Expensive Hobby Tools That Aren't WORTH IT?

[@imagifyer]

As a godhand owner I can say they are 100% worth it.....with a caveat. They're 100% worth it for gunpla building as they cut cleanly and don't tend to leave stress marks that show up as white patches on an unpainted gunpla model. For warhammer or other tabletop games where you're going to be painting the model they'll still cut clean but the value isn't quite as apparent as the paint will cover any surface imperfections

[@Balmong7-y4s]

Yeah. Godhand nippers are amazing. But there is very little value outside of Gunpla

[@Matcapoeira86]

Came here to say this. I too have some high end clippers and they save a TON of time and frustration. Even on Warhammer models.

[@martinjrgensen8234]

Also they are quite fragile. It you aren’t careful the tip can snap off if you twist it while cutting.

[@ashley-r-pollard]

Best cutters for plastic kits of whatever flavour.

[@aerynmusick4548]

Thats what i was going to say. If youre painting the model, they quickly become not worth it.

[@halfblindbear]

I have worked construction for most of my adult life. Something that was instilled in me by my mentors was, buy the highest quality tool you can afford. The price difference is a payment against frustration and shotty work. I also had a mentor tell me that you rent tools, they all wear out eventually, and if your tools don't wear out you aren't working hard enough. So when it comes to hobbying tools i follow the same approach as i do with other tools. Its far more a waste of money if i don't use the tool as opposed to ising the tool and it wearing out.

[@dirigoallagash3464]

Buy once, cry once.

[@talasmanca]

The other thing I heard, is when getting a new tool for a purpose or the like, buy one cheap, if you use it enough to wear it out, then go for as good as you can.

[@yonstenger]

That’s an Adam savage classic there. The “buy cheapest, wear it out, then buy expensive…”

[@VJMorph]

Shoddy.

[@halfblindbear]

@@VJMorph we say shotty as in shot full of holes, in my next of the woods. It may have started out as shoddy. But then again wader and waiter sound exactly the same when spoken by the locals.

[@charbroilbeefcake6095]

Ohhhh, "Live, Laugh, Love" would be great stenciled on the side of my post-apocalyptic tanks for a certain tank mini's game by a talented game design studio. Shameless plug. Thanks for the idea!

[@ironjehoshaphat2764]

Great idea for Tanks for the Apocalypse!

[@PrzybyszzMatplanety]

I like to say that as a hobbyist your best friends are metal shop, hardware store, medical supplies store and cosmetics shop. Most essential and cheap tools are found there.

[@doubledog5894]

… I would add: thrift stores, Restore (Habitat for Humanity shop, filled with recycled raw materials) and…🥁drum roll, please🥁….the Dollar Tree!!!! 💵+🌲=✨💖

[@benbonney]

My missus bought a cricut for designing stuff for our wedding but I found it really useful. I put all my Bloodbowl teams in their own custom cases and have their team name and logo on the outside in vinyl

[@MrBizteck]

My daughter has one for her design ambitions. I NEVER thought of using them for hobbing ......

[@doubledog5894]

We had one at my previous job (museum ‘maker’ studio) and I had no idea how cool they are until my co-worker walked me through a test run. They are awesome for custom airbrush templates! You can get all sorts of adapters for them with different cutting bits or even mechanical drawing bits. If my workshop wasn’t already overflowing with tools and odds n ends, I’d definitely invest in a Cricut machine for sure. They are really cool. Actually, there is a slightly cheaper company called Silhouette. They make cutting machines as well (though I’m not sure if those are Apple/Mac compatible). 🤔

[@AzraelThanatos]

@@doubledog5894I think it's more of different store brands that expanded outward. With the right tools for either of them, you can cut and/or etch plasticard for a LOT of detail work. You can also do some leather tooling with them

[@dougsundseth6904]

For brushes, when I'm teaching beginners' painting classes, I tell my students to only buy really cheap or really high-quality brushes. If you spend $0.50 for a cheap acrylic brush, it will probably last just fine for one or two models before it starts to hook. The same is true of a $5-10 acrylic brush. (They might last one or two more minis). The Da Vinci Maestro Series 35 brush I'm using now, I've been using as my primary brush for almost 2 years now. It cost me something like $18 through Dick Blick. It doesn't take as much care as you might think (that's one of the advantages of a Kolinsky), but of course if you let paint dry in the bristles or leave it sitting point down in your rinse cup you'll wreck it, so there's that. The experience of painting with a quality brush would be worth the extra money by itself but the longevity makes it cheaper per model to use a good brush than a cheap brush for me. Just my $0.02, or perhaps $18.

[@ChrisBates-sn2nb]

My Da Vinci brushes require far less care then other brushes. Sure, don't give one to a toddler who just jams their enter brush into the paint pot. However, if you are beyond that stage then they last for years. If they do get shoddy, a quick wash with some brush soap brings them right back to new. I won't buy the GW brushes because they are more expensive - you can get the same quality (if not better) for less $ with a Da Vinci.

[@AzraelThanatos]

Oddly enough some of the Dollar Tree cheap brush sets are damn near indestructible and have lasted me for years.

[@mrmaxime]

Came here to comment something similar. Kolinsky sable brushes are more expensive BECAUSE they last longer and are more durable. Like was said, if you don't dunk the ferrule into paint and don't let them sit in a water cup, they last WAY longer than anything else. Keep using cheap brushes for anything that doesn't need precision. I can't comment on GWs sable brushes, but Raphael 8404 are absolutely amazing. My first one at $12-15 lasted me over a year before losing the point. Before that my $5 brushes were only lasting a week. They just seem expensive but are far cheaper in the long run, so go head and start using it.

[@RequiemWraith]

A note on the Artificer brushes, they're re-branded Windsor & Newton Series 7 brushes.

[@sebastianwei7721]

But… they worked so hard designing these… 🥺😂

[@theanimaster]

They’re more likely REJECTS of series 7 brushes that GW bought in bulk and rebranded.

