work. A good ruler
helps to make measurements as accurate as possible. I strongly recommend
an aluminium/metal ruler as these are durable enough when you need
to use them with the scribe. I also use a pair of calipers to help
with measurements.
A nice set-square
is also helpful to mark lines at 90 degree angles.
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Metal Ruler
Set
Square and Protractor
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9)
Tap
There are various types of taps available (here you see one).
Taps are used to make threads in holes for screws to fit into. When
using taps, drill a hole slightly smaller than the screw diameter
(e.g. for a 3mm screw, you will be drilling a hole approximately
2.5mm in diameter). Then tap the hole slowly, backing off when necessary.
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Tap
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