WEIRD Non-Hobby Tools That'll Change Your Hobby

[@JHartModelworks]

I'm a car modeler. Something i find cool to use are mechanical pencils. I keep a 0.2, 0.3, and 0.5mm mechanical pencil at the work bench. Run some lead out, dip it in an acrylic paint like vallejo and tap it to the model to do things like nokts, rivets, radio and dash board buttons, etc. Probably useful for eyes and armor buts too. Also useful when you want to place a tiny drop off glue somewhere. When done break off the lead, and its ready to use again. No washing brushes or anything.

[@RicardoDawkins]

toothpick

[@milgram12]

Awesome idea

[@gman1515]

​@@RicardoDawkins that's what I usually do, but the mechanical pencil feels like less wasted material

[@hamoostaffat]

​​@@gman1515if you just shave the paint or glue off you'll get more use out of each one than anyone will ever get using them for their intended purpose ✌️😂 Oh and ps. The shavings can go into your terrain texturing tub too 😉

[@TSD4027]

mechanical pencils are also great for rubbing on metallic stuff to show wear when weathering.

[@PatGilliland]

Dental burrs - tiny super sharp Dremel bits. Ask your dentist for used ones. Though too worn out for teeth and fillings they work great on plastic and white metal. My dentist autoclaved a bunch for me to make them sterile and now I'm set for life.

[@controllerpleb6568]

I'd never thought of that! That is such a good idea :)

[@nunyabusiness4904]

My Dad bounces between all sorts of hobbies every few years, one time my Mom had to get a couple stitches and when she was getting them removed somehow the topic of tool sanitation for the tweezers and little scissors they use for stitch removal came up, I think my Dad asked if they do it in house or have it contracted out. The guy removing my Mom's stitches said it was cheaper just to order new sanitized tools from a medical supplier than it is to santize used tools so they just throw them away after each use. My dad left the hospital with some new tweezers and tiny scissors that day.

[@marks6928]

Great tips. My wife uses ones of those fidget poppers to help her count and keep track of rows when she’s knitting. A useful thing, it seems.

[@tabletopminions]

I should mention that to my wife, as well. Thanks for watching!

[@echognomecal6742]

That's super cool! I have a BUNCH of people I can tell about that. Thanks, & plz tell the mrs that she's helped a bunch of people!

[@bevsartsandcrafts715]

What a brilliant idea 😮

[@stephhhie17]

I use one of those clicker counters that bouncers use to keep track of people for that :)

[@Ms_Ink]

Damn that’s a good idea!!!

[@DragonBoi3789]

One I learned from Zambies is the pool noodle trick. Get a cheap pool noodle and cut a length that fits the edge of your desk. Slit the back to the center so it can grab your desk's edge, then cut shallow vertical slits in the front. Boom, youve got a cheap paint brush/thin tool holder for ready access to your usual tools. And it can work as a drying rack for your brushes too.

[@ungabunga6961]

Mine holds my fishing rods!

[@sanguisdominus]

Could also use the texture on it to test drybrushes.

[@Jezza_C_WT]

Also, if you have a problem of knocking things off the desk, the pool noodles could help keep things from getting donated to the carpet monster lol

[@basman5591]

Some more non-hobby tools I found useful: -Make-up sponge (for blackblowing airbrushes). -Pasta (for making rivets and rods). -Blue tac (for test fitting models without glue as well as holding GW washes to avoid spilling). -Stackable utility bins (those small ones you find in garages). Great for holding bits for specific projects and general organization. You can build a rack that suspends them as well. -Pippete (for adding airbrush cleaner to my airbrush). -Those jumbo "For Big Mistakes" erasers. I cut them up and glue the sticks from a GW flying base and use them to hold vehicles. I drill a hole that fits the peg of those sticks snugly on the underside of the vehicle/turret. They make for a great handle without having to glue anything to the model itself. For bigger parts, drill multiple holes for more pegs.

[@aaronreynolds8587]

Speak more of this pasta-rivet wizardry! If you take a piece if dried spaghetti to cut into rivets, do you have a clever way to cut them into uniform rivets?

[@bartonstano9327]

Please respond to how exactly you do pasta rivets, THE WORLD WONDERS!

[@dittmar104]

The eraser one sounds super comfortable to hold too

[@LeCharles07]

I use the Gorilla brand stick tack and it holds well enough on most infantry and vehicles to actually be able to play with them.

[@janeblogs324]

Don't back blow your airbrush, you put paint in the air passages which is why you have this issue

[@looselycollected7505]

Newest painting cup set up is a big ceramic mug, with one of those bar soap holders(the kind with the rounded pegs that put air under the soap) in the bottom of the mug, and an elastic hair band around the mug. All bought at Dollar Tree. The mug is heavy and has a wide base which helps keep it from falling over. The soap holder works as a brush scrubber agitator to clean your brush bristles. The band acts as a holder for wet brushes while they dry or in case you want to go back to that brush after swapping brushes.

[@joshbernal4864]

You're a genius, totally stealing your idea.

[@looselycollected7505]

Just a couple stray thoughts I had that went together while I was in Dollar Tree one day. If it works for you, totally steal it.

[@barrysingh2872]

Wish I thought of that 😂 I'm using a pasta sauce jar with corners, I'll see how that goes first

[@JustinShands]

For labelling the storage containers WET ERASE MARKERS are the secret. You can write directly on the plastic and it will stay there until you wipe it off with a wet paper towel. Much nicer than dealing with masking tape turning old and crusty.

[@dominantmale89]

Chalk pens, like cafe's use on black sign boards, are also good for this.

[@JustinShands]

@@dominantmale89 I might have to try that, I imagine the chalk pens would be more visible front farther away.

[@Call-me-Al]

Permanent markers are good for glass storage containers, because they come right off with melamine eraser sponges (plastic sandpaper style sponge that erodes - harder than permanent marker ink but softer than glass). If you can get melamine insulation sheets dirt cheep then that's the exact same material. You just need to pay attention to what density they have, so you can know in the future what density you prefer for your cleaning needs.

