Top Five Must Have Tools

[rharshberger]

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.)


Those are the things I use the aluminum angle for.


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.


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.


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.


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¢.

Those "fancy-pants" purpose built sanding blocks are only better because their easier to hold, if you have made a nice grip for you oak block it will work just as well.

 

[Zeta]

my new favorite knife : https://olfa.com/collections/profes...1-5b-graphic-art-knife-w-5-replacement-blades

cordless drill

aluminum right angle extrusion

dremel

leatherman .... very useful at the range

 

[James Duffy]

An Olfa style cutting mat and rotary cutter.

Absolutely, these little boogers are wonderful when you're cutting fiberglass cloth!

James

 

[NOLA_BAR]

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.

View attachment 552212

Same here with a syringe for glue.

It works with both white and wood glue. I use the CA applicators to get fine control. You can cut the tip to customize the glue flow. If the tip dries out the rest is fine, just cut the tip off. I’ve never had the glue dry in the syringe.

 

[Kallahan11]

1. Any type of powered sanding tool, you will never regret purchasing this. I would start with a dremel then either a mouse size sander or a 4 or 5 inch orbital depending on LPR/HPR needs. A benchtop sander is excellent as well. MOAR SANDERS!

2. Airbrush/Spray gun. I find an Airbrush works well up to mid power rockets then it's just way too small. But it puts way thinner layers than rattle cans, less likely to streak and way more colors to chose from. Think of all those Miniature model paints you can use. The Spray guns for HPR open up a huge variety of very tough automotive paints as well. Don't even get me started on brushes, blegh.

3. 3d printer has become my favorite tool, even if just for AV bays.

4. I do a lot of electronics kits for HPR, a good soldering Iron is a must. FX-888D by Hakko is the default standard, though there are some knockoffs of the higher end FX-951 that give it a run for it's money. If you got the cash to spare a de-soldering gun is one million times better than using de-soldering braid, I use the Hakko FR-301. Add in a hot air station and some solder paste and those surface mount kits are a breeze.

5.PPE, Nitril gloves, goggles, and a good face mask. I happen to be somewhat allergic to most wood dust so I wear these for every type of rocket building.

 

[bjphoenix]

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.

Sanding-
I have been using a 3M plastic sanding block that you wrap a piece of sandpaper around then the top snaps on to hold the sandpaper in place. I use it mainly for profiling fins. Almost everything else I sand I just use loose bits of sandpaper. I might wrap a loose bit off sandpaper around a round item such as a hobby knife handle to sand inside of a paper centering ring, inside edges of tubes, etc. I wrapped the sandpaper around a small socket to sand some fin fillets, basically something I could find in the correct diameter. I used my disk sander to profile fins recently- I stacked the fins, stuck sewing pins through them to hold them in position, and sanded all the edges so I knew they were square and all of the fins would match completely. I don't always go to this much trouble, sometimes I just use the sanding block. I had to install a new motor mount in a very old rocket and used a sanding drum on a dremel to get in there and sand out the old glue so there was room for the new mount to go in. When I was very young and working on rockets I did a lot of sanding with what we called "emery boards", which my mother used to sand her fingernails.

 

[Pappy]

a couple things that i like that i didn't see listed are an electric nail file; like a dremel but smaller, lower rpm and easier to control, small paint brushes, wax paper, and an electric pencil sharpener

 

[hcmbanjo]

There are a few that haven't been mentioned -

Small Diamond Files -
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2019/12/tools-essentials-diamond-needle-files.htmlRotary Punch -
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2019/11/tools-essentials-hole-punches.htmlLong Tweezers
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2019/12/tools-essentials-long-tweezers.htmlMetal Ruler where the left edge starts at "zero" inches with no excess metal border.
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2019/10/tools-essentials-straight-edge-rulers.html
Here's all my "Essential" Tools for LPR builds.
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/search?q=Tools+-+the+essentials

 

[ep29030]

