How do you like Army Painter hobby tools & supplies?

[Helias_Tancred]

They seem to make an entire range of specific hobby tools and supplies such as snips, pin drill, drill bits, and even a magnet pack. I'm wondering if anyone uses their equipment and if they like it, specifically the ones I listed.

 

Thanks.

 

 

[Lord Marshal]

I really like their file set but I haven't used anything else except their brushes.

[andes]

IME, with *very* few exceptions, you’re better off buying hobby tools outside the hobby channel. You can get better quality stuff cheaper at the hardware store, or the tool section of Amazon.

[EmpiricalReed]

I have, and still use, their snips, pin vice and drill bits, paint pot agitators and some of their brushes.

 

The snips I have are their "Precision Side Cutter" ones - they're totally fine and for the price are a lot better than the old set of toolbox snips I was originally using. I have my eye on something sharper like the RedGrassGames snips but they are expensive and feel hard to justify when I have a working set already. (If I didn't own a pair of good snips and was looking to splash some cash the RGG ones are what I would buy now.) No regrets buying the AP side cutters honestly, the one challenge I've had with them is they're just slightly too large to angle into some of my Drukhari sprues to clip out parts.

 

Their pin vice and drill bits are also perfectly serviceable. I've had my current set about three years and I am going to need to replace some of the bits now as they've noticeably blunted from drilling out so many bolter barrels and what not. I've only ever used them on plastic and resin miniatures (and the odd paint pot/glue pot spout) so I don't know if they should've lasted longer, but I feel like three years is fair for the small bits that got heavy use. Again, no regrets buying this. If I had a criticism it's that the locking mechanism for the bit (where you screw the cap down and it squeezes the fitting to lock the bit in place) can slip every now and then, but it's nothing that can't be solved by unscrewing, re-sitting the bit and tightening again.

 

The agitators are just steel balls, started dropping them into my paint pots a couple of years ago and I've seen no sign of rust so far. I'd always buy a name-brand for something like this rather than ebay a cheap lot from somewhere as the last thing you want is low-quality metal rusting up and ruining your whole paint collection.

 

I know you didn't ask but I've found their Wargamer-series of brushes to be good bang for buck and I got a set of their Masterclass drybrushes for Christmas and they are excellent. Best drybrushes I've ever used.

 

Overall I've had a good experience with AP's hobby gear. There are undoubtedly better, more premium products out there from other manufacturers but for me I think they offer good value for what they charge. I'd always recommend them for new hobbyists starting out too.

Edited April 20, 2021 by EmpiricalReed

[Firedrake Cordova]

IME, with *very* few exceptions, you’re better off buying hobby tools outside the hobby channel.

^ This, with the exception of Tamiya tools (expensive but very good), and AK's stainless steel agitators. :)

 

If you're looking for clippers, I can highly recommend the Xuron 2175 (regular for terrain, ET for models) - very sharp, and cut nicely.

[Arkhanist]

For all the army painter tools I've used, they're all mid-ranged quality for a mid-range price and perfectly serviceable as such. As a one-stop shop for a bunch of stuff, you can do a lot worse. As opposed to citadel tools, which are mostly mediocre quality for a high price.

 

I'd put the AP wargamer brushes into the 'better quality than the price indicates', and possibly the wet palette too - both are very good value for money, tho not the absolute top-tier best-of-class. (though kolinsky brushes with low-handstrain triangular handles are harder to find than you'd think)

 

For non-precision cutters (brass rod, big chunks of sprue etc) you're likely better off with a cheaper harder bladed electrician cutters or the like than the basic AP plastic frame cutter. For the AP precision cutter, while perfectly serviceable, the Tamiya 123 side cutters are significantly nicer for taking bits off sprue (they're so sharp they don't stress the plastic at all, with a very clean cut and are well balanced in the hand) - but are also more costly. Redgrass nippers are also worth a look in that price class.

[Evil Eye]

I have a few of their brushes and their wet palette. The latter is definitely a good buy and has served me very well. The former are certainly decent, though given I've never really used "high end" brushes I'm sure you can do better.

[Closet Skeleton]

Their tape measure is trash.

[mactire]

Snips and cutters are good quality and the few brushes I've bought seem to be fine. I actually like their spray can selection, good coverage, good choices and match well with the pots of the same name.

[Aarik]

You can get get a tool kit of everything you'll need to get started with assembling models for less than $10 from Amazon.  There are a ton of variations of basically the same kit that are marketed towards Gundam people.

[Helias_Tancred]

Snips and cutters are good quality and the few brushes I've bought seem to be fine. I actually like their spray can selection, good coverage, good choices and match well with the pots of the same name.