[@sophiebas6154]

You can remove permanent marker from most plastic with isopropyl (I recommend getting a box of alcohol prep pads if you do it a lot)

[@tamramyers5841]

Even sharpie will erase from plastic, use a dab of nail polish remover, or go over it with a dry erase marker and rub with a cloth or paper towel

[@georgeratkowitz8023]

- White Ceramic kitchen plate as a palette, put it on camping freezer ice pack. The condensation will make it work similar to wet palette, but less watery. If you need even less watery paint put a towel between freezer ice pack and ceramic plate. - Old CDs as a palette when you need sharp dry paint - Wood palette/thicker greasy paper if you need really even drier thick paint for overbrush, stippling, grittiness. I usually start with applying paint to wet palette and then if I need dryer paint I put some from the wet palette to the paper or CD (depends how dry i prefer it). - Silicone tape for attaching bits and models to bottle caps (cheap paint handle). Silicone is much stronger grip than Blue Tack, and it doesn't leave a mark (it actually almost never rips of paint) - Bottle caps and bottle screw tops as paint handles (custom diy paint handle). Bottle cap plastic is quite bendy. dont glue models on it with super glue or models which don't have wide feet. Use gw bases on top or if using bottle caps - neoprene glue (both sides apply glue and wait 15min and then glue it); neoprene is great because when you remove models from - Coins, pennies and need to be iron based (magnetic properties). Glue or fixate them underneath bottle caps, bases and next you need a magnetic sheet and you have yourself a great travel case (coins grip strongly to the magnetic sheet). - I always have a set of 6x 30ml rakia glasses with water instead of one cup of water. It's brilliant actually, if you need clear water use the clear ones, if you need first rinse clear it in dirty one. Your brushes will last long time since every time the rinse is cleaned in clear water. Also, you can use the dirty concentrated paint water as weathering effect :) - Neoprene glue - add a tiny amount to part before applying super glue, it will provide soft gumminess; super glue lacks gumminess and resistance, Cytro acryl silicate is not a glue by definition and is very brittle. I highly recommend Bison Universal - Uhu glue for slime and saliva - Blue tack / Patafix as quick putty for big gaps, apply super glue after to add hardness, and putty after of course. - Jewelry screws (1.2mm and 1.6mm diameter) for pin rods - Paper Clips for pinching through dried Dropper bottle tops - Thicker paper clips for rods, spears etc - Coffee grains for texture - Box cutter - small and big version, small has bending properties and is awesome for mold lines, scraping. When it dulls use it as an awesome mold line remover (bendable steel). Use the big ones and a cutting mat for heavy duty full force cutting (although small one is thinner metal so it does work better, but it can break and dulls fast). - Scissors for manicure/pedicure, separate it in two and you have yourself great strong metal curved mold line removers (unlike gw one which can only be used on flat 40k surfaces) - Cork Sheet as a cutting matt, add some thicker paper towels on top of when you need heavy duty cutting with bigger box cutter -

[@mrkshply]

I am convinced art is 90% organization. I reorganized my studio recently and now work clicks along. Im ashamed I never thought of silicone popper as a palette. I'm buying one when next I can. All of these were good suggestions. Thank you

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Would agree with you. Have an artist friend who was absolutely obsessive about having all his pencils sharpened and positioned ‘just so’ on his spotless desk. Allowed him to get started quickly every morning.

[@nunyabusiness4904]

I'd say that's any job/hobby that requires tools, all your tools and random supplies need to be organized so you can easily find them, but also need to be accesible easily when you need them. Adam Savage has done a bunch if videos with tested about his personal shop and he's talked about organization several times and he's done at least one if not multiple builds of him making better organization options for his various tools.

[@DaJan1509]

When building a squad of minuatures, I clip all parts of all miniatures I need first and use an *ice cube tray* to sort the bits.

[@shardperson3777]

the lab bottles can be more easily found as "tattoo cleaning bottles" in most places

[@janeblogs324]

"Wash bottles" and search 3pc and 250ml 500ml. They are rare in hdpe though

[@BlackSoap361]

If you search for ”lab wash bottle” you’ll find better quality (and less expensive) wash bottles.

[@bottledwaterprod]

Aluminum tape, copper tape, etc. It's meant for air ducts n such but I use it for adding metal detail to panels on artillery, mechs, Nerf guns, all kinds of stuff. It even has a protected adhesive backing so you can test fit and get it just right before committing. And it does COMMIT with an extra strong bond so be extra careful about placement.

[@louisegrimhelm3041]

if you can get the stuff that's actual metal, it is also used in guitar building as a faraday cage

[@iknownothing-49]

@@louisegrimhelm3041Is a Faraday cage used to go to other dimensions?

[@louisegrimhelm3041]

It's a metal cage that protects from electrical interference

[@lifeofatruckerswife]

I use that tape in my journal making

[@RaptorGoesRAWR]

I use that cheap-as air-drying paper clay for so much stuff (Crayola is one of the brands that makes it), especially filling the interior spaces of some models when I want to magnetise them (my Lord of Change's head, for instance). Because it's so light, it doesn't make the models overly heavy. I also make my own pigment powder out of dollar-store pastels that I scrape into dust with a knife (I think BMC did a video on using pastels for pigment powder at some point). I also have a scrapbooking case with a carrying handle that fits all my dropper bottles neatly -- to get around not being able to see the sides of the bottles, I painted the flat part of the bottle lids with white and then squidged some of the paint inside onto the cap. It's great since I lack a dedicated hobby space, so I can zip up the case, pick up my project container, and move to whether is 'best' as needed.

[@Dragon_Werks]

I bought some Earth Tone and Greyscale artist's oil pastels and ground them into powder for use as pigments. I did this by placing a double thickness of aluminum screen over the mouth of a empty baby food jar and scrubbing the pastel sticks across the screen til they're as close to gone as they can be.

[@bubbadoom1837]

I was at a rubber hose manufacturer last week. They had a display of deburring tools at their front counter. I asked to buy one, and they just gave it to me. This will be great for removing mold lines.

[@mordecaitoth6703]

Don't underestimate the cheap and effective gloss white wall tile; it is a classic for a reason! Thanks for sharing!

[@barrysingh2872]

I didn't have a tile, I'm using an old saucer(still white)

[@colinmorrison5119]

My favourite non-hobby specific object is my ye olde writing bureau. Bought from a charity shop, made well over half a century ago, solid wood. It's a bit scuffed but it's very satisfying to open up and have everything right there. I'm still sorting the layout and need to make custom drawers for the cubby holes in it, but it's one hobby item I've never regretted.

[@Cosmoproto]

I use one too but the only issue I have with it is that the space is only big enough to paint miniatures. There's not enough space to work on anything bigger like terrain or big vehicles.

[@michaelmclachlan1650]

Know what you mean. I use an old typists desk, the type that had numerous shallow drawers for carbon paper, pink/green/whatever file copy paper etc. Very useful for sorting tools and materials.

[@colinmorrison5119]

Shallow drawers would be a boon, I have a few deeper ones in the desk, things can get buried. They are suitable for vehicles and small terrain.

[@TheDrakesandman]

I've got an old writing desk set up, one with the cover you can roll up and down, let's me leave stuff unfinished and not have to worry about the cats getting into it

[@DinosaurProtector]

I found an art box tabletop easel that opens like an old fashioned writing desk, but also has a drawer on the side at Savers. The top part had a bunch of cheap art supplies and form fitted plastic, which I ripped out and filled that with the supplies I need. It's so incredibly useful because I have a very small area to work in and I'm able to store a huge amount of things in it. I need to work on sectioning out the top level, since I store it on it's side when I'm not using it.

[@Eagle-eye-pie]

If you want to store lots of tiny model parts, you can buy boxes from hardware stores that have loads of little compartments (meant for different sized screws etc).

[@centerededgedesignusa7957]

I've seen people use those to transport their finished armies, too! Dual purpose!

[@Eagle-eye-pie]

@@centerededgedesignusa7957 exactly, the compartments can fit whole or partially built minis in them!

[@MastinoNapoletano420]

I fish a lot so I have a lot of tacklebox trays that I use for this. Probably cheaper than hardware trays.

[@borklazer5907]

​@@MastinoNapoletano420was gonna recommend a tackle box too. Keeps all of your bits together in one place

[@batingbunnies]

I have one of these for all my bits. Makes finding parts for kit bashing so much easier

[@Juanmacm]

It's really great when you're in the hobby and you see all the objects in the world as potential tools or scenarios. But sometimes even the most common can be really practical depending on the use. Since I don't have a lot of space I love shoeboxes like this: I put the tools I need for a project, like the paints I need, the tools and the miniatures I apply them to. It saves me a lot of time, as I just take out my box and work straight away, even if I only have half an hour. I know it's not the most sophisticated use, but I find it effective. In the same box you can add an extensible cardboard that serves as a surface for painting.

[@BillHalliwell]

G'day Juanmacm, as I mostly do aircraft models and sometimes a little armour, I find I use a relatively small number of tools for every standard aircraft or AFV build. I use two, cheap, oblong 'pencil case' type baskets, made from clear plastic. One is marked 'Aircraft' the other 'Armour'. Of course several of the basic tools are used in both 'tool kits'. This is OK as one should have more than one knife, and other tools, in each tool box so you can keep one sharp for specific cutting jobs. This, somewhat obvious, system means that I can clear my work space, around my cutting mat, of many tools which I 'might need' and put them on a handy shelf nearby. As I prefer building larger scale aircraft, I've now got plenty of room on my work table where aircraft wings, aerials, pitot tubes etc. won't be damaged by bumping into anything else. This has made my build processes easier and a little bit faster. Also, investing in a standing 'sprue rack' was a great investment in organisation. I mark each sprue tree with its ID Letter on a piece of masking tape. This means I can pick out the correct sprue I need instantly; paint or cut off the pieces I need for each sub-assembly into a little plastic cup and get right on with the build. Cheers, Bill H.

[@sXeAndriex]

With acrylic nail polish racks, I find they're a little too loose to hold most paints well. So I use a cheap, dollar store roll of weather stripping and lay one line on each row. It provides a little pressure and thickness to hold everything in place. So, if you're like me and bump into your table, things won't get knocked all over the place if you don't have a row completely jammed full of paint.

[@Call-me-Al]

You've just majorly improved my life, thank you!

[@satibel]

All purpose anti slip mats are great for that, you can get a 2 meter roll for a buck or 2.

[@hey.its.BrandishJaye]

I use dollar store lipstick racks for my vallejo and army painter paints, fits a little snug, but that just means i can shake 9 bottles at once.

[@captainprincess5943]

I love the silicone popper idea! I've been using silicone cupcake liners so far, because the clean up is so very easy. I keep a little tub of Vaseline in the work area, and use a tiny bit to swab my threads or lids of glue and paint to prevent gluing the top on. It also helps if you have a toothpick to dip in it and "cap" the smallest opening that would usually get clogged super easy.

[@charlesdarwin9039]

For those, like me, who don’t have a dedicated hobby space I find storing dropper bottles in aromatherapy cases is fantastic.

[@TooMiniModels]

Good idea, is there a specific size for the holes you recommend?

[@zdb9052]

I use an essential oils case off amazon, which fit the 17ml vallejo dropper bottles perfectly, with a 2.4cm diameter

[@Vanye111]

That same size also works great for Reaper and Army Painter.

[@charlesdarwin9039]

Same. I tried to post a link but I think it got removed.

[@HNXMedia]

Ah, the aroma of nurgle in the morning

[@doubledog5894]

Oh yes, I have to chime in on the budget tool, resourceful supplies topic. 2 things (most recent). I use a sheet of tempered glass for my acrylics palette. It’s awesome. I picked mine up from a Habitat For Humanity shop called Restore (recycled stuff from home construction sites) and it’s actually one of the glass doors off an old 80’s style television/stereo vanity. It still has the wood frame on it which is great for handling and setting aside in storage. Painting from glass is just so silky smooth and easy to work with, especially blending colors and medium (palette knife) and of course cleanup is a breeze. 2) I recently bought a small art travel bin/carrying case from a art supply shop (transparent) which I use extensively at work. I started carting around bundles of random tools, pens, hobby knives, measuring devices, scraps of sandpaper, etc…. repeatedly back and forth to work because often there was a particular tool I didn’t have at work or on location somewhere. After repeated travels and projects here, there and everywhere I realized it was handy to keep a small batch of my most frequented tools with me in a small carrying case. The case is transparent which is useful when digging around to find a particular tool and it has a handle for carting around comfortably. Best $15 bucks I’ve spent in a while. 🛠👍

[@bellingerkaras]

A few non-miniature tools i use: A silicone nail art stamp. You can just paint into the plate and lift it with the stamp and apply directly onto a model for Chevrons or Checkerboards. Incrediblely handy. Much like you use the silicone popper i have egg cups for painting easter eggs i use for my contrast paints and inks. Though considering how easy it looked to clean the popper i might switch.... I also use plastic wrap and pipe tape to try and get clean straight lines on a model if i want something like hazard stripes or racing stripes or something similar.

[@iankay4915]

Genius for decal alternatives

[@ArdWulf]

Ooouuuuuu....that is clever

[@worthstream]

Nail art for checkerboard patterns, that's genius! Da boyz will be super happy with their new detailed armors.

[@Xalemich]

I could not fine a Fidget Popper that wasn't in some sort of rainbow color, but the idea stuck with me, so I ended up ordering a Half-sphere Silicone Baking Form - They have a wild variety of shapes and sizes, and are usually available in pure white!

[@worthstream]

@@Xalemich you could also look for Halloween themed poppers, the ghost ones are often available in white.

[@sandaemon]

1. Paper towel, to put between the sponge and the paper in your wet palette. Otherwise the sponge tends to suck the moist from the paper when it doesn't literally swim in water, which happens all the time. 2. Q-tips. I keep one soaked in water when i airbrush to clean the nozzle. 3. Hairdryer, to speed up application of washes and contrasts.

[@nadukkerensky392]

that sounds like you are using the special paper but putting it on backwards ive never seen the sponge take moisture from the paper, i used simple parchment paper for a long time, recently upgrade to fancy pallet paper and it has some very weird properties including a very specific way it needs to be placed in the pallet

[@BabalonNuit]

TONS of hair dryers to be found in any thrift shop, so no need to buy a new one!

