Top Five Must Have Tools

[Maxx Headroom]

Digital Callipers, 3D Printer, Soldering Iron station, in that order. Plus an abundant supply of patience.

 

[David Schwantz]

Bandsaw for metal, bandsaw for wood, beltsander, drill press, dremel tools,hand drills, orbital sanders, mouse sander. Inside rotary sander for inside of CRs. I have half dozen zona saws, they are great. Perma grit tools, flexible rulers, compass, circle templates. And my paint booth.

 

[Lugnut56]

I build mostly LPR and a few MPR, and in addition to the other tools mentioned here, I find using a dental syringe when applying wood glue gives me better control and makes less of a mess. I've been using this one for about 2 years.

 

[ghostfather]

Don't forget the consumable tools, one of my most common consumable tools is a 1000 count box of popcicle sticks!! Used for mixing, reinforcement, smoothing small fillets etc etc etc

View attachment 552124

I prefer using disposable chopsticks, which you can also buy in 1000 packs from a restaurant supply store. I find them better suited for applying just a bit of epoxy somewhere, especially on the inside of a body tube.
Consider also disposable plastic gloves, and a box of rags (usually torn recycled t-shirts and such)

 

[OverTheTop]

Scalpel
Dremel
Calipers
Combination square set
Multimeter

Lathe is pretty handy too, as is a dental drill .

 

[ghostfather]

I find a good bench vise extremely handy. This one is mounted on a cork block (sold by yoga supply houses), so I can move it to where I need it, or store it out of the way. This is a fairly big vise, good for a 4" body tube, but you can buy them all sizes.

 

[DRAGON64]

In addition to all the other great ideas here, I'd add a three sided scale ruler, preferably aluminium. Good for marking larger tubes, holding tubes and couplers while glue dries, etc.

My wife bought me two 3-sided scales from Hobby Lobby, the Architecttual and the Engineering, and both are metal scales... very nice addition to the rocket building tool box.

 

[Greg Furtman]

One of my main tools is a hobby knife. I bought one that is made by Fiskars. It has a rubberized triangular body with a nice flat spot to my index finger and it doesn't roll off the table like my 2 Exactos do.
https://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-Softgrip-Craft-Knife-12-67007097/dp/B0018N6AIE/ref=asc_df_B0018N6AIE/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216501935499&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4425469967042426977&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9019407&hvtargid=pla-350241882443&psc=1

Also, a good 18" wide metal ruler that has both inches and millimeters. The one I bought has cork backing which helps it from sliding. And a good 18" x 24" dual sided cutting mat.

 

[Hobie1dog]

A great assortment of sandpaper.

 

[Joekeyo]

Duster, Canned Air, keyboard cleaner, call it what you will. Much more effective than that low velocity, damp, sometimes downright wet, blow that comes out of your mouth. Watch how many times TVM blows in his construction videos.

 

[JimByrne]

Hole saws for cutting out centering rings, syringes to apply thin epoxy

 

[SolarYellow]

Excel knives have a hex nut that keeps them from rolling. Using them for 25 years now. Surprised I’m the first to mention it. They can get cheap on Amazon.

X-Acto products have gone down the hole of Death of Quality, IMO.

These are decent:
https://www.amazon.com/American-Line-66-0195-Carbon-Blades/dp/B00VWJ00VW/

 

[Handeman]

I build mostly L2 size rockets. My main tools are the table saw, drill press, band saw, and disk/belt sander which are all time savers.

What really makes these work is the accessories. A circle cutter, brad point drill bits, forstner bits, hole saws, and a vice and clamps for the drill press. Rip and crosscut blades, cross cut sled, and various jigs and fixtures for the table saw. The same for the router table, band saw, sander, etc.

It's the 6" 8" 10" & 12" rules, squares, calipers, center punches, knives, chisels, sanders, sanding blocks, etc. that make the details easier to do.

An exhaust fan and spray booth for paint is a huge help keeping domestic tranquility and letting me paint in the basement year round.

Clamps, clamps, and more clamps. You can never have enough of all the different types of clamps.

