Foamcore and Rubber Cement: Don't ever use rubber cement with foam core. The fumes deteriorate the foam interior. I glued, with rubber cement, some reproductions of art work to foam core and then stacked about 30 large pictures together. The foam reduced half in size on most of the boards just from the fumes.

Mary Ann

Lee Valley Mitre Cutters: Lee Valley Tools #25K09.01  Mitre Shears  $17.50 Canadian (approximately 12.00 US) #25K09.21 Replacement Blade  $4.50 (approximately $3.00 US) Information from Lee Valley Fine Woodworking Tools 1999/2000 Catalog Pg. 206 www.leevalley.com

Debi Kolenchuk

Mitering: There have been a number of posts about the use of the tool called Miter Master. This is an excellent tool for certain uses. If you are shingling a miniature house and need to many shingles at an angle to fit in the valley of intersecting roofs, this tool will save a lot of time and do a very good job.

If you are building furniture or want to make PRECISE miters for picture frames, this tool will not cut verticle edges on the miters, therefore not allowing a tight neat miter joint. The cutting action of this tool is similar to cutting with wire cutting pliers.

I have been using a mitering device called "Dobson Miter Rite" for many years. It is a precision mitering tool which makes use of very fine toothed razor saw ( 54 teeth/inch). It locks in the 90 degree position for cutting straight pieces and can be set to any angle ( in 1 degree increments) either side of 90 degrees. It is easily clamped to the edge of your bench or table. It will very easily handle all the trims used in miniature
house or furniture construction.

The "chopper" which was also mentioned uses the same type of cutting action and again is not accurate enough for picture frames or other trim that needs to fit tightly together.

The Miter Rite is available from MicroMark on page 37 of their newest catalog. It will last a lifetime given reasonable care.

Garry Cosine

Metric Measurements: I have this wonderful stainless steel ruler that is inches on one edge and metric on the other edge. On the back are conversion tables. This ruler comes in a 6" and 12" length and can be purchased rather inexpensively from the Micro-Mark catalog. I have no affiliation with them, but could probably take out stock for all that I've purchased there. Their web site is www.micromark.com. and just for grins and giggles, the item #'s are: 6" ruler #10114 and 12"ruler #10115.

Judi

Sanding Disks: I replace sanding disks on the Dremel sander by using rubber cement. I've been doing this for 15 years and it hasn't been a problem.

Fannye

Jarmac Tilt Table Sander: I love mine- it is one of my favorite tools. The sanding discs have a peel off backing and are easily applied and removed. I get mine through Micro-Mart and have been using it for years.

Corded sander/filer - HATE IT! you can buy mine for $30 and it has hardly been used. I do such fine detail that it is just too clumsy for me.

Sue Thwaite

Jarmac Sander: The thing I dislike about it is it turns too fast and can burn the wood if you are running fine paper. I run mine on an older Dremel speed control. It cuts down on the power but if you are careful it works fine. I have not had any problem with it leaving streaks on my wood. I move the wood being sanded, back and forth across the face of the disc as I sand it. If you glue on the disks as you are supposed to it is Heck To remove them. If you use the proper cement you can remove them with solvent. Automotive paint supply houses carry stick on disks for DA sanders which are easily removed.

Bill Hudson

Easy Sander From Scraps Of Wood: Make a small table, about 8" square from 3/4" plywood, MDF, or MDO (medium density overlay). Pick one edge and sand smooth and square. Glue and nail on a fence absolutely square 90 degrees, to this edge. Now take a piece of 2x2 (check for square) about 6" long. Glue medium grit sandpaper on one side and fine grit on the opposite side. This block with sandpaper slides against the front of the table. I like to put the paper just so it is slightly below the level of the table top. By placing the stick to be sanded square against the fence pushing it against the sanding block as it is moved, you can sand the end of the stick square and true. Buy good, small drafting triangles and use them to hold the wood at desired angles for miter sanding.

Bill Hudson

Dremel Bits: Ask your dentist for some old dental burrs. They work in the Dremel and you can drill the tiniest things.