[@Sadturnip]

Somewhat peripheral, but I absolutely love having a vortex mixer for my contrast paints. The endorphin rush from seeing soulblight gray not be more medium than paint without feeling like your arm is about to fall off is great.

[@comabsolver]

I would also recommend getting some googly eyes to stick onto the vortex mixer. Really improves the whole experience by a lot!

[@minimagus6468]

And vortex mixers marketed at tattoo artists are way cheaper than the hobby ones!

[@t1sfuzzy]

Even cheaper ones if you look up nail polish shakers.

[@jmanusmc2006]

I use a massage gun. Works for soreness from painting and shaking paints

[@savagex466-qt1io]

I use a reclicating saw and shake it on low. Works well and it shakes in my hand so I pretend its a boltgun lol I still rather have a vortex mixer.

[@Nachbo1234]

Washing and reusing the plastic takeout food containers is a handy option for mid project bits and parts storage. They often have clear tops or sides, and they are stackable.

[@gigaChad4570]

Isopropyl or ethyl alcohol at least 70% will remove Sharpie ink from plastic

[@rattussapiens2854]

I keep all my spares (and a couple of stalled projects) in those plastic fast food containers - cleaning them can be a pain, but if you can find a supplier who stocks food containers, you’ll be able to pick up a bunch for cents on the dollar. They’re available in a range of sizes - I have a couple of cake covers which protect models from dust during the painting/finishing/weathering stage.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

@@rattussapiens2854- Been using disposable food containers for a few years now to sort & transport my projects. Pop a bit of bubble wrap or kitchen roll inside to prevent the bits flying around. Must say, I’ve never had problems cleaning them: good deal easier than washing a pot that’s been in the oven. In most cases the plastic is hard enough to survive the dish washer.

[@googiegress]

Business Costco sells a box of takeout containers, clear lid, black bottom, snaps shut tightly, for about 30 cents each. Of course, you're buying a huge box of them. But I use them for disposable tupperware for leftovers. They're especially great for sending guests home with leftovers. One of them has been my free wet palette for years.

[@DFYX]

I've literally had a 6x6 fidget popper sitting on my desk for over a year and never thought about using it for painting. Fantastic idea!

[@michaelmclachlan1650]

It's a great idea! Only problem seems to be finding a white one as most are toys in themselves and brightly coloured - makes it difficult to determine your paint hue.

[@DFYX]

@@michaelmclachlan1650 Mine is actually white

[@jubbie1122]

Here's one for any Tamiya fans out there: The 100ml spray cans, and 180ml spray primers have a hole in the underside of their cap. that hole is EXACTLY the size of Citadels' bottles. Use a hobby knife to shave off a couple cm from the bottom of the cap, and you'll have the best bottle holder money can't buy. Haven't had a spill in over 4 years using a couple of those caps.

[@CStephens-qh4uq]

.... You can take a valve stem.. Like from a car tire? .. (the whole stem unit).. and the hole in the end opposite the fill valve fits perfectly onto the plastic tube of a spray paint can (take the nozzle off, of course).. And if you're careful, you can put air in it, same way you would a bike tire. .... All kinds of applications for that, too. Not just spray paint cans... But anything. Plastic bottles - home made spray paint bottles, or DIY sand blasting etc.

[@jonesfigures]

Tiny 2"x3" zip baggies (also often from the dollar store craft section) are great to combine with the storage containers for bits and keeping project parts sorted. Also, the store near me has multi-compartment storage, sort of like for screws or fishing stuff...fantastic for keeping all parts organized (this space is all marine left arms, these 2 are all bolters/ pistols, legs go here, and so on) I am for sure going to grab a popper tray- that's just genius!

[@Winter413]

Hey Uncle-A, thanks for everything you do! My contribution to the discussion: using a step-drill to put holes in the acrylic racks. Then you can put your dropper bottles upside down! I find it easier to compare colours on the rack at a glance, and maybe it helps keep the droppers airtight.

[@awesome_claw]

I also use lab style pipette bottles for water, airbrush thinner, cleaner, IPA, etc. Much easier than dealing with the big bottles all the time. I also have some little metal dishes that I use for oil and texture paints. They have a little pouring lip so they can also be used for mixing colours for airbrushing!

[@muffinhead9328]

I use a similar thing, specifically a 10ml syringe with no needle on the end, makes it easy to let out a single drop at a time. I also find old medicine/pill bottles to be amazing for storing small parts

[@DirgeDesigns]

I use an over the door shoe organizer to hold all my spray paint bottles. They take up way too much space in a drawer, this way they are all out of the way and easily seen (if you get the clear plastic ones).

[@TheSoonyGirl]

genius! i’m going to get one, at the moment they’re in a box lid, I don’t use them so much but it will be great for my partner. these are all great gift ideas here too!

[@TheUnofficialMaker]

oh boy, the wife is gonna be mad.

[@aircooledhead]

EXCELLENT idea, which I’m gonna copy, immediately. I do rattle-can painting outdoors and keep the paint outdoors. When cold weather comes (like now) I have to move them inside, 1-3 cans at a time. With this, I can carry them all in 1 or 2 trips, and they’ll still be organized .

[@hobbyhopper3143]

My granddaughter uses one of these in her pantry to store baby bottles, sippy cups, and other kid eating/drinking tools.

[@lilfett]

#1 alone made this video worth the price of admission - thank you for sharing! I would also add egg cartons to my kit: i have separate egg cartons with different stages of projects (assemble, prime, paint) so if I’m feeling in a mood for a given step of the hobby, i can just grab one off the shelf.

[@sebastianwall3470]

I have a pair of plastic-tipped precision laboratory tweezers on my painting desk at all times. Great for pulling pesky dust fibres off minis without scratching the paint. Guess maybe I could hoover more often instead though.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

My frau hoovers incessantly, yet I still get fibres on my minis. 🙃 I have a selection of tweezers, an indispensable tool for modelling, especially at small scales.

[@DrVesuvius70]

My favourite dry pallette for acrylics is the Pringles tube lid. It's neutral translucent grey so it doesn't distract from the paint, and when dried the soft plastic doesn't hold the paint too well, so it's often possible to easily clean and reuse them. But they're a plentiful waste product so it's often not worth it. If we're going to have plastic waste, might as well get a second use out of it before sending it to landfill.

[@Jianju69]

Screw tops from bottled drinks work well too.

[@savethezombies]

I use pringles cans to transport my minis to games too. 2-Fer!

[@davidfredrickson4107]

Ive used the 'large' yogurt lids for this for decades.

[@merlt8238]

I use a plain white bathroom tile as dry pallette, some DIY stores or tile shops give you a free sample or sell them for a few pence. Very easy to wipe clean and you can even scrape dry paint off.