[@vicbadger8902]

Honestly, are current W&N series 7s even as good as they were 10 years ago, before the big weasel drought?

[@marcinbaltazarsarnikowski5891]

I had the those and thee were splitting like crazy

[@derpstick5467]

@@vicbadger8902I’ve heard no which is sad to hear since I found a local store that sells W&N series 7. Might still go down there to test them out.

[@DanteMac26]

Oh man, now I feel the need to do a Chaos Rhino with “live, laugh, love” stenciled on it!

[@Stefogre]

9:30 to 10:00 - I made the gate for the Proxxon using old Legos. A single row lego just fits in the guide groove. Same for the circle jig, I glued a thumb tac pin from the reverse side a of a flat Lego tile. Those accessories fron Shifting Lands can be quite expensive IMHO.

[@lukerazor1]

Inkscape is an excellent open source vector graphics program. Free, as in beer and free, as in speech. Works on all desktops too.

[@Nippleth]

This, this, this, a hundred times this! I've done a ton of stuff using Inkscape, it's super versatile and free!

[@tazstidson4231]

.... The first time you load up a pin drill with 0.5 drill bit.. And attempt to drill a hole in the foot of a figure of a 60 bucks model... Still gives me nightmares..... Every time. Lol. 😁🤣

[@TheKrenshar]

For me it's the 0.55mm bits that I have to accept are around for a good time, not a long time. The saving from getting a reel of copper wire for free has quite possibly been countered by the number of drill bits I've bought.

[@Alric66]

I purchased a "Wow Stick" one of those low speed hobby drills. I use it for pinning and mounting models. Very nice and worth the price, it's low speed makes it much more controllable than a dremel tool.

[@timothyyoung2962]

I have no expensive hobby tools. My tools are like the brave soldiers of the Astra Militarum. They are here to serve a purpose, and once that purpose is served, they die with honor in the name of my hobby and are forever buried in my work room waste can, soon to be replaced by another courageous, and cheap, warrior.

[@joshkosecki1024]

This is the way.

[@jonesfigures]

That being said, doesn't hurt to have a couple elites in with the fodder...most of my brushes are bought bulk, get used, then transferred to the "junk" section where they live out their days for rougher and rougher uses. That said, I do have a couple nice brushes that I try to ONLY use for detail, etc...but once they slip...off they go

[@tushymcbollocks]

Astra Mili..what? You're in the Guard, son...

[@MoPost]

Design nerds unite! Cricut, stencils, vector art are all worth the time (and $$$)

[@Colorcrayons]

Frisket... You are the first human I have heard use that term since 1987 when I was in my graphic design class, hovering over my California Job Case, typesetting for my school paper. I use it frequently myself, especially the liquid variety which is a godsend in panting miniatures. Say what you will about it being old fashioned, but there is a definitely an undeniable suave style to being perched in front of a drafting table, red masking your layouts for the next print job.

[@briochepanda]

We still sell it at the shop I work at, very occasionally, I might add. 3 sizes in both gloss and matt.

[@Karlmakesstuff]

The proxxon and guider pro upped my terrain making no end. As a bonus, they make working with expanded polystyrene far less messy. I also bought the shifting lands circle jig 2.0 - the first one didn't have much over a homemade jig, but the second one has a ton of handy bells and whistles. I don't own a cricut, but some friends do and I made some designs for them using inkscape, which is freely available. It doesn't have all the oomph that illustrator does, but it certainly gets work done.

[@thejosephchrist]

Getting a proxxon next month I think. I'm excited!

[@Karlmakesstuff]

@@thejosephchrist Heck yeah! Any plans as to what you want to make?

[@TylerProvick]

My expensive hobby products are: 1) A good brush. I use one brush for everything and I use the best brush I can buy. When the tip wears off I buy another. I don't worry about it because I know that every second of my painting experienced is improved by a good brush. It doesn't matter about skill or quality of the paintjob. You can definitely do the same thing with a synthetic brush but for me the experience is worth the extra cost. But then, I buy a Rosemary & Co pure kolinsky sable brush for $14 CAD 2) Vortex paint mixer. Before cheap models were available on Amazon I bought a refurbished lab mixer. It is expensive but worth the cost.

[@MechaBorne]

Try the Godhands! Read the instructions first as there's a couple easy ways to ruin them but they're great

[@intzbk1]

I buy cheap $10 clippers from ACE, made in the USA. For brushes, I buy cheap synthetic ones and after they start not holding their tip, they go in my junk brush cup for basing, shading, drybrushing, etc. I have a nicer set that was around $20 but only use that for fine detail likes eyes or superfine highlights. I use a 3 and a 0 for almost everything. I think the biggest thing I learned about brushes is rinse them often even if batch painting and using the same color paint. Once paint starts to dry in the bristles, it's the start of game over.

[@oddtreepress420]

Those ACE house brand clippers work well. I've also bought pretty good ones from auto parts stores that work well. They are usually a bit higher though.

[@rustedbeetle]

I have invested in two Neewer LED light panels and have them attached to my hobby table with table clamps and adjustable arms, also by Neewer. These light up my entire desk, and I can reposition them as needed for the project I'm working on. The lights are adjustable for both temperature and brightness. They are 97+ CRI, with a temp range of 3200K-5600K. I usually keep them set around 4800k-5000k. It makes both working and painting tons easier.

[@matumbo716]

My partner has a Cricut and she had some textured cardboard for it so I got her to cut out some shingles for terrain roofing, worked a treat.

[@AzraelThanatos]

If you get the right tool for it, you can use it to etch craft foam for easy brickwork for terrain

[@matumbo716]

@@AzraelThanatos what type of foam?