A large work table and sewing machine can come in really handy too.

Everything mentioned by everyone above here are great suggestions. You can build rockets with just a few tools, or a whole shop. How many tools you have will have some affect on how accurate and the quality of how you can assemble the rocket, but the biggest thing is TIME. Having a shop full of tools can save you a lot of time when building.

Take all the suggestions here and judge how much time each of those tools can save you. Those are the one I would look to get first. After that, look at ones that improve the accuracy of measurements, cuts, drilling, etc.

Jigs and fixtures are also great time savers. If you enjoy building jigs and fixtures as much a rockets, YouTube/Google is your friend and there are an amazing number of ingenious jigs and fixtures out there for doing all kinds of things with all kinds of tools.

Also, buying an expensive tool is much more justifiable if you are doing a large home repair/improvement project, in fact it's almost required. I have most of the big items I need, but the shoe cubbies, bench, drawers that I'm building for the master walk in closet absolutely requires I buy a set of dado blades for the table saw, and/or new bits and a guide for the plunge router.

 

[James Duffy]

I'll play. Here's my list:

1) Adobe Illustrator. Absolutely indispensable, can be used for everything from part drawings, to decal/vinyl art, laser cutter files, and much more.

2) Microsoft Excel. The first part of any proper scale project after gathering data is to produce a spreadsheet listing each dimension both in prototype and model measurement.

3) A laser cutter. Needs no further explanation.

4) A bunch of X-Acto #1 blade holders and lots of #11 blades. Load up a couple dozen, use each one until it dulls, then grab a fresh one, ready to go. Replace all of the worn blades after the completion of every project or phase of a project.

5) Tape, in every form known to humanity.

You'll note that a 3d modeling tool and a resin printer are not on the list. That's because my tiny little brain has not yet traveled down that road.

James

 

[caveduck]

LPR top few tools, hmmm

1. A Victorinox Swiss Army knife - my single most-used tool, lives in my pocket constantly. There is a bewildering variety - I suggest one of the models with a Phillips screwdriver and the scissors. The Explorer is a nice compromise between functionality and compactness. Swiss Champ has everything but is a lot less pocketable.
2. Aluminum angle 18-24" long in 0.5", 0.75" and 1" sizes. Besides aligning things along tubes, with a clamp and a block they turn into Kuhn style tube cutters.
3. #1 and #5 X-acto style handles with blades and a razor saw blade for the #5. Snap-off blade knives are also OK but a bit less versatile.
4. A Dremel or similar/better quality rotary tool and various bits. Most used: Sanding drums, EZ-lok cutoff wheels and sanding discs, carbide cutter. Dremel, Foredom and Proxxon tools are good, do *not* get the cheap knockoffs (HF etc.) that may not have electronic speed control or even enough rpms.
5. Stainless steel rules. For your first ones, be sure to get the machinist type that do *not* have extra protruding material beyond the ends, and that don't have the cork backing, which is only good for paper etc. but is otherwise a hindrance. iGaging has suitable ones that are inexpensive; you can get them online from various places or OTC at Rockler Woodworking. Start with an 18" and then get shorter ones later as convenience demands.
6. An Olfa style cutting mat and rotary cutter.
7. Sandpaper 120, 240, 320, 400, 600 grit, and all the sanding block shapes you can improvise or buy. A flat benchtop makes a pretty darn good base for sandpaper. Tape it down and sand away. Oscillating mouse sanders are also really handy but not usually necessary for smaller models.
8. A mechanical pencil (Pentel 0.5mm is the classic, 0.3mm for the ultimate fine line), and a box of ultra-fine black Sharpies.
9. Tape, like James Duffy said. Good ol' 3M blue tape is probably the most fundamental; useful for building, painting and flight.

That ought to build just about any LPR project short of a competition scale model, assuming you are using rattlecan paints.

 

[Adrian A]

Digital Caliper -- check! I hope to progress from mid-power to high-power. So I am assuming more / harder wood, etc.

