Folding tool – `There comes a time in life when you need a tool that’s just a bit bigger than the ordinary modelling tools! I had to do some coach chassis and I have always had trouble doing long thin folds. Doing them bit by bit never really works. I had used a Metalsmith Folding bars before and they are superb, but they are also now unavailable. I often have a screw-fix catalogue sitting near the bed for browsing and inspiration when I can’t sleep and there was a rather large folding tool in there. I ordered one and it duly arrived. This thing weighs a ton! Its more appropriate for folding sheet steel or repairing bodywork on your Landrover, but it makes short work of a coach chassis! Its really complete overkill but it’s a nice tool to have and is accurate enough to do decent folds along the tops or bottoms of coach sides.

Its one of those tools that spends the vast majority of its life sitting under the workbench doing nothing. But when I need it, it’s a fantastic weapon in the arsenal. I know I will never need a bigger one!

We have all done it… Bought that loco that seemed like a good idea at the time. Only to find out later that it’s a complete pile of junk that the seller was obviously really pleased to get rid of!

My most recent foray into the world of junk came in the middle of 2012 when I saw a brass 4-8-4 on EBay for a good price. Without thinking about it too much I put in what I thought was a low bid and forgot about it until a week later when I got the “Congratulations on your purchase” message!

 

Close up of Bergeon Screwdriver SetFor several years I lived a short walk from the Jewellery making district in London. When I first walked into HS Walsh and had a look at some of the tools, I was an instant convert. There are have always been some exotic tools in our hobby and the same goes for Watchmaking, but there are also allot of similarities.

About 2 years ago I ran into a fairly major problem. I broke a Swiss file that I use every day in my hobbies. I had anticipated a simple call to the place I brought it from would see a new one popped in the post and an end to my problem but that was not to be. Over the next couple of weeks I learned a huge amount about files.

I found that allot of what had been written was very good but a little dated so here is my attempt to bring it up to date.