[@AzraelThanatos]

@@matumbo716Basically the cheap craft foam sheets you can find in a lot of craft isles in stores. It's a soft, flexible foam and you often see it cut into shapes because it's easy to work with. Add a layer of glue or modpodge over it and it still gets rock hard, not sure about it with spray paints/primers as I've normally used it in conjunction with other things, but it also works really well to make a sheet of brick or cobblestone and grab some of the punch cutters that are rather cheap for scrapbooking and you can quickly make base toppers that work well and are easy to modify on the fly for pinning or breaks or missing bricks. The foam can also be used rather easily and quickly with a very low power setting for laser cutter/etchers.

[@GladeRiven]

1. Godhand: Any tools used for Gunpla are fantastic for minis. Especially Godhand. Just got some Godhand scribers for panel lines and they are BUTTER SMOOTH. 2. Brushes: Just buy cheap sable water color brushes from your local art store or amazon. 3. Cricut: I kinda want a Cricut for styrene sheets. Frisket is a fantastic use, too. They make smaller models. Inkscape is an open source vector program, should work fine for this. 4: Hot cutter: Maybe if I start working with foam. Most expensive hobby tools I own: My 3d Printers. But I can model and print my own stuff. Still, there is a lot of stuff you can just buy that someone else has made to print off. No regrets, but it takes a LOT to experimenting to learn how to use them properly. Money saving tips: You can get a LOT of milage out of cheap CNC bits and a pin vice. Look at tools for other hobbies: Jewelry tools in particular, but leather hole punches work just as well on styrene. I'm staring at a cheap mini-lathe that is saying "buy me." Craft sections of dollar stores and big box stores sometimes have useful nuggets. Wax paper is perfect as a disposable pallet for paint mixing (unless you are going for very thin paint, then you'll need something to contain it). Always look outside the hobby, you might be very surprised what will come in handy. Quality Tools tips: Find an art supply store, preferably a small independent one the college kids use if you are in a bigger city. Use water color brushes for mini paints, since those are applied in thin coats. Drafting supplies, particularly stencils, are super handy.

[@markchristy9704]

I'm especially amused by the comments about the brush. I'm in a similar situation with a Windsor & Newton series 7 brush I asked for and received as a gift some years ago. It's the only non-synthetic brush I own and have yet to work up the courage to use it. On the other hand, I recently bought a set of "Uncle Atom's favorite" brushes from Monument Hobbies and am really enjoying them. Even though they cost more than I've ever spent on a single brush before, I feel like I know how to take care of synthetic brushes, so I've actually been able to use them without worrying too much.

[@Misterfairweather]

I've used a set of xuron cutters for years and actually have a few harbor freight flush cut pliers in my workshop that I use for other tasks that work great. Truth is it doesn't matter how good the cutters are my process will always have me cut the sprue first leaving a large chunk on the figure then trim the chunk because it reduces the likelihood of having to do repair work on a piece. Even this is less relevant on newer models because a lot of the time they have the sprue connections obscured or interior to the piece. I think my favorite expensive hobby "tool" are my commercial file cabinets. Bought them cheap when shuttering a bankrupt company they have a door that flips up and a flat shelf that rolls all the way out so I can use the full depth of the shelf and each shelf is rated to hundreds of pounds because they're designed to hold folders full of paper.

[@Dan_Dee]

I totally have that issues as well. One of the main reasons why I don't use my fancy brushes or paint larger minis is the fear or ruining them.

[@doubledog5894]

Oh yes. I love the art supplies topics. A couple months ago, I splurged on a nice, expensive, natural sable brush (for painting minis) and I was a bit apprehensive for a couple days. (In art school I always used really crappy brushes.) I did eventually overcome the fear/anxiety and it was worth it. Since then I’ve purchased 4 more fancy brushes in various sizes and also discovered a new brand (*new to me) called Velvetouch art brushes (red handle version). I highly recommend them and they’re not as expensive as the natural sables. I am a thorough (some would say “OCD”) brush cleaner and use this stuff from Blick called “The Masters: Brush Cleaner” - which works great. Of course, if you don’t like brush maintenance or don’t have a consistent brush cleaning routine then I’d stick with your usual synthetics. 🎨

[@dirtybasementterrain]

My Proxxon has been a godsend for making terrain. I have a decent collection of add-ons from shifting Lands and Dungeons By Hand and it has really brought my terrain making to a whole new level

[@stevejohnson3991]

I too have unused or underused tools in my shop. But, I think tools are one of the best investments (in yourself) that you can make. What is your time/effort worth, and when you do use those tools, how much have you saved? What these tools that you mention cost, you can spend in an average restaurant for lunch (which I often do), and poop it out later. I rarely know what I am doing when I try something new, and I am often glad to find that tool that I bought years ago and had not used yet is exactly what I needed. I also spend thousands each year on various forms of obligatory purchases like car/house/health insurance. Man, that would buy a lot of tools and materials. So, yes, sometimes we err in our purchase decisions, but it is a drop in the bucket, practically speaking, and I live by "he who dies with the most tools, wins".

[@earnestwanderer2471]

I’m so super frugal that I still blue tack my models to a soda bottle cap for painting. The upside, other than price, is that I can have a half dozen models in process at the same time. That said, I always start with the intention of batch painting but then wind up pretty much finishing one model before moving on to the next. Which goes a long way to explaining the mountain of shame.

[@utility63]

I started using the plastic tubes from M&M Minis candy for holders. I can swap the caps, and I use them to store sand and basing material so they have a good weight.

[@oddtreepress420]

I brought a box full of small lidded jars for some use, that I've since forgotten, several years ago. Recently I've found that they make perfect holders for painting. They fit my hand just right and they are stable and weighty enough to safely set on my work table if I don't want to hold it. If they need more weight, I just fill the jar with something. And you can unscrew to lid slightly and turn it with your thumb while holding it without repositioning your grip. A good repurpose for a case of jars that I would likely never use otherwise.

[@robertgauthier8876]

I use the caps that game envy sells for their Hobby Holder painting handle. Which are functionally identical to soda caps.