 

Ahhh their sprays. I've had the worse luck with them going on too heavy, and I'm spraying them 12+ inches away and going in passes. Any advice from your success?

[Arkhanist]

Googling those cheap gundam toolkits reminds me something I learned when making wire & bead jewellery (they take their tools very seriously!). There are basically three types of joint when it comes to modelling tools, and it does matter for side cutters in particular.

 

I'll illustrate with a pic.

 

 

From left to right:

 

The cheapest and simplest 'single joint' uses a rivet or screw to join the two flat handles together. This is the least robust joint, and most prone to slipping. Particularly as the tool ages, the jaws can move a tiny bit as you apply cutting force - so you get a messy cut, relatively speaking. You are also likely to need to use more force since the blade steel is likely to be cheap and blunt quicker, leading to stressed/distorted plastic (the whitened areas) - and thus more cleanup needed when cutting things off sprues, which worsens with age. This example is an ancient pair of citadel cutters, and I used it for cuts where precision didn't matter, such as trimming brass rod to length (hence the small notches in the blade, which it wasn't designed for - the big notch is where I used it on a paperclip, oops). These are my trash cutters, which I have since replaced with more robust cutters intended for cutting metals.

 

The second type is a 'lap joint'. Here the two pieces of the tool are shaped so they overlap together, with the pivot point being part of one of the pieces (it's flush on the reverse side, while a single joint will have the rivet head both sides). This requires machining to fit, so is the joint you most often see on good quality precision cutters. Assuming the tool is machined well, this type of joint will remain aligned for many years, and when combined with high quality steel allows you to cut plastic with significantly less force, as well as deliver a precise cut. This joint is well suited to sprue plastic as it's relatively soft, but the blade edges on a high precision tool like these tamiya side cutters would likely be damaged in short order if used on metals.

 

The third type is a 'box joint'. This the strongest joint, with one half going through the other and no externally viewable pivot. It's what you see on tools where you need to apply more force, usually combined with hardened steel. This is overkill for plastic, and the blade shape on such side cutters is often heavier to match, making them less handy in tight spaces such as sprues. It is ideal for working with metals though; these wire-crafting pliers are ideal for bending brass rod or holding to shove it in a tight pinning hole, and can easily bend copper or silver rod into rings - it's about 8 years old and still in perfect working order! My metal-cutting side cutters I use for brass rod or heavy duty cutting (tabs on feet for example, when I can't be bothered to get out the piercing saw) are also a box joint, and a chunky boi.

 

In summary, you can often tell a lot about the quality of the tool from the joint - single rivet joints are cheap, and can range from total crap to OK (but may not last); lap joints are an indicator of a tool expected to work well for a long time with plastic, but steel quality and machining tolerances is also a factor; a box joint is what you want for heavy duty work in particular.

 

For reference, the army painter frame cutter is a single rivet joint, while the precision side cutter is a box joint - it's explictly sold as suitable for cutting metal as well as plastic, so this makes sense - you can see the joint here:

 

Edited April 21, 2021 by Arkhanist

[Magos Takatus]

Haha! I still have a pair of the yellow-handed Citadel cutters too and like you I've used them for non-precision jobs after I messed up the blades cutting wire. Thanks for the guide to different joint types, it's handy to know.

[Helias_Tancred]

So far the Army Painter combo of their magnets, drill bits, and pin drill have been fine, even good to use. I've normally used Citadel/GW and some third party gear prior.

 

The GW stuff tends to be okay but overpriced. It was expensive but I love their mould line remover! I've had multiple GW snips, which are way over-priced for what you get, break on me. Plus they're uncomfortable to use for extended periods of time. My all time favorite plastic glue, Model Master, sadly has been discontinued :( .... for brushes I've used mainly Citadel along with a few W&N 7s. 

[Arkhanist]

 

The GW stuff tends to be okay but overpriced. It was expensive but I love their mould line remover!  My all time favorite plastic glue, Model Master, sadly has been discontinued ....

The mould line remover I think is the one GW tool that's very good, does what it says on the tin, and not many alternatives. A bit overpriced - but a decent handle, and it is absolutely safer than using the back edge of a craft knife blade. My usual routine is good snips, mould line remover all over, craft knife edge to shave any minor nubbins left from snipping and really fiddly mould lines, plastic putty to fill any remaining fat join lines, and finally a smoothing sand down with 2-3 grades of micro-mesh anywhere that needs it.