[@Call-me-Al]

​@@davidfredrickson4107 large yogurt lids are common for other hobbies involving paints

[@kingzant99]

I magnetize the bases of all my models, then use metal baking trays to transport. Also, while it is still a hobby supply, I still find this second one useful for something else. I have one of those palettes with a whole bunch of divots, and it is AMAZING for keeping all the pieces together when I'm batch-building models and just want to clip everything out, then build

[@13threalm26]

Ceramic soap dishes for a palette to mix paint on. They are very cheap and really easy to clean as opposed to the plastic palettes sold. Ceramic fondu plates also work well for a palette. Also the squeeze bottle changed everything when I got one a few years back. It is one of my top recommendations.

[@memequeen2373]

Also a white porcelain or ceramic tile from any hardware store works very well! They’re like a dollar and come in a bunch of sizes! You can easily scrape the paint off or just run it under hot water for a minute and the paint just melts off!

[@MrAcuta73]

Label printer....one of the best things I have ever bought. Hobbies, kitchen, garage, automotive....you name it, they rock.

[@williamcomolli9470]

Some more tid-bits: Old muffin pans, dental picks, and other discount shop tools. You can commander an old muffin pan past it's prime (clean it first!) for parts organization for projects. Most are steel which means magnets will stick to them or you can use magnets to store/place them. It's really useful to have 12 compartments (with NO tight corners!) in a tray to sort pieces into. Lots of cheap tool stores sell mechanics "dental" picks, which are great for manipulating small pieces, poking small holes, scratching lines, etc. So many uses! Another Harbor Freight or cheap store tool are nylon brushes. Great for cleaning resin printed parts and other cleaning jobs. They might look like bad tooth brushes but they're made to handle solvents and other harsh chemicals and are cheaper than a tooth brush too! Honestly, they amount of magnets, lights, bendable part holders, tiny files, scrapers, etc. you can find at a discount tool store, I'd recommend going just to browse and wonder what might be useful.

[@nuvoclassic]

I do commandeer supplies from my hubby's workshop. And HE likes to borrow supplies from my craft room. It's great to share stuff! 🙂

[@radiantfartcloud2041]

1) Nail buffing sticks/blocks - maybe not so useful for painted minis, but great for polishing up unpainted plamo kits like gunpla. 2) Mr Hobby Tool Cleaner/Tamiya Airbrush Cleaner - essentially the same thing as extra thin cement (acetone and butyl acetate), but with slightly different proportions, and way cheaper. I tried buying the chemicals separately in bulk quantities, but butyl acetate is apparently a highly controlled chemical, so I haven't had much luck with that. 2a) You can melt most (but not all) plastic sprues in plastic cement to make "sprue goo"/ABS slurry, which is a cheap alternative to liquid green stuff, although its definitely not the same consistency. 3) Ziplock bags - perhaps messier than dollar store boxes, but probably more space efficient and also cheaper.

[@NickCombs]

There's a tool called a "helping hands" which is usually a magnifying glass plus two small alligator clips on a base. It's typically used for soldering or jewelry making, but it's also great for suspending a model at the perfect height and angle while you're painting it.

[@BabalonNuit]

If you have a "surplus" place around where you live, it's a good idea to check it out first for things like that; Buying it at regular price can get expensive; at the surplus place I got a 'helping hand" for only a couple of bucks. I've also seen lab equipment and tiny bottles and cheap tools, tongs, tweezers and other things that do a "good enough" job for what you are using them for.

[@TeAsEnToRmEnT]

​@@BabalonNuitalso keep an eye out in places like Aldi and Lidl for them, I bought mine new for about £4

[@BabalonNuit]

@@TeAsEnToRmEnT Those are UK stores, aren't they? I'm in Canada. I got mine at a surplus store for about the same.

[@TeAsEnToRmEnT]

@@BabalonNuit while I am in the uk, aldi and Lidl are European based stores... 🤔 I know they are obvs here in the UK and most if not all main land Europe, I think also USA in some states and who knows elsewhere?

[@BeeWhistler]

And choose wisely… there’s a commonly found model that has a lousy grip and the clips slide off the mounts easily. I had one of those for a while before I wised up and got a better one with flexible arms and a light.

[@jimbowers8278]

Hollow punches are good for making discs and come in packs of different sizes (mine go from 2.5mm to 10mm for less than £8 from a discount shop). Place a piece of styrene sheet on a flat piece of soft wood, position the punch on top, tap with a hammer (how hard you have to tap varies with styrene thickness), and push and shake the disc out through the large hole on the side.

[@AMSRocker]

I got this idea from the model railroaders. Those paint pots with washes (really runny paints). Take a chunk of 2X4 lumber about 4" long and drill a hole with a spade bit that is slightly larger then the paint pot. Drill the hole about 1" deep. This chunk of wood will make it where you just can't tip the pot over. It basically becomes a large base of the pot.

[@julenas7613]

I prefer a scalpel over the traditional exacto knife. They are much sharper, cut better, and don't roll around. I use tiny clamps to hold the ends of my beading string while I make jewelry. Binders filled with sheet protectors and transparency sheets for clear stamp storage or magnet sheets for die cut storage. It makes things so much easier to find and get out. Blue painters tape is indispensable for crafting if you want a temporary hold without sticky residue.

[@garywilson177]

The nail varnish rack is a great idea. My partner actually bought one for me a few years ago for this exact reason. I've since obtained more paints than will fit in it, so I will need to get a couple more. I've also used it to display my Blood Bowl teams and Necromunda gangs. It's a pretty versatile little bit of kit.

[@Lilrockerdude13]

For the plastic containers, another popular use is to glue down a magnetic sheet and then add magnets to model bases. Now they wont slip n slide all over the place for transporting.

[@HugeGeronimo]

Took me three attempts of purchase on the Bay, to get a decent cordless hand engraver for trimming and gun barrel holes. Most of them have one off fit drill bit sized for screw drivers, but eventually I found a 1.0mm drills and Dremel kit. And now I cannot live without it for removing mould lines etc... And thanks to covert, I wear a face mask for most of my time at the desk of paint, good in winter for your face and less chemical dehydration. Also being an semi old fart, I found those glasses with LEDs in them are the best thing ever, even if I do not need magnified reading glasses. Having a corner window in the afternoon can be annoying with low light at one angle fighting with sunset and LED down lamp, the glasses give you a flat surface light source and a machine perfect eye dotter.

[@vangandur3629]

Ferrero Boxes. You know, like all those chocolate boxes for Moncheri, Rocher and stuff? If you take out all the paper inlays you have small containers made of clear plastic. I use them to keep spare parts, bits and tiny silicone molds (the bigger, flat boxes) or for keeping 28mm sized miniatures (the smaller but taller boxes). I even turned one of the flat boxes into a drybrush texture pallette. Also the bigger round boxes for gummibears make fine containers. And they're usually the same price as buying a plastic container, but you get free candy with it :)

[@alexbarrett3832]

One of my favourite tools is a little metal spike the size and shape of a pencil. I made it myself many years ago in a metalworking class when learning to use the lathe. Its great for poking, scratching, scoring, drawing onto hard surfaces, poking greenstuff around etc. I sometimes need to sharpen it on the lathe again every few years, but other than that it's pretty much a must have tool!

[@bionicgeekgrrl]

Anyone without the tools or wish to do something similar could get dental picks quite cheap as a alternative option for your suggestion.

[@TheDamienHynes]

A scriber is very close to what you described. $5 in a tool store.

[@lenaistalar8032]

I've got a pin from an old biology lab tools set I use for much the same, though it's more of a big needle with a wooden handle than pencil size.

[@sugarbear5369]

I use an old airbrush needle for this purpose

[@ColonelSandersLite]

@@bionicgeekgrrl TBH, you can make something pretty much like this with the basic tools most people have. Cut the head off one way or another. Chuck it into a drill. Run on a file or some other abrasive to shape to desired point. Wear safety glasses. Honestly, even the drill is optional if you're willing to use a lot of elbow grease and don't need it to be *perfect*. If the nails of the thickness you like are too short, you could also go to the hardware store and get some metal rod of the thickness you would like and make it any length you want.

[@MrBadmonkeycw]

I find it amusing, when going to buy the silicon fidget toy, that most of the similar or related reviews on amazon were all by folks commenting about how great it was for painting. And most of them had mentioned being recommended this exact item type by a youtube video!

[@bcoyne12345]

For airbrushing I have a technical drawing folder, frosted plastic type that I fold out into an airbrush booth, saved my desk from so much overspray and was just left over from my tech drawing class. Folds away nice and compact too and I can store my airbrushing gloves etc inside. Nice video, might have to get one of those poppers!

[@echodelta2426]

Thanks for the tips. I've also found a couple of make-up brushes at the dollar store that can work for dry brushing

[@williambond2267]

I’ve been using 2oz sauce cups to separate different models from one set. Clip out all the pieces you want to use for that specific model, and throw it in the cup and move on to the next one. That way everything is already clipped and with the model it needs to be with for easy building.

[@TcTess]

I’m not even a modeler but I’m all in! My biggest problem is I’m a multi hobbyist. My hobby is literally starting new hobbies. I depend on dollar stores and thrift shops to keep my costs down. Some things are useful regardless of the hobby. Dollar stores are my go to for many things. 1. Bamboo skewers, hella cheap, easy to snap for size, can be reused but cheap enough to be disposable. 2. Vinyl placemats. Any art done with paper I tape to the mat and I can keep multiple projects separated between them with no worry of bending or smushing. 3. Painters tape, sometimes cheaper is actually better, less sticky can mean less damage. 4. Containers, perfectly explained in this video. 5. Party supplies, sometimes it’s nice to have a cheap plastic tablecloth handy if you decide to go from painting to sculpting and need a quick clean surface. A prepackaged tablecloth means no cat or dog hair (for a little while any way)… Thrift shops. 1. Lazy Susan’s, you can always find these at thrift shops. I have 4… 2. Kitchen utensils, I’m a horrible cook so my kitchen doesn’t need gadgets, my craft room however is full of them. Many of my favorite sculpting tools are repurposed kitchen items. 3. Tool boxes. Many of my hobbies are simply separated by toolboxes. I have one for assorted clays, one for my kitchen utensils (sculpting tools), and a few for whatever hobby is the flavor of the day. 4. Cookie cutters, useful for both clay and paper crafts. 5. Spice racks or storage cubbies. You’d be surprised at how many things you can find for storage in the kitchen and bathrooms section of a thrift shop. 6. Frames. You can always find cheap good quality frames. You can even frame some chicken wire for prettier wall storage. 7. Wooden trinket boxes. Another easy find that can be repurposed for both storage or display. 8. Books. Absolutely off topic but who can pass up a great deal on a good book?

[@truthspeak9966]

😂 As a junk journaler/book alterer, I sure can't!!🤣😜

[@DinosaurProtector]

Same here! I have the perfect brain for having the hobby of picking up more hobbies (I have ADHD) and the perfect job too (I'm a middle school art teacher)!

[@Abfallkannibale]

I personally started using syringes for poring washes on minies and surfaces. It was fiddly at first, but to me and my shaky hands, the extra portion-control is well worth it. Also helps putting that micro-drop into those uber-small lines on tanks and stuff. They are also super-easy to clean. Just pull and squeeze some alcohol in and out. My personal favorite "invention" is using dish soap bottles. You know? The ones with the "pull out lid" for lack of a better word. I always have at least two of them on my table; one for water and one for thinned down PVA (which is still usable AFTER MONTHS). Just pop it open, squeeze a portion and bam. One-handed operation.

[@TheMrBonzz]

Honestly I'm pretty proud that my broke ass already used a lot of things you just mentioned here, also idk if the price's gonna be different there in US and Europe, but Gundam hobby is very popular here in SEA myself included, a lot of the hobby equipment we used are actually very good quality and somewhat cheap around here so incorporating them into miniature painting hobby sorta saved me alot of money, for example i used alot of Dspiea tools like their hand drills, nippers, sanding sponge, and paint mixer (might not work on most bottles since they used magnetic mixing meaning you drop a small magnet into your paint bottle, put it on the machine and it will spin it for, very strong, excellent for mixing paint, way cheap than most vortex mixer, but again the magnet bits can be to large to properly fit into most paint bottle)

[@lemongambit]

You should be able to get a whole pack of really small stir bars if you're using a magnetic stir system. They shouldn't be too expensive and they're PTFE, so it shouldn't cause your paint to clump. Flea size (7x2mm) is pretty common, but I've seen smaller, like 2x2mm, if you need them.

[@bradlybillingsley1870]

I use those acrylic stands for my paint bottles as well. I also use a vortex mixer originally designed for tattoo ink to keep my paints mixed without having to wear out my arm shaking them all the time.

[@nuvoclassic]

I have many hobbies - all needing storage. For labeling, I hand print in uppercase letters using a black or dark brown sharpie on a strip of Scotch Magic tape, with one end folded to back [about .25"] for later removable.... white washi tape also works well for labels on plastic... I previously used masking tape in the past, but long-term stick and/or long-term removal were problematic....

[@jelkel25]

I'm not a modeller but I like things that are used for different purposes than what they were made for. The silicone things might be very good for putting sharpening stones on to stop them slipping during use. You can get shelves made of see through plastic, like lots of small boxes people use to put underwear and socks in that might be an alternative project storage device, they aren't expensive and might take up less space if space is an issue for you.

[@elspark101]

I'm a leather worker, and I like to use dyes to paint colors onto my projects. The silicone popper trick will be a HUGE help for me! Thanks so much for the tip!

[@Cuprum-ws5lo]

I’ve not tried them yet, but Dollar Tree has “Travel dressing bottles”. They’re squeeze bottles meant of course for holding salad dressing for lunch boxes or whatever. They hold a couple of ounces, are made of silicone, and have a plastic flip top that has an opening about the size of a pea.