Above the hand tools, I regularly use my 1" belt/5" disc sander. Occasionally use the oscillating spindle sander as well. I do a mix of HPR/MPR/Model Rocketry. I use a pad sander to remove most of the sandable primer from larger body tubes and fins (always fill spirals and woodgrain before I start assembly).
I will confess that most of my flat and round hand sanders/shapers are homemade from pieces of 1/2" or 3/4" plywood with sandpaper glued to wood using 3M 77 spray adhesive. Glue another scrap on top for hand grip and you have a stable sander in whatever length/width you prefer. I make them in different grits for each kind of rocketry work I need. Use dowel rod and glue pieces of sandpaper on them for round sanders--wrap in rubber bands until the glue sets.

 

[ep29030]

I find I rarely use the Dremel. For a small, tight cut it works fine but for tubing slots I prefer an air cutter as it doesn't wander as much as the Dremel. But could just be me as well.

 

[bjphoenix]

a couple things that i like that i didn't see listed are an electric nail file; like a dremel but smaller, lower rpm and easier to control, small paint brushes, wax paper, and an electric pencil sharpener

I use a small paint brush but only to spread thinned wood filler on the edges of balsa fins. I've seen people use small brushes to spread wood glue or epoxy and of course if you get into fine detail painting you could use brushes.

I've tried wax paper but I found that wood glue sticks to it reasonably well so it doesn't work very well. I've found that thin flexible plastic sheets like the ones you buy to use as cutting mats in the kitchen for cutting vegetables work better. Wax paper does work somewhat for one time use but once you peel it off of some glue you don't want to use it again.

 

[kuririn]

Top of the line:
1. CNC machine or 3D printer. One subtracts, one adds.
2. 3D scanner. For the 3D printer.
3. Lathe
4. Laser cutter
5. Cricut
And a big shop with a paint booth.

 

[bjphoenix]

Top of the line:
2. 3D scanner. For the 3D printer.

Is this a thing that the average person can buy? I know where I work our survey department has a big scanner that scans whole buildings, it costs as much as an upper end European car. My dentist has a real small one that he scans teeth with and then he has a small CNC mill that will make a crown on the spot. He used to be a machinist and tool and die maker before he went to dental school.

 

[kuririn]

Is this a thing that the average person can buy?

No.
Only in my fantasies (Top of the line).
Like a top of the line sports car.
EDIT: I guess it depends on your discretionary income:
https://www.3dsourced.com/3d-scanners/cheap-3d-scanner/

 

[Sandy H.]

Is this a thing that the average person can buy? I know where I work our survey department has a big scanner that scans whole buildings, it costs as much as an upper end European car. My dentist has a real small one that he scans teeth with and then he has a small CNC mill that will make a crown on the spot. He used to be a machinist and tool and die maker before he went to dental school.

I bought a Pop 2 3D scanner for a specific purpose and I was not able to make it meet the project requirements. It did an amazing job of scanning things you could hold in one hand using the turntable accessory, but the project I was trying to get results on was much bigger and it did not deliver. I concede operator error could have been a big part of that, as I also have had very little luck with my Form2 3D printer, while lots of people love them.

Are these something an average person can buy. . . meh. I bought both pieces of equipment for profit related goals with my small business. As an individual, I would put them low on my list for $/value, while my laser and CNC machines are high $/value.

To be 100% clear, I believe I am a big part of the problem, not the equipment. Sometimes processes, methods and software work for a bunch of people and don't work for certain people. I feel like I am an outlier in the 3D printing/scanning group. I bet if I buckled down and tried harder to learn, I would have more success. Having said that, when machinery requires more art than science, I bail quickly. I'm decent at science/engineering, but I'm a bad artist. . .

@bjphoenix PM me your address and I'll ship you my Pop2 to try out if you'd like. It requires Windows 10 or newer.

Sandy.

 

[caveduck]

This is one of those threads that it turning out to be full of great info. In the spirit of the OP's original question, here's a nomination for top electronics tools, maybe slightly different from Eggtimer Cris's version above. But I don't think there is any way to hold it to 5 items though.