I love my Ryobi bench-mounted belt/disk sander. My shop vac is hooked up to it by default. I use it in countless ways for almost all of my fiberglass/carbon fiber work, and some metal trimming also. I use a wet tile saw for rough-cutting sheets for fins and bulkheads and then use the sander to precisely trim them.

 

[KenECoyote]

Ok all. My wife has been asking me for months for ideas on tools that I might want for building rockets. I have picked up things along the way -- drafting tape, a cutting board, a good light / magnifier, etc. -- but I am wondering what everyone else considers to be their go tool tools. I've been pondering a desk top variable speed belt / disk sander or a mini scroll saw or an inexpensive laser wood cutter. Anyone like to share their thoughts? Thanks!

Of all the tools I have in the "spouse gift" price range, I'd say a Dremel is the top one.

There's so many variations as well as attachments you can get later that are cheaper and more space saving than a full size (ex. Drill press, router table, circle cutter) as well as a crazy amount of bits (sanding, cutting, drilling, etc.).

The Dremel I use on pretty much all of my builds (including my Exocet build just last night) is a cordless Lithium one called the Stylus* which I got over 15 years ago (it came out in 2006) for maybe $60, but there are other cordless models available.

I also still have my original variable speed Dremel I got around the 80s (used in my Dremel router table for tapering fin edges...recently for a 4" Madcow Patriot).

*BTW - you can tell the value of something by the price of it used on Ebay...

 

[OverTheTop]

If you do get a Dremel also buy the collet set for it. The standard tool usually only takes 1/8" shaft tools. The extra collet set lets you work with bigger drills and down to sub-millimeter. An absolute must accessory IMHO. The flex-drive shaft I find very convenient too, but not a necessity.

 

[lakeroadster]

In addition to all the other great ideas here, I'd add a three sided scale ruler, preferably aluminium. Good for marking larger tubes, holding tubes and couplers while glue dries, etc.

Genius.... I have several from my drafting table days, and still use them today for their intended purpose, but never like that. Hat's off to you sir.



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As to the OP's question... A wood lathe allows ultimate freedom of design.

 

[waltr]

I was thinking about an airbrush kit, but I am just not sure -- especially if I move more towards high power.

For larger rockets look into a mini-spray gun instead of an airbrush. This gives a wider coverage area.

As for tools specifly for rocket building:
Aluminum angles are a must for multiple purposes.

All other tools I use are generic.

 

[DaHabes]

BadAss build guides. I buy the guides for the widest fins and use Balsa or basswood shims for thinner fin builds. Great for marking drill holes as well.

 

[DaHabes]

Optical Punch, for when your build demands extremely precise drill hole location. Grizzly.com

 

[rfjustin]

Du-bro hand sanders, (1) 6" (1) 12"
Dremel Mototool with extension
Cordless drill & fresh drill index
Digital dial calipers
1", 1.5", and 2" aluminum angle iron
Decent size vice
Uline Deluxe Workstation

https://www.uline.com/Grp_539/Deluxe-Workstations

 

[James Duffy]

For larger rockets look into a mini-spray gun instead of an airbrush. This gives a wider coverage area.

Speaking as a reasonably experienced airbrush guy, I heartily concur. Airbrushes are essentially miniaturized spray guns, not well suited for MPR-to-HPR sized projects at all. An automotive style spray gun may be best for those applications.

James

 

[OverTheTop]

Genius.... I have several from my drafting table days, and still use them today for their intended purpose, but never like that. Hat's off to you sir.

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As to the OP's question... A wood lathe allows ultimate freedom of design.

View attachment 552397View attachment 552398View attachment 552399View attachment 552400View attachment 552401View attachment 552402View attachment 552404View attachment 552406

I see you a lathe and raise you a mill.




Definitely in the top five when the jobs require it.

 

[lakeroadster]

I see you a lathe and raise you a mill.
View attachment 552499

View attachment 552498

Definitely in the top five when the jobs require it.

Cost prohibitive for me... but I've always wanted one.

