Rehashing the Tool Kit

Back in 2024, I put together a post called Lights, Camera, Prep - The 65 Dollar Tool Kit. One year later, the list still stands, but I now have an Amazon Associate's account to leverage. I will get this out of the way now. This entire post is one big ad for Amazon, and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. All links lead to Amazon. 

Let's review the list from 2024: 

• Cutting mat 
• Paper cutter
• 3 in 1 foam cutter
• Razor knives
• Glue
• Paint
• Tape
• Rule/Straight Edge
• Pencil
• Pen
• Marker
• Brushes
• Sandpaper
  

Let's start by laying out some rules because Amazon has some. I don't want to name prices like I did last year. Such things are subject to change, and I don't want to seem like I am guaranteeing a price point. I will share if I can get into the ballpark from last year. The last rule is, I am reusing the images I have taken, not sharing images from Amazon. 

My suggested size was 17" by 12", but this year I found a 12-inch x 18-inch mat on Amazon for less than $10. That is a win. 

If you want to completely cross this item off your list, go with cardboard or a soft piece of scrap wood. I feel this is more about protecting surfaces rather than protecting you. Almost any thick piece of material would do this task. 

The soft, self-healing nature of the purchased products reduces slips. That is an observation of me (not "mine" as AI tells me); it could be pure crap for a lot of reasons. For instance, I could be a lucky dummy, and I am gearing up to cut myself later. 

I do firmly believe that having a dedicated space for cutting is critical, no matter what you are using. Look at my image: A large table with a wooden board with a cutting mat on top. I can move this anywhere, but I don't because the space is what I really need.  

The papercutter I found today, made by Firbon. is also a win. Prices don't change much on these. In fact, the product in the link has more features than mine does, so I feel this would be a nice upgrade at a great price. 

For the 3-in-1 foam cutter, I experienced the exact same issue as last year. I could pay as much as I liked for one. I see good-to-great products listed between $20 and $200. I can't really suggest anything above the $20 to $40 range because they are very simple products: A hot wire cuts foam like magic. I don't see why this has to be a $200.00 product for small tasks. If you know of a product that justifies that price point, let me know in the comments. 

The link I'll share is to a 4-in-1 foam cutter, within the original price range. Again, like the cutting mat and papercutter, the product has improved over time without changing prices too much.  

What has changed in my mind is the utility of this product. I now own a laser and rarely cut foam anymore because my materials of choice have changed. I feel like I need one, but I rarely use it. 

I would like to talk about 3 items in this next section because they naturally pair with cutting foam: hobby knives, markers, and sandpaper. The knives and sandpaper are rather obvious, but did you know that magic markers and flair pens will burn styrofoam? Usually, this is a problem, but you can add details to foam with them. That is handy. Any marker you have in your junk drawer would likely work.

I feel like you could remove markers from the list because they are so ubiquitous. But if you go with Sharpie Brand markers, I think you'll use them a lot around the house and not just your crafting projects. Everything from drawing to labeling food is easier with markers. This will bump up the price of your hobby kit by about $7 over what I said last year. I think that is a good trade-off for the sheer amount of things a marker can do. 

Sandpaper... has issues. You can go to a dollar store and get a pack for a buck twenty-five. The issue I have with this choice is, it doesn't last. One project and it's toast. I also didn't put it on my list last year. If you pay a bit more for your sandpaper, say $5.00 more, you get a better product that will serve you in more tasks than the cheap stuff. I selected a 3M product this year. 

Hobby knives are the bane of my existence, so I am removing them from the list. The problem I have with them is, you can grab them anywhere at a very low price. And being so cheap, they dull and break quickly. Instead, get a box cutter. It will raise your price point by about $5.00. Box cutters can handle more tasks than a hobby or utility knife. I selected a basic model here. 

Glue hasn't changed from last year. I really like the Tacky Glue. The only dynamic Amazon change is the amount of glue you get. Honestly, I can see having too much glue as a problem. You can still grab one bottle for cheap at various local places, but Amazon unlocks getting it in volume. 

I am going to remove the tape and
pencils from the list. You probably have some anyway. Instead, I would suggest a better ruler. This year, I'm suggesting a steel ruler with a cork backing. I have a zillion rules, but keep coming back to these steel products over and over again. They won't ding like a wooden ruler and don't bend like plastic. A good steel ruler will eat up the savings on tape and pencils, but that is a good trade. 

The last two items you'll need are paint and brushes. Last year, I lied about paints and brushes. You can get them for $1 a bottle and $1 a brush. But that really isn't good paint or good brushes. To start off, you can do that, but these will be the first things you will want to splurge on. 

Yes, I do paint Battletech models with the cheapest paints and brushes I can find. Sort of. Since I like to paint, my arsenal of tools is ever-expanding. I didn't need many paints to get started, but I also didn't simply stop at $10.00 worth of paint. The same for brushes. I am going to leave the price point at $12.00, but again mention that Amazon unlocks volume pricing. This set is a smidgen more, but per bottle is cheaper. 