[@lamontcranston1163]

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this video! Not only was the advice great, but you have one of the most pleasant voices I've ever heard. Thanks for sharing it.

[@mishti06]

O.m.g...how did I not see the silicone poppers for pallettes 🤯. What a great video! Even tho I'm into a different hobby I found it super interesting. I like to use old vhs or cd clear cases to store small items and I also like to put a dab of paint ON the white lid of my acrylics to make it super clear. All our brains work differently!!!😊

[@Tezcatlipoca73]

I work in a chemistry lab, and have scavanged a lot of things over the years that are very usefull. My favorite has to be using parafilm for masking when airbrushing. Other usefull tools from the lab are vortex mixers for shaking paint pots. Sonic bath for stripping models. Pasteur pippetts. Washing bottles, weighing parchment as wet pallette paper.

[@DMain-tb8ye]

Agree. Love parafilm

[@exmrn22]

Amazon has this 5 level retail grade carousel holder for those scented oils diffusers. You can pretty much slot in any Vallejo/Reaper/Scale75 like dropper bottle in it and put a good 60 paints in them.

[@penitentialarts]

Could you add a link to it? Thanks!

[@exmrn22]

@@penitentialarts - it’s for those oil scent tubes but it will fit Vallejo, Green Stuff, Army Painter, Reaper, and scale 75 type bottles. I have the 5 tier. Really really really effective.

[@Dagenham_Swish]

My top unexpected hobby tool is cigarette papers. They are perfect for mopping up glue and paint as they don't leave fluff unlike kitchen roll, plus if you scrunch roll them they are quite good little spatulas for applying/wicking glue where you need it. Cheap as chips as well.

[@ogrokun]

These organizers are a good tip. My office is not dedicated to hobbying (yet) so when I am working in a project I use a large organizer box and store the miniatures, the specific paints Im planning to use, brush, pallet and other materials. When I want to get back to painting, I clear the desk and take the box with everything I need from the shelve.

[@krzysztofmathews738]

Here is something I also use, just for quick sorting solutions- Invariably over time, one will end up with a quantity of those orange medicine bottles from the pharmacy. When I am trying to work on decluttering a workspace, they are a good short-term way to sort parts before putting them in a more dedicated storage solution such as an organizer tray. This way, when I say "I just KNOW there was a second one of these little wing pylons on the desk here, I can make a quick repository of 'orphaned twin parts' so that when the other piece finally does show up, I have not misplaced the other part in the meantime.

[@donbeyer5074]

Condiment cups with lids are my favorite. You can use without lids for mixing, with lids for storing small things.

[@Mephiston]

One small point, acrylic paints come off really well under hot water. I use tiles and wash them off under the hot tap, and they clean up just fine.

[@Drew17181.]

I use an abs trimming knife for removing mold lines. Because of it's shape it can only scrape away the mold lines, but can never cut into the model.

[@TooMiniModels]

Is that like a deburring tool?

[@swirle13]

Couldn't find anything on Amazon that matched this description. What else would you call it?

[@avscurr]

I like to use a micropipette for transferring paints, and use it for both filling my airbrush and when mixing colours. It allows you to set a specific volume, which is great for recreating a mix later, for example when painting a unit, is tidy and clean and also minimises waste as I can put specific amounts in. They tend to run around £20 for a cheap one, but I think I have more than saved that in paint!

[@patrickbent4934]

Orange wood sticks (used in nail salons) - they’re great for general poking and prodding, they won’t mar the plastic, and you can carve the ends with a hobby knife to any shape you need. Also, used electric guitar strings can be cut up for use in pinning models and look great as miniature scale cables/hoses.

[@lordhamster9452]

Non wargaming but creative material I like to use are Ice cream sticks/coffee stirrers, simply mini little planks. You can use them for base decor or terrain building. Things like duck boards, revetments, fences, ship hulls, various buildings or you can stick your models to them for painting. It’s easy to find a use and even easier to work with them.

[@koriesheffer7120]

I absolutely love these kinds of videos!! They give me so much inspiration and help me to see the world and all it's little gadgets in a new light. Strolling through a dollar store with this in mind is my favourite pass time

[@JimboStyleQc]

My favorite non hobby tools 1- wax pencil to install photoetch (nail wax pencil to install diamonds on nails) 2- nails micro plastic sticks that have a fluffy tip. Great for paint and glue

[@krzysztofmathews738]

Great suggestions! The silicone popper is entirely new to me. Definitely also a fan of the lab water bottles, as I entirely agree with how essential they are as part of an airbrushing workspace.

[@mimarimani]

If you get the silicon popper, just make sure it's white or you may get annoyed by how it will tint your paints when you're looking at them

[@AuntieRachelsChaoticKitchen]

A tip for labelling that I use for food storage in the freezer; use a chinagraph pencil. They're kind of waxy, so non-permanent, but won't completely wipe off unless you scrub it

[@TheUnofficialMaker]

we like to use American pencils.

[@TeAsEnToRmEnT]

​@@TheUnofficialMakerunsure if your just being sarcastic or not but incase you were not, the china from China graph pencil, refers to it being used on china crockery/glazed porcelain etc

[@jaredfinkenbinder]

@@TeAsEnToRmEnT Reality is, his American pencils are probably made in China. 🙂

[@VladLogimane]

DENTAL BRACKETS! They can be: - Poke and prod tools with better grip than a toothpick. - Aplicator/scoop for texture paint, (and maybe Sprue-goo/glue depending on type of plastic. - Polisher and detector of unevenness when using the floss. And they come in fairly cheap bags of like 20+ of them!

[@backuppixiedust1115]

Speaking of dental stuff, I got a pack of dental cleaning/scraping tools from Kroger for about $5 that I use for sculpting, it had a silicon bit, a bristle texture thing, and a few sharp metal bits and they all come in handy for little details and textures.

[@ifailedmywillsave]

One of the best labels for me on my containers is blue painter's tape. Not masking tape, but painter's tape. It's designed to stick and peel away when you're done. Get a roll of that at your local hardware store and a silver sharpie. Then you can read it easily on the side of the container and pick out the one you need without digging through and looking in the tops of all the boxes!

[@ishnifusmeadle]

The dollar store also sells the tiny containers that are like 2x3x2 and they're awesome for individual models if you assembling or on the go painting. As well as bits and terrain gribble

[@JakeSweeper]

Over in the gunpla and other model making sphere, we usually direct newbies and budget minded folks over to the makeup section for tools; things like toenail clippers, nail files, emory boards and the like make for very good model making tools.