 

For glue, tamiya extra thin. It's just amazing stuff that's hot enough that it starts to stick pretty quickly when wicked into the gaps, and if you leave it a little longer and press the parts together it infills the gaps with softened plastic (you may need to scrape/sand a bit if you squeeze too much and get a little ridge). But it's not so hot that if it wicks into an area you didn't want, you can just let it harden again for no effect as long as you don't press on it or get it on your fingers and then handle the mini. None of the hardened bubbles from too much thin tube poly. You can erase the join line on old 1st born jump packs with just that glue and fine sanding. I couldn't get a refill for a while, so tried multiple alternatives, but was so glad to go back to tamiya extra thin. That and their snips are all I have, just in case you think I only buy Tamiya...

Edited April 24, 2021 by Arkhanist

[Tyriks]

I've been using the white handled army painter brushes lately and I like those. Not sure what they're called. The red handled ones I used a long time ago and didn't like at all. Their sprays I also have had zero luck with, either clumping up and losing detail or not covering well (I tried e metallic spray and it just looked like crap). I don't try their sprays anymore. I used their snips for a bit (not the nicer ones pictured above) and they were not good either.

 

I think you just need to look up reviews for individual products as you're considering them. Some of their stuff seems like the worst option available and some is pretty good, I don't think there's a pattern of what falls into which camp.

[Helias_Tancred]

FYI I just picked up Tamiya snips yesterday. From what was discussed on here and reviews on Amazon.

[Firedrake Cordova]

The mould line remover I think is the one GW tool that's very good, does what it says on the tin, and not many alternatives. 

That's been my experience of it too :) (although sometimes it is just a bit too thick)

 

Warlord Games do one which looks like it should be similar, but is cheaper (obviously) and has a plasticised handle.

[Helias_Tancred]

Googling those cheap gundam toolkits reminds me something I learned when making wire & bead jewellery (they take their tools very seriously!). There are basically three types of joint when it comes to modelling tools, and it does matter for side cutters in particular.

 

 

From left to right:

 

The cheapest and simplest 'single joint' uses a rivet or screw to join the two flat handles together. This is the least robust joint, and most prone to slipping. Particularly as the tool ages, the jaws can move a tiny bit as you apply cutting force - so you get a messy cut, relatively speaking. You are also likely to need to use more force since the blade steel is likely to be cheap and blunt quicker, leading to stressed/distorted plastic (the whitened areas) - and thus more cleanup needed when cutting things off sprues, which worsens with age. This example is an ancient pair of citadel cutters, and I used it for cuts where precision didn't matter, such as trimming brass rod to length (hence the small notches in the blade, which it wasn't designed for - the big notch is where I used it on a paperclip, oops). These are my trash cutters, which I have since replaced with more robust cutters intended for cutting metals.

 

The second type is a 'lap joint'. Here the two pieces of the tool are shaped so they overlap together, with the pivot point being part of one of the pieces (it's flush on the reverse side, while a single joint will have the rivet head both sides). This requires machining to fit, so is the joint you most often see on good quality precision cutters. Assuming the tool is machined well, this type of joint will remain aligned for many years, and when combined with high quality steel allows you to cut plastic with significantly less force, as well as deliver a precise cut. This joint is well suited to sprue plastic as it's relatively soft, but the blade edges on a high precision tool like these tamiya side cutters would likely be damaged in short order if used on metals.

 

The third type is a 'box joint'. This the strongest joint, with one half going through the other and no externally viewable pivot. It's what you see on tools where you need to apply more force, usually combined with hardened steel. This is overkill for plastic, and the blade shape on such side cutters is often heavier to match, making them less handy in tight spaces such as sprues. It is ideal for working with metals though; these wire-crafting pliers are ideal for bending brass rod or holding to shove it in a tight pinning hole, and can easily bend copper or silver rod into rings - it's about 8 years old and still in perfect working order! My metal-cutting side cutters I use for brass rod or heavy duty cutting (tabs on feet for example, when I can't be bothered to get out the piercing saw) are also a box joint, and a chunky boi.

 

In summary, you can often tell a lot about the quality of the tool from the joint - single rivet joints are cheap, and can range from total crap to OK (but may not last); lap joints are an indicator of a tool expected to work well for a long time with plastic, but steel quality and machining tolerances is also a factor; a box joint is what you want for heavy duty work in particular.

 

For reference, the army painter frame cutter is a single rivet joint, while the precision side cutter is a box joint - it's explictly sold as suitable for cutting metal as well as plastic, so this makes sense - you can see the joint here:

 

 

 

I just received my Tamiya side cutter snips and .... HOLY [bLEEP] these are clearly the best snips, by a wide margin, that I've used for the hobby. Unlike the others I have used including GW's over-priced mediocre quality snips, these feel 100% solid construction and quality!

 

Cutting plastic off the sprue feels like I'm cutting a heavier weight of copy paper lol!

 

Amazing.