[@jonathanfrederick9645]

Godhands are absolutely the smoothest cleanest nippers you can get. I have been using cheapo Amazon nippers but building some fiddly Drukhari I busted out the Godhands and... wow. I genuinely forgot how good they are. Absolutely worth it. GW Artificer brushes are trash, tho. Windsor and Newton are leaps and bounds better and cheaper. Cheaper still are Vallejo Pro Modeling brushes. They are great and a great value.

[@ironjehoshaphat2764]

The W&N and Vellajo brushes hair?

[@derpstick5467]

Apparently the artificer brushes are rebranded W&N ones, as someone else said, those must’ve been the rejected brushes that GW picked up from the trash cans.

[@madnessbydesignVria]

I use clippers that I got from the makeup aisle at my local Fred Meyer (Kroger). They have a nice flat cutting edge on the backside, which is what you want. I paid around $10 US for them. After a few years, and a lot of use, I noticed that they were not as sharp as they once were (like most of us), so I got another pair. If each one lasts me 4-5 years of heavy use (plus, I can still use the originals, they're just not super sharp), it would take me 40-50 years to make up the cost difference with the Godhand clippers. By that time, flame-throwing robot dogs will have ended us anyway, so I'll save the cash now, thanks. Brushes are tough. I bought some Kolinsky sables that were ordained in secret rituals to never lose their perfect tips, and... yeah. Didn't last. I see videos about how to maintain/recondition/resurrect your brushes, but I've never been able to get the results the content creators do. I do like sable rather than synthetic for most things, but I've come to accept that brushes are not forever. I buy decent ones from my local art supply store, and I do my best to keep them alive for as long as I can. At some point, they migrate to the 'utility pile' of brushes for roughing in things, or scenery work. Circle of life... :)

[@dr.rotwang]

The expensive tools that I need to use more often are all my Northwest Short Line modeling tools. Things like my True Sander and Chopper. For those not familiar Northwest Short Line makes tools and hobby products used a lot in the scratch building, model train, and sculpting community. Lots of things for getting perfect angles, fitments, etc. on various types of polystyrene shapes. They are a god send when making master models for production. They might be a bit overkill for terrain building or conversions but you save so much time when your 45 degree angles gets cut right every time on a build.

[@nittneylion84]

Love my God Hand nippers. But only use them for fine clipping from sprues. I have cheaper ones for general cutting. But I have NOT used my Artis Opus brushes because I worry about ruining them like other brushes…LOL

[@elijahdprophet]

I was gifted a couple of Artis Opus M series brushes last xmas and it took me a while of staring at them to pull the bandaid off and use them. Mostly I wanted to try them out before Adepticon when I would have the chance to buy more in person. Did they make me a better painter? Probably not, what they have done though is gotten me to be more conscientious about brush care and cleaning, which has helped them retain their shape better than when I was using cheap brushes I didn't care about.

[@terrencemiltner1005]

Tell someone you have watched Black Magic Craft without saying it, *looks at Proxxon wire cutter*

[@derpstick5467]

@@elijahdprophetI’m still using synthetics but I really do want to get some natural hair brushes like artist opus, I’ve been taking care of my synthetics so I’d probably be able to take care of the natural hair ones.

[@Alazull]

For what it's worth I was able to find a smaller version of the God Hand at a local hobby store for $12.50. Absolutely fantastic for getting flush cuts off the sprue especially in tight spaces and helpful for getting nice cuts for conversions. I would definitely recommend those to someone with the caveat that you should have a regular one as well, as it can be tedious to do bigger cuts or just working through sprue for the smaller clippers. Beyond that I've borrowed a friend's full God Hand and would say that it's awesome and worth it with the idea that it really should be something you put on a Christmas gift or be using a birthday gift card on. They will save you a lot of work if you care about that kind of thing, but not so much that it justifies the cost when painting. That said, if you're also into Gundam or model kits in general, it is quite the value add.

[@VicodinElmo]

10:44 Uncle Atom calling me out

[@miniaturefun-guy]

I’ve found recently that the more stuff I have the less I enjoy the hobby. My airbrush is packed away and my vast collection of paints has been condensed. Less clutter, less mess and more time painting. I only play infinity ATM moment so all I need is a small set of good files.

[@KombiGnome]

By and large, I go by "buy once, cry once", but that doesn't necessarily mean buying the best is always the right answer. Sometimes the 2nd or 3rd best option will work just as well and you avoid the sense that the tool is somehow "precious" and to be used sparingly.

[@tylerttinsley]

God hands used to be the only option, For standard minis any cheap “single sided nippers” will work well enough. They can be bought for 10-30 dollars. They are knock offs of god hands but miniatures don’t need the precision and often have harder and thicker gates then gunpla.

[@faelwolf1177]

A little extra for clippers or any tool is worth the money if you use it, and it does the job it's supposed to do better and easier. Some jobs require an expensive tool to do the work, but there's room for cheap tools, too. I buy my picks and hemostats, etc. at a local flea market very cheap, and last practically forever. Things like that don't have to be high dollar. Modeling is not all that expensive compared to other hobbies these days, but it sure isn't as cheap as when I was a kid! Some expensive tools aren't for beginners, and not worth the money if you're just going to damage it, or don't have a need for it. "Good enough" is good enough, and there's nothing wrong with keeping cheap versions of tools around to save wear and tear on the expensive tool when it's not needed. For example, I have three anvils in my shop. One on my welding bench made from a piece of scrap RR track for when I have to knock something around a bit ($25), a practically junk 65lb farm anvil for those who "want to give smithing a try" that they can't make any worse, or for when quick and dirty is enough ($150), and a 3-0-0 (311lb) Fisher blacksmith's anvil from WW2 (Navy) in pristine condition that no one uses but me ($2700 and climbing). As a good example of tool inflation, the Fisher I bought & shipped from EBay for $600 a long time ago, it would cost me that or more just to ship it today. Talk about a retirement fund.....

