My workbench - soldering kit

Recently I was talking to one of my mates in SE Queensland who was telling me about a gathering of British Railway Modelers of Australia members (I am the Central Queensland Unit) and they had a discussion of tool kits. This got me thinking and some posts to both the 2mm VAG and N Gauge Yahoo group about kit prompted this blog.

The photo shows what I use to make the various etched kits which are shown on here. Starting with the DSE solder station and moving clockwise there is a brass brush ($2 for a pack of three brushes - one brass, one steel and one nylon at Crazy Clark's - the Australian readers will know about this mob. I don't know of the International equivalents but below Aldi on the food chain of quality gear!); a old nail file - the type with sand or industrial diamonds impregnated rather than cuts in the metal; a 6 inch steel rule; cheap knife from Crazy Clark's - I break blades too frequently to get expensive ones - this was $2 for a handle and 10 blades (currently I still have all 10 so I mustn't have used this one to open a Humbrol tinlet...); small pointed nose pliers; the must have Swiss Army Pocket Knife - in this case one with pliers and the scissor are used to cut things from etches; the roll of solder - don't know the composition as I have had it for ages and the tag is long gone; some flux paste; and a brass scourer to clean the tip of the iron.

The only bits of this kit I would describe as "flash" is the solder station (and possibly the pocket knife, but I can hear the shudders from the purists from here - wild colonial boy moi???). The rest is pretty run of the mill stuff. The nail file was nicked from my mother over a decade ago, and is starting to wear out - not bad for 10 years of various kits (mostly plastic) and now brass and nickle silver. The other bits are what I can find out here. I have thought about the more expensive kit and I believe the posts which say once you try you won't go back, but I think of the pioneers in 2mm (N or Fine Scale) who "made do" and figure, if they can, so can I. So I do.

No actual modeling has gone on this week - too much (excuse me) work. Next week won't see much happening either as I will be away for (excuse me again) work. However, I will try and be awake enough to do something next Friday - transfers probably as there are a few things which need doing before the AMMC from BRMA (Q) the following Saturday in Brisbane.