[@pitmatix1457]

Wooden toothpicks are handy to have around. Find them very useful for doing things like moving basing materials into small areas without getting them on the rest of the model and also if I'm super gluing something very small I can put a blob of superglue on my palette then use a toothpick to apply small controlled amounts to an area. Plain paperclips are a must, and can be cut and used for pinning or if you are painting heads drill a hole into the bottom of the neck, insert paperclip with a small amount of glue, glue other end of clip to a base then you can paint the head easily and just clip off the head when done and glue to model.

[@BabalonNuit]

I can't do without all the clips and clamps that are available out there; cheap dollar store clamps do just fine for hobby work, down to alligator clips and lanyard clips. Also, thrift stores are a wellspring of tool options; LOTS of drills with cords going cheap, hair dryers, etc.

[@Sqalman]

My latest Can´t be without is a Silicone Soldering Mat! Perfect with a non-slip surface so small parts don´t slide of my desk and it has small divets for paint and washes, that I use instead of the fake bubble wrap!

[@leonardwisniewski3418]

I have three lab wash bottles at my airbrush table. one for water, one for flow improver, and one for airbrush cleaner. They really do make things quicker and easier.

[@Bespelled22]

Cellphone repair kit has a sharp nosed pair of tweezers, a small metal scraper, a plastic scraper and a tiny screwdriver. I use the tweezers all the time and the scrapers are great for wedging parts apart or scraping paint/glue off unwanted spots without marring the plastic/resin. I got it for replacing the screen on my Ipad but I have gotten much more use out of it as hobby tools. I love the popit idea. We have tons of them laying around since the kids get new ones every time a new shape comes along. I have the acrylic wall racks for nail polish and I love them.

[@steelejack4846]

When I was starting out I kept all my hobby supplies in a tackle box which made it easy to set up painting days at other people houses.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Started out with a tackle box, but it gradually expanded to two and now four! So, I’m sitting here twiddling my thumbs instead of painting as there was no room for them all in the car.

[@elizabeths4371]

I use Stackable Cupcake Containers to store and/or transport my miniatures. They come in different sizes and can be snapped and stacked together easily. Individual boxes have removable cupcake trays inside which can be used for containing small parts- Very Handy.

[@007Kiristo]

I use the acrylic nail polish racks already for my paint dropper bottles. They work quite well and are quite cheap.

[@scottmurphy7632]

To hold paint pots to keep them from spilling I use a silicone ice cube tray with hexagonal cube shaped compartments not only it keeps them from spilling, but also you can put all the paint pots out you want to use without worrying about knocking them around and it is easy clean up

[@BudgetNudist64]

Absolutely love having those nail polish holders for my paints. Makes it so much easier to paint and decide if I want to change something up

[@SeanDrewett]

Great video - loved the fidget popper idea, my kids have a load of these and never thought of them as mixers. One thing I am looking at is using commercial bun racks as a storage solution (standard size tray is 26" by 18" and 6' tall rack can hold up to 40 of them). The hobby specific ones are great but too expensive for even a medium size collection.

[@rDunfee]

My favorite non-hobby hobby tool is a 1 inch circle punch. I punch temporary bases out of cardstock and those bases get used through the entire painting process. When I'm done I pop them off and e6000 the mini onto clear bases. I get to see my terrain underneath and they look great on the table

[@mikepalmer1971]

That’s a great idea.

[@philipdove6987]

sounds good, what kind of shop sells 1" hole punches?

[@mikepalmer1971]

@@philipdove6987 Home Depot, Lowe’s etc…

[@jkoehler4027]

Michael’s Arts and Crafts stores have punches in different sizes in their paper crafting section.

[@TheSoonyGirl]

fantastic, I have one of those!

[@nottelling6598]

Military surplus surgical supplies are some of the most under-rated hobby tools. They're pretty much all surgical stainless steel, built for a worklife you will never reach as one person over the course of your lifespan _(rather like buying pots from a restaurant supply store for home use),_ cheap, and very varied. Suture scissors can cut impressively thick plastic or even trim thick fingernails, the locking hemostat is the best pair of precision needlenose pliers I've ever owned, and all the little dental scraper hooks make most similar tools look like jokes, and they all usually get replaced _far_ before they even approach getting worn out meaning there's usually loads of them available. The tweezers are usually less than a dollar, and they're better than most other sets you can find, not just ones similarly priced. I recommend going to a local surplus store rather than ordering online, as you can often find a storage rack of sorted bins full of the heavy-duty stuff rather than the lightweight tools meant for portable packs. Most of them less than a dollar each.

[@andrewsjurseth2517]

Plastic grip seal bags are ideal for keeping bits together, and several fit inside a plastic box.

[@migraine8746]

I use small ones alot. Snip from the sprue and keep all bits together, great for monopose models no mixing up the wrong legs.

[@arloames4517]

Hemostats are great for holding tiny pieces for painting and assembly. Empty pill bottles from the pharmacist are great for attaching small minis to for painting. Fill with lead shot and they stay upright a lot better. Machinists have lots of great tools: calipers for measuring and marking, a height scribe for drawing waterlines on ships, machinist clamps for holding parts for painting and assembly.a macinists d-bit is a cheap, hastily made drill bit, made from whatever straight steel rod you have.

[@PeteOfDarkness]

For me it would be silly putty. Great for masking when you airbrush!

[@sasserine]

The silicone popper can also be used as a mould, for hemispherical objects. Clear resin, filed flat on one side, counter glued to flat side, instant 3d token.

[@hiddentidesgaming]

Good for making cabushouns too for eyes in doll/animal creation!

[@draft_animal]

I made a much cheaper version of the Game Envy Hobby Holder by using a plastic saw to cut the threads off a couple pop bottles (just below the flange) and then super-glued them onto pill bottles. It allows me to put my minis on pop bottle caps and just screw them on and off the pill bottle handle which is super handy when painting multiple models at the same time. Another non-hobby tool I found helpful is a pair of tiny silicon spatulas I got from a make-up store called Ulta. They're designed to scrape the leftover bits of make-up out of containers but work really well for scraping the last bits of paint out of Citadel pots when I transfer it into dropper bottles.

[@brennawalters6370]

They often have those at the Dollar Tree as well.

[@Scudboy17]

My personal weird tools for painting include a set of leatherworking embossing and texturing tools. They are great for adding textures and shaping greenstuff or other hobby putty. They can also be used to do the same with soft plastic, like ABS, but it takes practice to not totally wreck the plastic. I also keep a set of 64 colored pencils that i can scrape the colored leda out of as use on dusting models and adding weathering/environment effcts. You can also use them to draw on models directly, but I mostly just use them for scratches ans weathering. Lastly, and this going to sound weird, I keep the foil safety seals from over the counter medivation, but only the foil backed paper seals. The seals are the perfecr flexible panels for use in adding capes, purity seals, flags, and even bandages to miniatures. The foil backed paper holds it shape once attached and is very easy to cut and shape as needed. I've also used the seals to represent blown out armor panels or ablative armor layers for Battletech mechs I want to show battle damage on.