[@chiplundsmark5936]

As far as the clippers go, saw a nice looking pair at Hobby Lobby for $7 just yesterday. But I already had some clippers from the $1.25 store. Now there is a good place for hobby supplies! Also use cheaper brushes, but not the dollar store ones. Those don't even have a pointed tip. That foam cutter is intriguing, might get one of those someday!

[@looselycollected7505]

I bought an older Cricut used in a yard sale cheap. I had to buy a cutter head(didn't have one for some reason but the new one is actually an aftermarket upgrade with a few more options), a cartridge(older machines need them for the basic cutting info), a printer cable, cutting mat, and a program called Sure Cuts a Lot 2. With those I had maybe $40 total in them. And I downloaded Inkscape(vector graphics program) for free. With all that I could cut anything I wanted pretty much. A year later I traded the Cricut and some cash to move to a bigger Cricut(still an older model with the cartridges). Which maybe added another $20 to my outlay. And doubled the width of the cutting throat and the length of the cutting mat. I can still use this cheap work around to make what I want. You just don't have access to the online Cricut maker stuff. But the deals are there if you look. Loads of people buy them, then don't use them as much as they think they will. Then dump them cheap to get them out of their way. You have to have a computer. But even a cheap laptop would probably work.

[@sporf_sporf]

I don't have a gw brush, but I do have some natural hair brushes and I love them. They don't require that much care, in fact accidentally leaving them in the water cup seems to do less real damage to them than it does to artificial, however I really only use them for detail work, (eyes, mustaches, edge highlights, and lining, etc.) Most of the time I use synthetics for basecoat, wash, and drybrush.(especially drybrush)

[@Ghilliedude3]

I have 2 expensive things that I use specifically for painting. 1) my lights. I have a good set of LED photo lights that I use as my painting lights. It's made a huge difference in my ability to paint easily. 2) A good airbrush and compressor. I use my airbrush so much, and having a reliable brush and compressor really makes painting things with it stress free.

[@wonderboy2402]

Same, and I would at a Lab pant mixer. Having a mixer makes painting much easier.

[@Maverick626]

as a gundam guy that does sometimes wh40k , yes , the godhand are the crême de la creme of nippers , but theres a caviat , the amount of plastic that we usually have to cut from the sprue is minuscule compared to the chunky ass sprues that GW makes because they love to waste plastic , so IF you have a godhand or recently purchased it , DO NOT use them for GW sprues , maybe for minor details like , you want to cut a hand from a marine arm , some antennae in a turret , minor detail

[@M1903Enjoyer]

Godhand clippers/nippers are fantastic. They are great at what they do, perfect for gunpla do to the size. And good for small connection points for GW style kits. I use cheap nippers to clip the big sections and Godhand for small points and cleanup of the large snips.

[@thecraftydm]

As a terrain crafter, I use my proxxon almost daily. The guider pro and angle cutter are a must have.

[@Krogg666]

When you were talking about tools we couldn't use as kids, I immediately thought "sewing scissors," and then you said it too. Lol. It must be universal.

[@Dark_Burner]

I said the same thing to my wife as we were watching.

[@talasmanca]

I got a laser cutter and have been using the hell out of it, making your own wood buildings for terrain is great. "Oh, I need a church" press button, assemble.

[@GladeRiven]

I could use one of those. Might just get the laser module for the Ender 3 I have.

[@Zarkil]

I think there's a talent gap, or whatever you want to call it. I started out using cheap synthetic brushes from Walmart. I had no experience painting and I sucked at it. That's exactly what I expected so I wasn't discouraged and kept practicing. I got better and after a while I decided to get three of those Windsor and Newton series seven brushes I'd been hearing so much about. They blew me away! They are so much easier to use especially for fine details. The brushes cost about $40 total and I've been using them for about five years now. Yes I have to use a special container of soap that cost about $10 a tin but it only takes a few minutes and a tin lasts me several years. I have to reshape the point, takes a few seconds, and I store them in their plastic tubes. I'm careful with them while painting but not to a point it slows me down. I consider them the best hobby purchase I've ever made. I know a lot of painters can get better results than me using any brush but for me they just make painting easier and more enjoyable.

[@artistpoet5253]

use the GodHands. I actually dropped mine not less than two weeks after starting to use them and the only thing that broke off was that little pin to keep the tool from opening too wide. So I pulled the spring and they've been part of every model project I've done in the last three years of use. ONE IMPORTANT NOTE: well, two actually: Make sure you tune that gap bolt to keep the bits from impacting . They should just meet. Don't cut anything thicker than the gate. I actually use a Bandai Beginner's Level side cutter to remove parts at about a 1/16th inch away then trim up with the Godhand. The stuff I've bought that I haven't used yet is mostly because I'm still working with the just I already have. There were some brushes I was hording but I recently got a commission project so I'm using them now.

[@willemmeijer4159]

Every scenery build project of mine starts with installing my Proxon hot wire cutter. Totally worth it. There are 2 things to make it a better product, the guider pro 2.0 from shifting lands and a footpedal attachment (so that you can use 2 hands to handle the foam and your foot to switch the machine on (or off).

[@albinofreak620]

It’s worth a trip to the art supply store to get a sable hair brush. I think it’s a little overblown how much you have to care for them, you just use them like a brush and clean them with brush soap once in awhile, and accept that you’re going to wear it out over time, then it will become a utility brush, then a texture paint brush, etc. The precision you get from a sable hair brush makes painting more fun for me…. very worth it. A marked up Gw sable brush on the other hand…

[@EricSquirmydadBrown]

I've not used a Cricut cutter but I have made extensive use of a similar item; the Silhouette cutter to make paper and cardstock terrain.

[@toogreytogame]

One hurdle I had to get over was that cheap or premium, tools are tools and are to be used. What's the point of a tool that never gets used. Took me a long time to actually use my airbrush due to fear around bending the needle etc and had to change my mindset to see it as a tool, not a collectable (if you know what I mean). Use that brush, even if you trash it, as it's already sunk cost. Saying that, I do completely agree with you that a lot of these simply aren't worth it in the first place.

