The best model railroad tool you own?

[railnerd]

awesome to learn of alternatives (like more precise flush cutters!)

-Dave

[DKS]

One other tool not yet discussed (much): brushes. I can't get enough of 'em--



And the photo leads me right into another potential topic: organization. What do people use to store their tools? An efficient workshop is almost as important as the tools that populate it.

[pnolan48]

Exacto knife, and I sharpen the blades.
My favorite tweezers. I have only two.
My digital cutter. Replaces lots of cuts with Exacto knife and rulers. Even if I need just a small rectangle, it's easier (and more precise) to draw it and cut it on the cutter.

[Chulvis]

Does the job every time...

[peteski]

I mostly "frill" by hand,

LOL! so much for proof reading.    I am not fixing my original post - it's funnier that way.    That, along with the Schnott Trigger. 

I think that how we store and organize our tools would make a good thread - just not sure in which forum... 
When I come back from Virginia next week I'll post some photos of how I organize mine.

Tim,
there are many sources for TC drill bits.  Drill Bit City is a good source.  I've been buying TC bits for about 20 years or so. Besides the Drill Bit City (which I found fairly recently thanks to TRW members), I get mine from electronic surplus vendors, and from eBay.  Once I dealt with an eBay seller (off eBay) and I purchased literally thousands of bits (in boxes of 50).  I still have large stash left. The problem with those was that some were not resharpened.  That doesn't mean that they are broken - they are just slightly duller than new bits. They still work better than the equivalent HSS bits. The big reason TC bits work better than HSS bits is that they are sharpened to a split point - something that I haven't seen done on small (60-80) size HSS bits.

[LV LOU]

This is great stuff. Lou I'd love to know more about this miniature vacuum and I'm digging the tablesaw.
Sounds like carbide drills and a new flush cutter are in my future (these are the tips I was hoping to hear). As always you all don't disappoint.

Tim,both cameras are at my shop,I'm taking pics of stuff I'm selling off.I dumped my partner,going off on my own.Be a day or so before I can take a pic.As far as the vacuum,I was at a flea market,saw a broom that was a battery powered vacuum for 2 bucks.I tore it down,and milled the crap out of the motor/fan unit housing.My son was living with me with his girlfriend and my Granddaughter,so they were always throwing out these really cool baby formula containers.
 It had a snap shut hinged lid on it,probably 6 X 4 X eight inches high..I mounted the motor unit on the top,with the original filter inside.I put the hose into the side of the container,tight interference fit,and a screw through the side of the container to anchor it..It hooks right into the charge plug for the saw,or I can run it on a battery or a wall wort.I think the broom was a Bissell.
 Funny story about it.I put a heat pump in at my house last year.When I was done,I had about three feet of this really nice,flexible 1" white plastic drain hose left over.I figured it would be a great hose to put on it to use on my railroad,ETC..Well,I made a mice adapter for it,and hooked it up.When I turned it on,you woulda thought you were watching an old Star Trek..As it spooled up,my dogs went nuts,ran as fast as they could away from me,I was almost on the floor screaming..It sounded like there was an F16 in my shop,it put out an absolutely DEAFENING high pitched screech..It actually messed up my hearing for an hour or two,went right in the garbage,LOL!!!

[LV LOU]

Here's another little project tool....THE FOAM SHARK!!!
   I had an old battery screwdriver.It had an all gear planetary transmission,and I found an extra for parts.I have several different types of brushes and Scotchbrites for it,I can chew through foam for scenery in seconds with it.I just added a handle to the side of it so I can "hang on" better,it's a real bear.When I run it,I look like a Ghostbuster..It's powered by a modified computer power supply,has a switch on the tool,and is reversable on the power supply..The reversability is needed because as you turn the tool around while you use it,sometimes it just wants to be going the other way..Also nice to set it that if it does kick back,it doesn't damage track,ETC.I use it along with a vacuum I modified for it.It's a bagless upright that had a removable canister vac built into it..I took out the canister,and tossed the rest.[got it at a yard sale,LOL!] I got rid of my pool a few years ago just before I got the vacuum,I kept the nice long flexible hose from the pool vac just for this.I put that on the canister,which is in a corner under the layout,standing up.It's nice and quiet,as I chew up the styrofoam,I just suck it up with the bagless vac,since it's bagless,really easy to empty..I can clean the entire train room and the hallway and part of my bedroom with it without moving the vacuum!!!

[Nato]

             It may not be a tool, but I consider my N Scale N.M.R.A. Standards & Practices  (Track) Gauge to be my "Main Man". Next up after that is the Premium I received in a nice Chuck Pack about a year and a half ago. It is the size of a pen with a clip for pocket use, printed on it in white:"Call Us or Screw It Up Yourself" 'FEATHER RIVER TRAIN SHOP (415) 499-0664. The cap on the front removes to reveal a Ball Point Pen. The rear cap comes off to reveal a micro screw driver blade  flat variety. My tool comes in translucent red plastic, but I understand they also came (come?) in "Lime Green" and maybe other colors. How about Two Tone Gray with Silver Stripes? Nate Goodman (Nato).

[timwatson]

Similar to the post David made I think I'm going to compile these into a big blog post (mainly so I remember).

I like the tool organization thread idea David. I have a neat tool holder I made (I think its neat anyway) i'll add to it.

[mionerr]

I see Optivisors mentioned frequently. But they induce too much eyestrain and give me a roaring headache, so I rely on cheap reading glasses from the drug store. They provide just the right amount of magnification, add no weight to my head, and allow me to look over or under them for magnification-free views.

Interesting. I started using an Optivisor when I started wearing contact lens. The contacts gave me great distance vision, but screwed up my close up vision which has always been exceptional. I never could find any reading glasses that worked for me. Different strokes....

In the last couple of years my near sight is fading and I have bifocals. I recently changed from progressive to old fashioned dual lens bifocals. I can now see through them for reading. I don't really need them for reading, but for other fine stuff.
This past weekend I bought a cheap ($7.50) Optivisor- like magnifier. Whenever my grandson visits he wears my optivisor all over the train room. So now he can have his own and I get mine back. Worked well enough that I bought a second one for me. I keep it upstairs for when I need to take a splinter out or thread a needle. It has the extra swingdown magnifier, too.

[engineshop]

For my purposes to manufacture the buildings I need, the laser is the one: