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Plastic Model Airplane Tools

Although building model airplanes may require the imagination of a child, it takes the concentration and steady hands of an adult to create a masterpiece. Along with these skills, a model-airplane builder employs a set of tools for assistance, which in most cases, like the pieces she's working with, are miniature in size.

Knives
- The knives involved in model-airplane building are known as hobby knives, also referred to as X-Acto knives. These consist of inch-long, angled blades that are attached to the top of a pen-shaped body, gripped by the hand similarly to a pen or pencil. The sharp blades are used to scrape uneven bits of plastic off the tiny pieces as well as precisely cut out decals to stick on the plane.
Clamps
- Clamps generally come in a wide variety of sizes, but all serve essentially the same purpose. The miniature clamps for model-airplane building are used to hold small parts in place, typically right after glue is applied. In this way the builder can focus on other tasks while the adhesive dries and the two pieces remain in the exact same position.
Files
- Many model-airplane kits include miniature plastic pieces in attached sets, requiring the builder to snip off one piece at a time. This usually results in a tiny amount of excess plastic adhering to each piece, so small files are needed to smooth out the edges, an essential task for perfectionist model builders.
Scissors
- Tiny scissors are used in the aforementioned removal of plastic pieces from their attached sets. While many parts can be simply twisted off, scissors are the way to go to leave the least amount of excess plastic. In a hobby that already requires the utmost patience, time-saving tools such as miniature scissors are worth having on hand.
Straight Edge
- Since model building is a hobby that requires exactitude, the use of a straight edge or ruler is not uncommon during construction. Simply put, this item is used to ensure all aspects of the plane are level, from the two halves of the cabin to miniature decals along the wings.
Tweezers
- A pair of tweezers becomes an extension of the builder's hands and fingers when working with so many tiny bits and pieces. They're not only convenient but can also be absolutely essential, especially with small parts that need to slide into spaces no larger than a millimeter or two. Such obstacles can really challenge the model builder.

Aviation