Alberta

Ruler: I have found a ruler that has helped me tremendously with measuring, marking, etc. It's thin metal, and is bent in a right angle and there are *slits* for every single mark on the ruler where you can lay the ruler on your wood and mark with a thin lead pencil through the slit

Mary Lynne

Cutting brass tube: We cut a lot of brass tube in my Guild School classes. There are two ways to do it that I like most. First is use a fine X-Acto saw and cut it in a miter box. It doesn't hurt the saw. I am still using the same saw blade I got in 1948. Of course I have bought many others but the old one still cuts nicely.

Second method: ***Be very careful doing this one.*** Take an old X-Acto knife blade in a handle. Lay the tube on a flat surface. Place the cutting edge of the blade across the point where you want to cut the tube. Press down on the blade against the tub and with your other hand roll the tube forward and backward. The blade will work into the tube scoring it. If you have scored it deep enough you can now snap the tube in two at the score. This takes practice. At first you will probably run a threaded looking score line. This is happens because the blade is not square across the tube. Practice on dowel because it is also a good way to cut dowel.

Bill Hudson

Cutting tubing: I missed what kind of tubing someone asked about cutting. There is a tubing cutter on the market. It's made by K.S. Engineering. The number is KSE296 and it cuts tubing 1/16"-5/8" o.d. Retails for $3.95. Any dollhouse shop should be able to get it for you. I have one and it works great. If anyone wants one and can't get it contact me.

Sandy

Cutting brass tube: I use a very thin (.010" thick as I recall) abrasive wheel that is 4" in diameter. I put it in a 4" table saw and cut brass tube, rod, strips etc. Will also cut copper, aluminum, steel or most anything else. The wheels cost about $10.00 and should last for years.

Tom Berkner

My most used tool in minis is the old fashioned "stork scissors" that are available at sewing centers for embroidery, etc. They are so sharp and "pointy" that they work for almost everything.

Val Foster

Glue for Chrysnbon: Since there has been a bit of discussion about Chrysnbon lately, thought I'd mention the glue that I've been using to put their kits together.

I used to buy Testor's plastic cement in a little red and white tube. It is difficult to use, as you try to dab a tiny bit on a joint these little "fly away hairy threads" are everywhere.

Then, when I was in a railway modeling store the owner recommended Testor's plastic cement in a little bottle. It has a brush in it – like a nail polish bottle. When you look at it you think it couldn't possibly hold anything as the liquid looks as thin as water. But, it holds incredibly well and brushes on so easily and neatly.

Paula Foerder

Model Cement: Testors also makes a great Plastic Model Cement pen! :) You just depress the felt tip to start the cement flow. It works like a charm and is very tidy to use. I have glued things to my fingers before using it........lol!

Leslie

Re-sawing Wood: I presume you will be standing boards on edge and sawing them to get thinner thicknesses (now there's 2 technical words for you!!!). You will need a fence that is as high or nearly as high as the wood is on edge for really firm support, long enough to support the entire piece, and the fence should ride in the slot in the table for accuracy. Ideally its distance from the blade would be adjustable with a wing nut or something, so this would be at least a 2 piece jig. Attaching the wood to be cut to the jig is the rub.

If you do it from the back of the jig into the wood to be cut, with screws, you will lose the depth of the screws, but that gives you some wood. Some kinds of double faced tape are strong enough to do routing, so I would think that might work. Ideally, of course, you would have a planer to do this thicknessing, but with the table saw you can do lots of other things as well.

Barb Jones

Glue Syringes: I don't always have good luck with this, but I have been told not to fill syringe completely full. Put plunger in and pull back to the end, set it up on plunger, let it all drain down and then if you have any bubbles of air, hold over your glue bottle and push plunger until air bubbles are out. Sometimes it works for me and the glue doesn't ooze out, and sometimes, I just am not able to get all air out. Hope it works for you.

Betty Martin

I found that keeping the syringe on its side is the best. As it fills you can tip it up so that the air escapes as it fills. When full enough replace the plunger. It is best if you don't fill too full. the plunger is easier to work.

Carol J. Shea

Glue syringe filling: A tip on refilling glue syringes, to keep the air out. A video I borrowed had a great technique (but I haven't actually tried it yet). First, pour the glue slowly and steadily down one (in)side of the syringe, so you don't get a bubble at the end. Then put a piece (about 6" or so) of med. weight wire in the syringe, sticking out the big end, and slide in the plunger. The wire makes a gap in the rubber seal of the plunger so air can get out. Remove the wire. Use a bit of the plastic tie from a price tag to seal the tip between uses.

Lee Menconi