 

[OverTheTop]

Cost prohibitive for me... but I've always wanted one.

Agreed. I lusted over decent machine tools for many years when I couldn't afford to buy them.

 

[caveduck]

For more advanced tools I have to say getting a good Prusa 3D printer has been wildly more useful than I imagined, and I've still not made any "canonical" rocket parts like nose cones. I've kept it busy making tool holders, socket racks, spacers, board fixtures for Eggtimer building, random bits for the mill and lathe, rail guides, launcher parts, Lack table leg adjusters, drill guides, telescope parts, ...Overall I think a printer is the most useful thing after you get fixed up with the basics you need to build models.

After that would be some kind of a laser cutter. The Xtool D1 Pro 20W solid state unit is really, really tempting. The 20W beam-combiner head is new and enables it to cut most all the balsa and plywood we care about up through MPR scale. The cutting area is 14.5 x 17" and comes with a CNC rotary and air assist for $1439. It should be a lot less trouble and maintenance than a K40 style CO2 laser. Besides doing fins and other flat plate parts, it can serve as an uber-precision tube cutter. I have a friend who got his hands on his friend's 10W unit over the holidays and I hope to post a hands-on report.

 

[cerving]

Laptop computer with Eagle, Hakko soldering station, hot-air rework tool, reflow oven, DVM. #6 would be the Salae...

Oh yeah, glue too... for the rockets.

 

[jqavins]

My list of tools I currently use on most builds is a lot like @bjphoenix: hobby knife, sand paper, aluminum angle, sand paper, ruler, sand paper, razor saw, sand paper, sanding block, sand paper. Oh, and sand paper.

Some sort of jig for aligning and attaching fins; I love my plastic Estes fin jig, but I seem to be in a minority there. Whatever kind you prefer, having one of those has improved my accuracy and quality many-fold.

My sanding block is a 6 inch long piece of S4S oak 1×4; I probably should try one of those fancy-pants purpose-built sanding blocks to see if it's really any better.

I have a rule about buying tools, provided they're affordable. If I need a thing once and can make do, I make do. When I need it a second time, I buy one. I made do once when I needed a sanding sponge by taping sand paper to a kitchen sponge. There are likely to be some sanding sponges in my near future.

If I had a big budget, the first thing I'd get is a laser cutter. (I have a friend with a 83D printer who'll print stuff for me already.)

In addition to all the other great ideas here, I'd add a three sided scale ruler, preferably aluminium. Good for marking larger tubes, holding tubes and couplers while glue dries, etc.

Those are the things I use the aluminum angle for.

I prefer using disposable chopsticks, which you can also buy in 1000 packs from a restaurant supply store. I find them better suited for applying just a bit of epoxy somewhere, especially on the inside of a body tube.

For that I like the leftover strips of balsa you get when you cut fins free from their sheets in kits. Other bits of balsa scrap come in handy for this and that, here and there. If I don't have such scrap handy, I use babboo skewers.

Also, a good 18" wide metal ruler that has both inches and millimeters. The one I bought has cork backing which helps it from sliding. And a good 18" x 24" dual sided cutting mat.

I don't have one of those, but when I've used them in the past, for various things, I've liked the ones that are just the metal strip a lot better, because I like the metal to lie directly on the thing I'm measuring or drawing on or cutting, without the gap between metal edge and work piece that the cork creates. To each his own.

A Victorinox Swiss Army knife - my single most-used tool, lives in my pocket constantly. There is a bewildering variety - I suggest one of the models with a Phillips screwdriver and the scissors. The Explorer is a nice compromise between functionality and compactness. Swiss Champ has everything but is a lot less pocketable.

That's not a rocketry tool, that's just part of getting dressed in the morning. That comes out of my pocket at least a dozen times a day for so many purposes (including rocket construction once in a while) that I tend to take it for granted. I have an Explorer in my pocket, and Spartan in my range box.

I see you a lathe and raise you a mill.

Oh, lah dee dah!

And one last thing: sand paper.

I'm reading this thread to pick up tips for myself more than just to throw my 2¢.