A pin vice is a small hand held twist drill with a number of uses. Mainly used for drilling small holes, it can hold very small drill bits ideal for wood and plastics, with the ability to remove the chuck head to allow different collets to be used for other miniature tooling such as reamers, burrs and small files. Making it a must have tool for any modellers tool kit

Paint comes in many types of pots, cans and eye dropper bottles. You should shake paint for at least two minutes but longer is better. When you read the back of an aerosol can it recommends at least two minutes. If you are using pots of paint it is easier to stir the paint until it is of a nice fluid consistency. With eyedropper bottles I personally shake for two minutes and then when I put the paint on to a paint palette, I will then stir it as well to make sure there is no lumpy paint....

Static grass is best applied using a static grass applicator. There are several on the market and they can apply grass up to 12mm depending on which applicator you choose. Please note some will only allow you to use up to 6mm static grass while others will let you go up to twelve. The the grass is electrostatically charged as it leaves the applicator making the grass fibres stand up, so that when they hit the glue, they stay standing giving you a lush grassy area. Most applicators take a...

Cyanoacrylate is best known as super glue. The best way to remove it is with acetone or an acetone-based product such as nail varnish remover, this will soften the super glue. In the eventuality of getting super glue on your skin follow manufacturers guidelines. But basically, wash the glued area with warm soapy water then with a cotton bud dipped in acetone apply to affected area, this will soften the glue to allow it to be peeled off. Removal of super glue from plastic. Some plastics do...

If you are using an aerosol spray paint you should always use one. Always read the manufacturer’s instructions/advice on the back of can. Even if you are spraying out side you should wear a respirator. I would also wear one for applying grass scatter and static grass as the small particles of grass are easily inhaled and hang in the air. Don’t take it off until you have left the area where you have been working. I wear one whenever using solvent based products and when making up plaster/...

The plastic used in most model kits is injection moulded polystyrene which has been used since the early 1950's. It is also used today in other everyday items such as car number plates and disposable knife and forks and food packaging. Before the early 1950's models were made from injection moulded cellulose acetate, but this proved to be brittle

Cyanoacrylate is better known as super glue or crazy glue to our American cousins. It first came in to being in the 1960’s during the Vietnam war by the Americans for sealing open wounds on the battlefield. As most of you will know it takes merely seconds to stick your fingers together! And it is still used today in medical procedures for closing wounds. But for our purpose of gluing things together it will glue almost anything from metal, ceramics, plastic and even glass. Super glue...

I use both, separately and together. Static grass comes in various sizes from 0.5mm to 12mm while scatter is flatter. For covering large areas at the back of a layout, scatter will look good and produce a realistic look. By adding static grass to the scatter you can produce tufts of grass this looks good when creating meadows, marshland and even over grown urban scenes. It is possible to create a varied landscape static grass at the front of the layout which will give the appearance of...

This would depend on what you are painting as paint brushes come in various shapes and sizes. I would say for detailing you should a small brush, the exact size will depend on what you are painting. If for example you are painting a face, I would be inclined to use a 0 or a 00 brush which are the larger of the small brushes and if painting eyes a 00000 brush would be preferable as this is the smallest. For larger areas requiring paint, I would suggest finding a size that you are comfortable...

There are many products on the market for filling holes: There are plastic putties straight out of the tube, there are two-part putties that you mix together by squeezing between your fingers until they change to one uniform colour and even liquid fillers, like cyano gel. Most model makers will have a selection of all these which you can build up over time.When using plastic putty, simply apply to hole or joint. I then use a wet finger while putty is still malleable to remove any...

It is not essential to have a cutting mat, but it is a good idea. It saves getting in trouble with your significant other for cutting into the kitchen table. Cutting mats are self-healing which means that when you cut in to them it doesn't leave any score marks and is as good as new. They come in various sizes from large A1 size (594mmx 841mm) right down to tiny A7 size (74mm x105mm)

The short answer is carefully. The best way is with a sprue and plastic cutter but always be mindful of exactly where you are cutting as it is all too easy to cut in to the model components if you are not familiar with the parts that make up the kit. That is why you should always go through the instructions to see how the whole model fits together. I don’t know about other modellers, but I am guilty of not reading the instructions and cutting bits in the wrong place. But when you have done...