[@nicholasmetrano6411]

I feel you on the artificer brush, I had the exact same experience, was at the store and thought "well, I should buy something to support the shop" and was surprised by the price. I left it unused for a while but now, having used it, I know that in my hands, I would have been just as well off with a brush that was half the price.

[@lostchild0122]

I mean, the artificer brush is just a winsor newton with a citadel handle. It's a good brush, and if you can't source winsor newton, artis opus, rosemary etc. for reasonable prices a decent option. Citadel will always be more readily available.

[@thekartoeffel]

I can't imagine that a citadel brush is more worth / has a higher quality than a Raffael or Winsor & Newton Brush. I wonder if citadel just sells rebranded Winsor & Newton brushes

[@tazstidson4231]

... If only they were... Lol. 😂

[@thekartoeffel]

@@tazstidson4231 Ok thanks for the clarification. I also found this somewhere: "GW uses a mixture of different hairs and synthetics in its brushes, as they’re useful for different things. All their brushes are made by veteran brush makers Winsor and Newton, though to the specific requirements of GW."

[@darkowl9]

Allegedly the Artificers are (or at least, were at one point?) made by W&N. Not as high quality as the Series 7, but still close. I like natural hair brushes, but I can also understand the other aspect that Adam didn't mention which was that sable is similar to fur with regards to wild animal welfare as those tail hairs are highly prized...

[@SpencerWolfe]

For someone who likes building larger sized starship and starfighter models ... the cutter is very useful. Vinyl masking film (like Oracal) to create hull plate patterns (called aztec plating), custom registry names/markings as well as window and canopy masking. I use a Silhouette Cameo 3 with the upgraded blade set to actually cut thin sheet styrene and Tamiya masking sheet also. There are folks out there who have side hustles in the sci-fi aftermarket community just making vinyl masks. As for the rest ... nah ... cheap flush cutters and decent gold taklon brushes for me. I don't do enough with foam to move beyond a good utility knife.

[@coreyesser7898]

I can honestly say my wife and I got excited about getting a Proxxon a few years ago. It hasn’t been out of the box yet.

[@alexx86hater]

To me as a scale modeler switching from "a nippers" to godhand was a huge difference: cuts off a lot of time for sanding stubs and I no longer need to use a razor saw to cut off small parts like little sensors and landing gear parts for 1/144 planes or masts and other microscopic things for 1/700 ships.

[@anvil242]

I used to have a robocutter when I was doing paper terrain. It was a model or two before the cricket. Amazing machine and really helped speed up the process of construction.

[@normanlennox4949]

If you aren't using a Proxxon a lot, then, yes, it can be a pricey paperweight. I use mine all the time. I LOVE it. And with my Guider Pro 2, it's an absolute machine. I cut a lot of stuff, as a terrain designer and seller. But, again, for me, they are tools that I absolutely get a ton of use out of. I am, however, somewhat ashamed of how little use I'm getting out of my wacom tablet. I love it, but I've been so busy with terrain and terrain orders, that I've not really done a lot of just drawing lately.

[@greenbook7315]

I don't have the artificer brush or the godhand, but I do have the Army Painter Kolinsky Masterclass, and the Dspaie 3.0 nippers. But are alternative equivalents. The masterclass brush is alright, it holds a sharp point, but since purchasing a full set of rosemary 33s, the masterclass has become sort of my beater sable brush. I use it mostly for edge highlighting with metallics. The Dspaie nippers I use on every model I build, and am so glad I bought them. They can get much closer to the model than other snips without risk of ripping plastic. Which means a lot less sanding or use of an exacto.

[@julianflores5647]

hey adam, i have a proxxon and the best thing for me is seeing my sons learning on it to craft blocks, ramps and other shapes. beeing in a lucky position of having one and just goof around with it. previously i used it to build terrain (stone bridges and towers). hope this helps.

[@fredclasson7865]

Yeah, the only expensive things I have are brushes and green stuff. And Citadel paints of course. Everything else came from the toolbox in the garage. I don't have a wet palette, just a bundle of wipes in a box.

[@MrPigments]

God hand SPN-120s have been invaluable for kitbashes for me, the cut is so clean that it makes things far easier and saves me hours on projects.

[@crayven]

Bought my mini clipper from a homedepot in the dry flower section a decade ago. They are supposed to be used for clipping wires. So the edge would be pretty rough. Then last year a saw a review of the godhand clippers and thought, that can be cheaper. I took a metal file and filed the back kompletley flat and sharpened the angles a bit, now I have a super flat cut like I get with more expensive clippers and all for 3-5 bucks and some extra minutes of work.

[@failfurby]

I bought the first model of Citadel clippers way back when. A+ for their longevity and usefulness. I don't remember what I paid though, way too many years ago. I think there is one tool that is worth spending a little extra on for better quality and features: a hand/pinning drill. I went through several cheap, bad choices before finding one I liked using and did everything I needed it to.

[@elainegallagher6015]

I bought the not-latest Godhand clippers at Christmas ( £30 older model, the nearest ones are £50). I really do like them and I've used them a lot on a bunch of minis including a gunpla. I've got Rosemary & Co brushes that I haven't used a lot, though.

[@vs5031]

I woodwork as well as mini paint so tend to use a lot of 'real tools' as opposed to over priced hobby tools. Lotsa places you wouldn't ever think of sell 'hobby' items alot cheaper. I stumbled across a teacher's supply site once that sold polyhederal dice alot cheaper and the dice were nicer. Shop around, caveat emptor, etc. Also Postit notes stickiness = pressure sensitive adhesive, you can buy that in buckets as well should anyone feel the urge...

[@zanzarmar]

When I first got into the hobby I used cheap nippers. First big upgrade was to tamiya thin nippers. It was amazing. Last December I treated myself to a pair of God hands. Best purchase I have made for the hobby.

[@chadnine3432]

I have a couple of Kolinsky sables that I use on special occasions. I use synthetic hair and nylon brushes for most work.

