Ben Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Hi all, I'm interested to know what your 'must have' hobby products are. I'm most interested in Non-GW items. Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Schmidt Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Sculpting tools homemade tool wax carver color shapers greenstuff pro-create apoxie sculpt super sculpey roll of wire for armatures Painting good paint brush, I only use about 2 of them airbrush for base coating has been a game changer Vallejo glaze medium - also a game changer wet palette brush cleaner General Dremel Stylus Tentacle maker - something to do with extra putty That is a lot, but all of it has become critical. I am sure I forgot some things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodBeast Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Wet Palette for sure. Non spill water pots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dez Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Sharp Exacto blades Self healing cutting mat Plastiweld Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes Those are my must haves, things I use day in and day out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barimbino Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 28 minutes ago, Dez said: Sharp Exacto blades Self healing cutting mat Plastiweld Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes Those are my must haves, things I use day in and day out. Winsor and Newton Series 7. I thought this was just a joke. Just get better brushes to improve your painting. But it's all true. These brushes keep their point even under very harsh treatment. GW's aren't bad but the W&N Brushes are in a class all their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amysrevenge Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Just started using a home-made wet palette and I want to punch past-me in the face for not doing it earlier. It's not more work, it's less work. I'm also in love with Secret Weapon washes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamJ Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 15 minutes ago, amysrevenge said: Just started using a home-made wet palette and I want to punch past-me in the face for not doing it earlier. It's not more work, it's less work. I'm also in love with Secret Weapon washes. Are you able to point me in the direction of the instructions you used of how to make your own wet pallet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amysrevenge Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 It was super, stupidly easy. I took the lid to a plastic food container, like in the photo. I folded up a paper towel (might be known as "kitchen roll" in some parts of the world) to fit the space. I cut a piece of parchment paper (the kind I normally would use to line a baking pan with) to fit the space. (This is the one part that you might or night not have in your house - when i was a 20 year old bachelor I hadn't even heard of the stuff, but these days I go through it pretty fast.) Important: NOT waxed paper - the whole point of the parchment paper is that water will slowly bleed through - waxed paper wouldn't work at all. Liberally wet the paper towel, put the parchment paper on top. I use a second container lid as a cover when I'm not painting (they are designed to stack so the seal is actually pretty good), and every couple of days I re-wet or replace the paper towel, and cut a new piece of parchment paper as required. What it means, though, is that I can sit down to paint and be instantly ready - don't need to get out any bottles or mix anything or thin anything - it's all sitting there from last time. It's not a lot of work to get started, but it's a psychological barrier that is now completely gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb_rex Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 These are my 5 less obvious hobby essentials: 400 grit sandpaper, with a small piece super glued to wooden cocktail stick (to allow me to get an even smoother finish in tricky areas that knives/files can't). An A3 or A4 piece of canvas art board (I use this as a table protector/secondary pallet and area to control the amount of paint on my brush, this is much better than just using paper which you can wear out and paint through). A wet pallet made from a Sistema sandwich box (a 15x15x4cm tupperware box available from supermarkets and places like Wilkinsons in the UK), lined with 2 layers of 4mm spongey dish cloth, a piece of kitchen roll and a top layer of genuine wet pallet paper all cut to fit nicely, wetted with water and a drop of Detol (pine oil disinfectant). The Masters Brush Cleaner. 2 jam jars, (one for dirty water and one for clean). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob P Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 I don't want to derail the thread, but is a wet pallete for decals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dez Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 They sell sanding sticks, which are pointed and work lovely! Also, Masters Brush Cleaner is such a great item. I didn't list it, because you can always carefully was good brushes...but Masters makes it so easy! Helps keep a great point on brushes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amysrevenge Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 2 minutes ago, Rob P said: I don't want to derail the thread, but is a wet pallete for decals? You plop gobs of paint on the palette. You can mix or thin there, and that's where you dip your brush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob P Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Ah, name says it all then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamJ Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 @amysrevenge thanks for the steps on the wet pallet, sounds really easy to do! One of my essentials is these citadel water pot bad boys... Easy to clean, hard to spill and they hold your brushes without the tips getting bent. A shame GW discontinued them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordova Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 For me, it's a worryingly long list: Swann-Morton surgical scalpels and blades for removing mould-lines Self-healing cutting mat Modeller's clippers Meks polystyrene cement (can also use "Durapipe" pipe cleaner, as the active ingredient is methylethylketone) for assembling plastic models, Araldite for assembling metal models. Clarke-branded (Machine Mart) pin vice and drill (0.1 - 3mm) set Brushes & Accessories: Pro Arte Renaissance sable brushes (size 00-4) for basic work (they're good and cheap). I mostly use a #3 for basecoating as it holds a lot of paint yet keeps a fine tip, and rarely use the others. I had previously used Winsor & Newton Cotman Series 101 synthetic brushes, but the tips curl with use. Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes (size 000-2) for final detailing (they're excellent but very expensive), although I mostly use #0 and #2. Alternatively, Isabey series 6227z or 6228. Isabey series 6222 liner (size 1) for fine-lining Flat synthetic brushes (I use Ken Bromley own-brand "artists value" synthetic flats, although any synthetic flat of the correct will do, e.g. Pro Arte Prolene): 3/16" for sides of bases 1/2" for large areas, e.g. large bases GW drybrushes (they do the job, aren't terribly over-priced, and I won't get a feeling of guilt of destroying a nice brush when they meet their demise) "The Masters'" brush cleaner - this (or an analog) is essential!! Brush drying stand A nice box to store my brushes safely Pallete (I use a 7-well porcelain "flower shaped" one, and quartered porcelain tinting bowl from Ken Bromley) Small water pot (I use a small glass pot, c. 60ml capacity), and a water filtering jug (I live in a hard water area) Paints/Additives: Vallejo white/grey/black polyurethane primer - designed to be airbrused on, so very thin (go for the 60ml or 200ml bottles) Vallejo thinning and glazing mediums (go for the 60ml bottles) Winsor & Newton Flow Improver and Drying Retarder Vallejo Game/Model Colour, Coat D'Arms, and GW paints, Vallejo Game Colour & Coat D'Arms (Armour Wash!!) inks, GW shades. PVA glue static grass (I use Army Painter) and grass tufts (I use Tajima1, although Gamers' Grass is good too) Most of the above is available from a decent artists' shop, e.g. Ken Bromley, Grantham's Art Discount, or Jacksons, except for the Vallejo stuff - have a look at SnM Stuff or Firestorm Games for that (all of whom I've found to be excellent). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottle Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 My oddest essential - I have this tool which is like a wooden handle with a single protruding metal spike/nail. I don't know what it's original use was for but I use it to score gun barrels dead centre so when I drill them out I never miss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadrielCaine Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Oregano. Seriously. Army painter strong and soft tone. Old school/ coat d'armes inks. Free time. Tournament deadline pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roberto Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuneBrush Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 Very similar to a lot of people. I'll focus on what I use for AoS as my 30k/40k is different and has a lot more niche items. Must haves are in italics Modelling: Swann Morton handles with No10A and No15A blades. Buy the boxes of 100 blades as they work out cheaper and means you don't run out. Needle files. Just an old set I've had for ages.Plastic Glue. I tend to use Revell with the needle applicator, but use the small 15ml pots to keep them fresher. Loctite & Gorilla Superglue Gel Liquid green stuff & a clay shaper Watch makers pin vice & various titanium HSS bitsPlastic snips. The new GW ones are really nice but I've various ones from over the years Hardened metal scribe. This is basically a sharp "pointer" meant to be used for scribing lines on metal prior to cutting/drilling. I use it to mark centres that I wish to drill Painting: Brushes: W&N Series 7 (size 0, 1, 2); GW (all the base & dry brushes with the wash brush) Paints: Lots of citadel, quite a few VMA, some Scale 75 and some P3 Additives: Very few for AoS - a bit of Lahmian Medium and that's it. I do use Reverse Osmosis water for my water pots though Varnish: The remains of my Krystal Clear for gloss and Daler Rowney Matte Varnish through my airbrush to finish - I no longer use Purity Seal... Palette: Old GW plastic welled one. I do have wet palettes but never needed to use one for AoS yet Paint Station: Plastic GW one with cutting mat and water pots, I'm not a fan of MDF ones as a little spill can mess them up entirelyBrush Cleaner: Masters and Games and Gears Iwata HP-C with unbranded tanked-compressor. I only use this for some rudimentary base colours such as my Bloodletters or black armour. Miscellaneous: Blue Centrefeed Roll. I no longer use kitchen towel as blue roll is cheaper and more absorbent. It's good for drybrushing, wiping excess paint, moping up spills etc. It's also good for if you poke some liquid greenstuff in you can use it to wipe the excess off - plus is coarse enough you can "buff" the surface too. Vinyl Gloves. Used for holding models not on bases, airbrushing and undercoating GW grass tufts as they were easy to source, but any tuft clumps over static grass Think that's it. Blue roll (added earlier this year) and 15A Swann Morton blades (added last month) are the most recent additions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durant Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 20 hours ago, amysrevenge said: It was super, stupidly easy. I took the lid to a plastic food container, like in the photo. I folded up a paper towel (might be known as "kitchen roll" in some parts of the world) to fit the space. I cut a piece of parchment paper (the kind I normally would use to line a baking pan with) to fit the space. (This is the one part that you might or night not have in your house - when i was a 20 year old bachelor I hadn't even heard of the stuff, but these days I go through it pretty fast.) Important: NOT waxed paper - the whole point of the parchment paper is that water will slowly bleed through - waxed paper wouldn't work at all. Liberally wet the paper towel, put the parchment paper on top. I use a second container lid as a cover when I'm not painting (they are designed to stack so the seal is actually pretty good), and every couple of days I re-wet or replace the paper towel, and cut a new piece of parchment paper as required. What it means, though, is that I can sit down to paint and be instantly ready - don't need to get out any bottles or mix anything or thin anything - it's all sitting there from last time. It's not a lot of work to get started, but it's a psychological barrier that is now completely gone. You can get rid of the wax by puting the papare in hot water (like making a tea) and then drying it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SentinelGuy Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 How can you all forget the old faithful cocktail stick? Great for everything including mixing paint, poking holes, jabbing at stray cats If I'm doing decal work it would be Micro Set and Micro Sol though. Those 2 little bottles of heaven have saved me from wrecking transfers on many occasions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted September 4, 2016 Author Share Posted September 4, 2016 No one using a tile as a pallete? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuneBrush Posted September 5, 2016 Share Posted September 5, 2016 10 hours ago, Ben said: No one using a tile as a pallete? It's what I used originally, but I always found it inconvenient due to the size and the fact the bottom is rough and scratches whatever surface it goes on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowlzee Posted September 5, 2016 Share Posted September 5, 2016 1 hour ago, RuneBrush said: It's what I used originally, but I always found it inconvenient due to the size and the fact the bottom is rough and scratches whatever surface it goes on I'm using a tile at the moment., and I'm finding this to be very true. I will look at getting a wet pallet soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dangermouse425 Posted September 5, 2016 Share Posted September 5, 2016 12 hours ago, Ben said: No one using a tile as a pallete? Using a tile atm, but have been telling myself I'd get a wet palette soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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