PLIERS
Mini pliers are great for a lot of things. Snapping very thick plasticard, holding and twisting metal parts and wires, destroying old models to loot for parts. Well, that last one was pretty ork specific but it’s worth mentioning.
I picked up a set of 6 rubber-handled pliers of different shapes for probably less than $10. There was a bent-nose, straight, rounded, square end, a sidecutter and a nipper. These should be all the pliers you need to make models. Yes, some of them are technically “cutters” but they came as a nice set so that’s how I presented them – and the photo looks pretty too!
CLAMPS
This same type of bargain bin is where I found very small clamps of very cheap make that didn’t have the Super He-Man grip most clamps do. Too much pressure can damage whatever your working on. These are perfect for larger works like vehicles or buildings for terrain projects.
FORCEPS
Forceps, or locking pliers are another great tool to have. I use these to hold the model I’m working on instead of pin vices or scratch made model holders. Get them whenever you can but they’re not necessary.
TWEEZERS
Pretty basic tool. Some are long and have needle like ends, some have flat edges. I think the best tip I can give about tweezers is get something that won’t cramp your hand after holding it closed for a while. Best option would be a spring loaded reverse tweezer. This one is normally closed and you squeeze it to open it. I use four or five different types of tweezers.
“HELPING HANDS”
As dirty as the name of this sounds, it’s a really great tool. This particular tool had been around for ages and is usually seen in electronic hobbies. There are some with many other “appendages” and other tools besides clamps, like magnifying glasses and specialty holders too. I’ve removed the magnifier that came with mine and only use the two clamps.
This tool is extremely helpful in putting multi-part metal models together and can hold parts together while they’re setting so you don’t have to. This is much more a factor when assembling metal models but some care does need to be taken as the alligator clips are usually pretty strong and can mar the soft metals. In this pic you can see a helpful tip in preventing that – wrapping the jaws in masking tape. This keeps the sharp teeth in the alligator clamps from scratching or harming your models.