None of my tools work right! But that could possibly be operator error.
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Discussion The Tool That Frustrated You Most – A Waste of Money?!
- Thread starter Jimsky
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Have you tried liberal applications of alcohol?
I just ordered one, thanks!
Only on my cut hands.
I know X-acto handles are very common, but I gave up on them for the same reason the collet would loosen and the blades fell out.
I purchased knife handles from Excel. They are far superior. First they hav two slots at right angles in the collet unlike the X-acto handles that have a single slot. The double slot allows for a tighter grip on the blade. And to tighten the blade in the collet the handle has a knurled knob on the end of the handle, that makes it easier to tighten the blade The Excel knife handles are a pleasure to use and change blades. Check out the Excel website.
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X-Acto?
Can't stand the things. I use Swann Morton scalpels for delicate stuff, though the number 4 size handle has an about of heft. But the blades are held rigidly - no question of being loose or moving when in use. Above that level of precision and simple strength I turn to the basic Stanley or snap off blades, in a fancy contoured handle maybe. The one X-acto I excuse is their handle and razor saw blades. Though a jewellers saw frame and blades gives more choice of blade, but at the expense of precision if you are needing a long straight cut.
Jim
Can't stand the things. I use Swann Morton scalpels for delicate stuff, though the number 4 size handle has an about of heft. But the blades are held rigidly - no question of being loose or moving when in use. Above that level of precision and simple strength I turn to the basic Stanley or snap off blades, in a fancy contoured handle maybe. The one X-acto I excuse is their handle and razor saw blades. Though a jewellers saw frame and blades gives more choice of blade, but at the expense of precision if you are needing a long straight cut.
Jim
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I own two different versions of these. One of them, if I'm careful with it, is actually quite good. It's an older version with a wooden handle. The newer one that I though might have great promise was an expensive black plastic thing... it's complete crap, and that's being kind. I have to test the nails I'm using to ensure they'll actually even fit inside the thing, as many of the nails that come with the kits have heads that are too large to fit. When they do fit, the wooden handled one is my friend... most of the time. I've been known to drive the occasional nail through the tip of my finger in the pursuit of hull planking happiness. Regardless, my process is now to lightly drive the nails in with the hand tool, and then once the glue has dried, carefully pull them out with a set of needle nosed pliers.
So... sorry Amati, but your nail pushing tool is both expensive and pretty much useless. The wooden handled thing was something I bought via Model Expo nearly four decades ago, and continues to serve me faithfully.
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I own one of those. The only thing I use it for is to cut deck planks to length... purely a repetitious and monotonous task. I use thin double sided craft tape to secure a thick wooden block to one end to act as the stop guide, and then hack away till I have those hundreds of little planks cut. I wish it had some sort of better locking mechanism to stabilize the cuts to 90 degrees. I certainly wouldn't use it for anything else though. So for me, a niche tool that covers my needs for about 2% of my build needs.
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My top most useless acquisition was a "loom-a-line". One of my first investments in ship modeling tools, and in my naivete of the time thought it would be a perfect solution to my desire for perfect ratlines. Oh, so very, very wrong. After forty years, I don't know why I've continued to keep it. Probably because it would be cruel to sell it to someone else, and also perhaps as a reminder to better research my tools before shelling out hard earned cash to obtain them.
All the rest of my failures I attribute to user error. lol
All the rest of my failures I attribute to user error. lol
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I have had a lot of experience in this line, and in the spirit of goodwill, and the fact that I am retired and wish to see things a little more perfect, I have offered my services to several Chinese companies to clean up their instruction sheets and manuals. No takers.
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The challenge you face is that for them to accept your kind offer, they first have to acknowledge that they failed in the first place. And therein lies the problem. Sometimes the effort to protect self esteem outweighs the opportunity to improve. Now I have to state (given the world we live in now), that what I've noted is not being derogatory of a given ethnic group, but rather my experience over decades of working with (and in some cases for) Chinese companies. The language challenges are but one facet of the interaction hurdles. Truly an example of when two cultures try to work towards a common goal that what may appear simple, more often than not, is not.
If you can find a way to position or phrase your offer in such a manner that allows them to save face, and also see a potential for improved sales and higher customer satisfaction... you may get a nibble. Maybe...
I too am currently retired, and currently perform support activities for a Chinese company that markets appliances globally. I find that even within that organization where I "believe" I'm well known, the degree to which my input is accepted varies greatly upon who is actually receiving the feedback I'm providing. Some accept it with gratitude, while others react as if I've challenged their father's honour. If I'm working with a North American or European company, I can be fairly blunt in my assessments. Not nasty, but cutting to the chase to save everyone time and potential confusion. In other cultures there is a lot more of a dance involved. IMHO... others obviously may see things differently, but I can only speak to my own experience.
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Maybe someone can start a new cottage industry. As people sell after market ship model parts to improve kits, How about cleaning up poor translations and selling after market instructions?
It's not a bad idea in principle to offer translated manuals for sale, and I can see the appeal, especially for those who prefer structured guidance in their native language. However, there’s a real concern: as soon as a single copy is purchased, there’s a high chance that it will be scanned or shared freely online. Once that happens, free copies will quickly flood the internet, undermining the value of the work and making it almost impossible to maintain any kind of return on the time and effort invested in the translation. Sadly, this kind of unauthorized sharing is very common, especially in niche hobbies.
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Jim, I wasn’t serious about it. For some reason when I hit the little happy face the post deletes it.
As they say, don’t quit your day job to translate ship model instructions.
Roger
As they say, don’t quit your day job to translate ship model instructions.
Roger
Thanks, rtwpsom2, for the recommendation, I have just bought one from an independent craft shop, & at a good price & realistic postage - half the price of Amaz. with their min. order of £35 to qualify for 'free postage'. Very pleased with it, I use it where scalpel blades are too flimsy & break. All the Exacto type holders are useless, even soft rubber coated ones, as soon as you twist it, it unscrews itself. I've even tried plumbers thread tape, but that soon wears away. They're OK for holding a chisel blade - in a straight line! Forgot to say; "Not available on Amaz. UK" (does not ship to UK)
Stuart
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I agree, completely useless.
Yes it is, I bought a similar one in red plastic, the handle had a mind of its own to twist out of line. The ONLY bit that could be useful (when/if I find a use for it), was the blade! The rest was (s)crapped.
Have you considered a "Chopper" by Northwest Short Line." NWSL is mainly a model railroad company but it had some good items. I have two of these, the original which is about 6" x 6" and the "Chopper II" which is approx. 4" x 12". Both have hold downs on either side of the chopping handle and each has two flat pieces mitered to provide 30, 45, 60 and 90 degree stops. The hold-downs are very good, never had a problem with them. The "knife" uses replaceable single-edge razor blades. I have used these for years and have found them pretty much indispensable for cutting items to length or to get an angle for mitre joints. I am sure I got the Chopper II from Micro Mark and probably got the Chopper "1" from MM as well. MM Has an on -line catalogue and it ships orders very promptly. MM also carries an abundance of tools and othe items for modelers of all types.I own one of those. The only thing I use it for is to cut deck planks to length... purely a repetitious and monotonous task. I use thin double sided craft tape to secure a thick wooden block to one end to act as the stop guide, and then hack away till I have those hundreds of little planks cut. I wish it had some sort of better locking mechanism to stabilize the cuts to 90 degrees. I certainly wouldn't use it for anything else though. So for me, a niche tool that covers my needs for about 2% of my build needs.
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Yeah, the Fiskars Xacto blade handle is the best I've encountered. It clamps the blade with enough force that you can't pull the blade out of the handle and it's comfortable. Plus it doesn't roll.