I am totally pleased and shocked that if I needed to start over, the same $65.00 would get me better tools. And in assessing my own habits, maybe I could splurge on a favorite like paint, by doing away with some things I don't happen to use, like the foam cutter. 

Lights, Camera, Prep - The 65 Dollar Tool Kit

I have so much going on. I need my shelves back to do some gardening, which means cleaning and organizing my D&D and modeling supplies. 

For the past couple of months, I've had some crafting projects on my mind that never went anywhere. I want finished products, not another tote or bin full of unfinished crap. I have supplies on top of tools and that drives me nuts. 

We could do this together. 

Let's pull together a 65.00 dollar tool kit for DIY models. This toolbox is meant more for crafting as opposed to plastic models. You probably have many of these things already and my suggestion is to buy as little as possible.  

The inspiration for this series is this custom Star Smuggler Print and Playbox, which remains at 90% complete. 

This list does not include supplies for projects. Each part of this series will have a separate supply list for each model or project. These projects will range from upcycling junk to throwing together scraps from other projects. You shouldn't have to buy too much for these crafts. 

These are the 12 items you will need to follow along at home. I have included basic prices and only a few lies: 

• Cutting mat - $9.00 
• Paper cutter - $10.00
• 3 in 1 foam cutter - $20.00 to $30.00
• Razor knives - $5.00
• Glue - $5.00
• Paint - $1-2.00 each*
• Tape - $1.00
• Rule/Straight Edge - $1.00
• Pencil - $1.00
• Pen - $1.00
• Marker - $1.00*
• Brushes - $1.00*
• (I forgot this one until I started working on a project. Sandpaper). 

Items marked with a * are lies. 

This collection of tools is pretty standard. You probably already have markers, pens, pencils, and tape, so we can shave off 4 bucks. 

Cutting mats are wonderful and highly variable in price. The green one above is 17" by 12" and I found a two-pack for $9.00. You can also find one at the Dollar Store, for a surprising $1.25. Of course, I can't find it for a picture, but the black and orange one I did find was $25 with some tools. If you want to save some money, go find a scrap of wood or a piece of cardboard. Tagboard or poster board is a little too thin. If you go with the board, shave off another $9.00. 

The cutting mat serves three functions: a scale or ruler, a nice surface, and safety. The ruled lines allow for nice straight and/or square cuts without resorting to a second tool. It has a soft surface that protects your workspace. Most importantly, the soft, self-healing surface can protect your body and hands as blades have a tendency to lodge into the surface on slips, saving you from a nasty cut or scare. 

I prefer cardboard over wood for catching cutting accidents. If you go with a piece of wood, pick a soft board. 

I will be using a foam cutter for many of these projects. I consider it necessary, but you can get by just fine with a very, very sharp knife or razor. Just be careful. The foam cutter eliminates a lot of messes, but it's a hot tool that takes some practice to use. My first couple of projects only involve straight cuts, so you can get that practice by following along. 

Foam cutters are wonderful, but the pricing is outrageous for no good reason. The item pictured was $20.00. However, I have seen the EXACT SAME ITEM for $200. Don't do that to yourself, shop around. You don't need it that badly. 

The paper cutter is an optional "nice to have, but not necessary" item. I like it but you can do just fine the mat and a razor or use a pair of scissors. This one I found at Target on clearance, otherwise, I would not have one at all. It's a product with a single purpose which may or may not come up that often. 

The paper cutter is nice but...

I feel like I can skip over many items on this list as you probably have them. 

Let's go to the LIES section. There are 3 of them: brushes, paints, and markers. The list claims you can have all three for about $12 assuming you want only 10 paints, a brush, and a marker. That is actually a tiny lie due to the projects we will be doing. 

DO NOT USE your wife's Copic markers on these projects. The same goes for her wonderful Citadel paints or her sable-hair paintbrushes. Murder will result. There is no "may" in that statement. It will happen. 

The projects we will be working on are rather rude. You can glitz them up to your level of comfort, but don't waste nice markers, paints, or brushes on this. Dollar store items will be fine.   

The same can be said of glue. I have three different items from the Dollar Store. We aren't building furniture, so don't waste your money on "nice things". There is one item in this picture that is a "must have", the Tacky Glue. It's a Dollar Store item which is shocking. It has the consistency of Mod Podge and can be used for both gluing and a surface cover. I love it. 

I can't wait for us to get started.

Before I finish up, I wanted to talk about the writing implements: pen, pencil, and markers. Certain materials do not like certain marking implements. Styrofoam melts with some markers, damaging both the craft and the marker itself. Pens are good for dark, soft materials as you can see the color. Pencils are pretty much universal to all products, but sometimes not for foam or dark surfaces. If I notice this happening in this series of projects, I will warn you in advance. 

That is it, here are the 12 items you will need for this project series, complete with three lies. 

(And one omission, sandpaper.) 

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