[@redmist1122]

Another good video on expensive tools. To be honest I have the Proxxon hot foam cutter. I use every so often for those crafty projects like you mentioned, and I'm very happy on the purchase pre-Covid at $100 in Amazon. As far as brushes...uuugh...I'm with you on the expanse versus eventually ruing it down the road. I buy average brushes and quite satisfied of the results I get. Clippers are worth the cost for the clean cut. As a modeler before a gamer...a must for those small tight parts which can break when you clip them off the sprue. Now that Crique machine sounds interesting, but not ready to make that leap. The only other expensive tool I've bought in the past several years was an FDM 3D printer and a resin printer last year. Those are great tools and easy to maintain. I'm not one of those guys which try to dial in the precise setting for a print...so less stress on my part. I use these guys a lot, especially for bigger projects. Anyways, goos video and take care.

[@proft7211]

I have the proxxon, and several tools from shifting lands. I have used it twice. It is great if you want a second time consuming hobby of building terrain. If you think you will like that, it is the best investment you will make in that hobby - but it is a totally different hobby that mini painting.

[@Buildpaintplayrepeat]

After watching the Goobertown Hobbies video about cleaning and repairing natural hair brushes versus synthetic brushes, and comparison under his microscope, I did buy a monument hobbies, natural hairbrush. Brush maintenance and keeping the tip on that brush has been so much easier than my synthetic brushes, but part of that may just be having more experience and knowing a little more what I’m doing now.!

[@TacticalStapler308]

The scissors you’re not supposed to use for your freezer pops are Gingher fabric shears. My mom had a pair too. They’re ~$60 a pair.

[@Dark_Burner]

A friend of mine once said something only has "value through use". I try to remember this when I worry about breaking a tool. A tool broken through use is more valuable than a tool that never gets used. The money has been spent, you might as well use it.

[@The_WarL0rd_Way]

I use the $50 pair of god hands and the $12 beginners version. Both are worth it for me, the $50 pair allows you to cut closer to the model without damaging it while leaving less cleanup. When building an army or squad, this saves a ton of time. The beginner pair has a very pointy tip and gets you into those hard-to-reach places, while still cutting better than any other brand. I have used just about every cutter on the market including Army Painter, Citadel, Harber Freight versions, and some on Amazon. Both versions of god hands beats them all out. I also bought the medium artificer brush from Citadel and painted all the details on all the models in the Leviathan box with it. I was super impressed, it kept its tip and did a good job. I then used it with metallic paint and it wore it down quickly. I decided to buy another one from Citadel online, but this second one was horrible. Its tip wasn't as sharp as the first one and the bristles were softer making it hard to do any fine detail work at all. I can only conclude that these brushes are hit-and-miss at best. I will try to buy one more at my LGS so I can examine it first before purchasing.

[@mekko1413]

With regards to the God Hand clippers. I do not use those particular ones but I have a pair that are similar by Dspiae. I love them typically i use my Citadel and AP clippers to clip the parts out and then go back with the Dspiae clippers to take the nubs off and little to no clean up is needed and you never end up with a divot from where the clippers pulled out extra plastic.

[@Mr_Waffle.]

I've used my God Hand nippers for a decade now no problem, just don't use them for super thick plastic. It's perfect for cutting parts off a sprue, you'll still need a hobby knife and sandpaper for best results though. Also those GW Artificer brushes are literally just rebranded Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes- the former head of GW products said it on The Painting Phase (I think it's the "contrast paint saved GW" episode, VERY worthwhile watching if you want to understand GW as a business!). I've used my Series 7s for half a year with no issue, just need to clean it maybe once a week to get the gunk out. I don't have special soap or anything like that.

[@EdAllen]

Sable brushes last just fine if you rinse them well and use some brush soap on them right after rinsing. The Cricut I've considered but held off. I've used the Godhand clipper some, but mostly been working through half painted old metal figures & 3D prints the last couple years, so not clipping plastic much. The Proxxon I only get out occasionally, but I have made some fun stuff with it.

[@johnashley-smith4987]

Thanks for this video! The worst hobby purchase I ever made was buying a " Testor's " Aztec" airbrush...particularly since I was going from an Iwaata HP-SB which was expensive, but worked like a dream and made airbrushing straightforward and fun. It was simply a matter of mixing up a colour, decanting it into the removeable , side feed colour cup and away I could go...the Aztec however always seems to start any session with a clogged tip, due to a sticky interior spring in the paint tip... I suppose if you used it to spray single colours it would work fine, but that defeats the purpose of owning an airbrush... Thanks again!

[@peters.9463]

Good question! I have this handy foam cutter from the Army Painter I have bought in a terrain building box set. So far I never used it. Then I have a bunch of cheap brushes and paints, so much paints! I think I only used about a quarter of all my paints. 😅 If you will ever use the god hand nippers, I would be very interested in a review ;)

[@crossbones8956]

I have the godhands, and yea they are really good. They are really for removing the nubs after the part is removed from the sprue. I use these along with my Tamiya nippers.

[@stochasticagency]

Yep, got the proxxon and use it more often than not. On brushes though I splurged and sought out several of the brands that get recommended often, both sable and synthetic. I just want to see and use them for myself to find out if there is something other than my W&N series 7s that I might like. While I don't have the Godhands I do have the Dspiae clippers and the scraper, both are used all the time.

[@DanteMac26]

For clippers I always go with the Xuron Professional Sprue Cutters. Part number 2175ET, not 2175. The 2175 have a rounded tip, while the 2175ET have a very sharp pointy tip. Runs about $20-25 USD.

[@peace2126]

I would like to ask for your experienced opinion using agitators on acrylic paints. Many opinions out there say to use stainless steel ball bearings yet others say no, due to the fact that these will only damage your acrylic paints when they rust inside. Other opinions suggest to use glass beads because they will not rust; but glass is sometimes not heavy enough as stainless steel to be a good agitator. Lastly, I have also come across others who suggest using volcanic rock beads as agitators because they are natural rock & will not damage acrylic paints. What are the best agitators You know of that will not damage acrylic paints? Your wisdom & advice is greatly appreciated James

[@tabletopminions]

I use the stainless steel balls from the Army Painter. They test the balls that come in from their manufacturer by soaking random selections from each batch in salt water to see if they react. If they do, they return the whole batch. I learned this at the factory when I was in Denmark last month. I’ve never had an Army Painter agitator ball rust on me. That’s my experience. Thanks for watching!

[@VidJunkie63]

I have enjoyed the Kool-Aid that is Godhand Clippers fanaticism. I own a much less expensive nipper I purchased decades ago when I started the hobby. Those original nippers were great, or so I thought, then I decided to try the Godhand Clippers... Wow. Smooth. No deformation of the parts.

[@jellyman-]

with the godhands, do *not* use them to remove models straight from the sprue. the tension between the piece you are cutting and the sprue holding it in place sort of crushes the blade from either side, and can cause godhands to snap because they are so delicate (and they are not supposed to be used this way). their intended usage is after you have already snipped the part off the sprue using some crappy snippers, but leaving a chunk of the gate on, and then removing the gate using the godhands afterwards and itll leave no stress mark and cut through the plastic like butter. for a cheaper alternative which is still a huge improvement over GW snippers, get a pair of Dspiae cutters

[@rustedbeetle]

I love love my Godhands. I used them as part of a two clip process. I use Xuron clippers to clip the sprue around the part. This removes any pressure between the sprue and the part. Then I use the Godhands to clip right against the part for the clean cut. The reason Gundam modelers swear by it is because it doesn't stress (discolor) the plastic when cut, which is important when you aren't painting the plastic model. That's not as important when you are going to paint the plastic.

[@threewiseman1]

I have an Iwata airbrush that I'm terrified to use. I bought it thinking I wanted the 'best' one I could afford, but then learned you're better off learning with a cheapo, as you can easily clog them when still learning airbrush technique and maintenance.

[@philm.5153]

Use vallejo flow improver to dilute your paint to the consistency of skim milk. Then, on your airbrush air compressor set the psi around 22 to 25. Frequently clean the tip of your needle using a q-tip dipped in flow improver. Practice trigger control and aiming using water on a dry piece of cardboard. It will build your confidence. Also, airbrushes put down such thin coats of paint, it's easy to cover up if you don't like it or make a mistake.

[@keriallen1417]

I bought the entire Artis Opus brush line and they are still in their wonderful cases because I am too afraid to use them. I have gone to the craft store and also bought cheap versions of the dry brushes (same shape, size, etc.) to practice with before using them and yeah... I don't regret it at all. I think I may work up the courage to use them someday...but I want to make sure I know how to clean and care for them before I do. I'm not always nice to my brushes.

[@House-Atreides]

Proxxon cutter is a must have for anyone who loves making terrain. Can’t tell you how much I’ve used it to great effect. You can also make your own guides out of wood.

[@MoxAmber26]

I got god-hands as a gift and I absolutely love them. I don't think its like, absolutely necessary but there is something thats so satisfying about them that makes them feel worth it to me. the clips are all so smooth, it just feels great. I also got gifted some artist opus dry brushes, which are more expensive per than that GW brush was and are just incredible. I do think not using it is wasting it, IMO. Even if you mess them up, you learn something. Otherwise its like you just threw out 20 bucks. Ive messed a few sable brushes up but A. They were all somewhat saveable and b. even if they aren't you can always use it for something. It'll feel a bit bad but atleast it gets some use. as for an expensive hobby purchase, I bought an ultrasonic cleaner and I havent used it much. I havent bought many minis used but I've stripped a handful of models and then just havent touched it again.

[@joegkushner]

Barbatos Rex does a lot of reviews on the 'hobby' side of the tool side as opposed to the miniature side of things. His reviews are pretty informative so I've bought a few sets of clippers. The benefit of those type is that only one side is sharp in terms of the 'cutting' so it's not supposed to be 'smashing' the part you're cutting. I have an artificer brush. It's fairly good. Mind you, I think that because I paid so much for it in the first place that I tend to keep better care of it with the washing and cleaning. I have avoided wire cutters and their ilk. I'm afraid I'm very clumsy.

[@DungeonMagister]

GW's hobby knife is the best hobby knife I've ever used. I have used basically every single GW tool, and what I will say is that most of them are okay, but trash for the price. As a commission painter that does assembly for some of my clients, I paid $30 for the gw hobby knife (the ergonomic one with the tensioner near the bottom) and I have never used another hobby knife since. It's THE BEST citadel tool and the only one I think is actually worth every penny.

[@slaaneshgod]

I use my godhand clippers all the time. I just only use them for plastics. it is the smoothest easiest set of clippers I have ever used. Please do yourself the favour and use those. I have actually gone through dozens of clippers and they really do cut like butter. I hadnt thought of the cricut but I am thinking the little joy for making stencils for airbushing on vehicles. I think that is a great idea really and would help me get more use out of the airbush to.

[@cloud3x3]

My god hands have lasted me for about 3 years now. Haven't had any issues with them as long as you're not one to drop them. I also keep a pair of cheap knippers for cutting up sprews and non delicate work. I think they are better for Gunpla where often you don't paint the model. Stress marks aren't much of an issue if you're priming and painting.

[@kastel6658]

I have used the cricket software to create my own stencils but it is not user friendly. I have made waffle patterns and what not but gets very complicated. Thanks for the recommendation on some other software options!

[@robo6548]

Cricut is fantastic for making your own masks for airbrushing and also for cutting your own decals. I use it for custom carbon fibre on 1/18 vehicles. Also fantastic for small dashboard masks. I consider it a gateway drug to a home CNC machine. Used it for stone chip vinyl on the car and making perforated vents in plastic card for my pc too.