1. Temperature controlled soldering iron and a selection of tips. This is your most important tool. I still use a classic Weller WES51, but they are no longer available. Hakko FX-888D is a good option. Avoid knockoffs that can suffer heating element failures.
2. Hakko 599B "wire sponge" tip cleaner. Use this instead of a wet sponge, your tips will last a *lot* longer. You don't need this if you get an FX-888D since it has its own little wire sponge already. Throw away your sponges.
3. A little tin of "tip tinner". This is essential for reconditioning soldering tips that get dirty. Use daily when you start work.
4. A tube of Chip-Quik SMD291 no-clean liquid tack flux. It is pure magic when something is cruddy and resisting being soldered, or you are reworking something that is badly soldered.
5. A spool of desoldering copper braid (low $) and/or a Hakko FR-301 desoldering gun (a serious tool). I hate the 1-shot mechanical vacuum solder suckers. They are cheap but very hard to use effectively and you can burn off your traces with too many repeated attempts. I just got my FR-301 because I need to take a bunch of through-hole mount RJ45 connectors off of some boards, leaving the holes suitable for new wires.
6. A hot air tool for taking SMDs off of boards. Here you can do with an inexpensive import. I use an older version of the NewAcalox one shown and it has been fine for several years of light use.
7. ESD-safe tweezers. I like fairly sharp ones that you can stab through the plastic film on top of chip carriers. No point in getting expensive ones.
8. Solder. For hand soldering of normal hobbyist SMDs (e.g. Eggtimers, Arduino shields, etc.), you want a no-clean flux like Kester 44 in a fairly small diameter (0.015 or 0.020"). The leaded types (63/37 or 60/40) are still the easiest to use for hand soldering and remain available for that reason. You can get Kester 24-6337-0010 (44 flux, 0.020 diam) for $41/lb on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Kester-24-6337-0010-Rosin-Solder-Spool/dp/B00068IJWC. CAVEAT: except for the few types available in the tiny "Pocket Packs", all sub-1-pound quantities of Kester products are repackaged by the sellers. I avoid these because there is too much opportunity for shenanigans.
9. Workholding. Those cheezy little stands with 2 alligator clips are generally terrible, but they're cheap and you can get some things done with them. A Panavise is quite a bit better and more versatile. You do *not* need the special Panavise circuit board holder unless you are doing things larger than typical rocketry boards - it is not very good at all for small boards. A QuadHands magnetic plate with multiple gooseneck arms is amazing, especially for holding wires in solder-cup connectors. 3D printed holders for boards you are going to make a bunch of (Eggtimer Quantums anyone?) are fantastic.

Complete with illustrations:

 

[OverTheTop]

If you want to clean your soldering iron just use a tissue or paper towel. That stops the oxides and dross getting back onto the iron tip.

Using a wet sponge thermally shocks the tip, creating cracks in the iron plating, shortening their life. The wire sponges are OK but throw it out when it gets dirty.

 

[COSTransplant]

Top of the line:
1. CNC machine or 3D printer. One subtracts, one adds.
2. 3D scanner. For the 3D printer.
3. Lathe
4. Laser cutter
5. Cricut
And a big shop with a paint booth.

I would love to hear how you use your Cricut...

 

[Hobie1dog]

I would love to hear how you use your Cricut...

Several have asked what types are you building? LPR/MPR/HPR? as you don't need machine shop tools for LPR

 

[SolarYellow]

I used a metal lathe on my first LPR build as a BAR (tuning up injection molded plastic). Didn’t absolutely need to, but the rocket was better than it would have been otherwise.

You tend to use what you have.

 

[COSTransplant]

All -- This was a fantastic discussion and thank you for all the great ideas!

 

[OverTheTop]

I am going to up-vote the Dremel again. Got the chainsaw sharpening tool for it yesterday. Worked a treat and makes for really easy cutting through the logs now. Much harder work with a file and guide.

So, useful for rocketry, and elsewhere too .