Tools

Tools, tools, tools. Out of (morbid) curiosity, we once weighed the tools and materials that we carried with us to a job. It turned out to be 625 lbs! But, when you need something, it's great to have it. Our essential toolkit includes screwdrivers, knives, sharpeners, gages, center punches, scribers… on and on. They won't make much of a difference in your muscle mass but they are a great help. Stock up today!

 

Rigid Spatulas

Rigid Spatulas

We use our deluxe, rigid black melamine spatulas for making mannequins and other stockinette-covered Ethafoam forms. We cut a slit in the foam and use the spatula to stuff the edge of the stockinette into the slit for a neat, finished look. Very clean. Very satisfying. 7-1/2" long. Sold in packs of 4.
Watch our Rigid Spatula Demonstration on our YouTube channel. 

4-in-1 Screwdriver

4-in-1 Screwdriver

Ah, my personal favorite on the job site (and at home). This way I don't get stuck with a Phillips when I need a slotted and visa-versa. These well-made screwdrivers come with interchangeable Phillips head tips (large & small) and slotted tips (large & small) stored in the metal shaft in the red handle. Overall length: 5-1/4"

 

Security Head Screwdriver

Security Head Screwdriver

You'll need this screwdriver handle and your choice of driver bits to fasten and unfasten our security head screws. The driver handle comes "empty",  without a driver bit so be sure to also order whichever bit matches your screws.

The No. 6 Spanner Bit is for No. 6 wood screws and No. 6-32 machine screws.

The No. 8 Spanner Bit for No. 8 wood screws.

The Pin-head Phillips Bit fits all the pin-head Phillips screws.

 

Foam Knives

Foam Knives

These knives combine stiffness and sharpness, making them particularly useful for cutting shapes in Ethafoam. The square point knives are good for straight lines, while the pottery knife lends itself to making curved shapes. The sharpness of the blades on these knives permits you to cut fine, detailed shavings from Ethafoam blocks.

For best results, sharpen frequently during use - we recommend either our handy Knife Sharpener or Diamond Hone, below.

 

Pocket 2-Wheel Sharpener

Pocket 2-Wheel Sharpener

Here's a nifty little pocket-size knife sharpener that will fit easily into your tool box. The two sharpening wheels are made from diamond infused ceramic. A few strokes and your knife is ready to go!  American made... and you know we like to present things made here at home.  
Size: 3-1/2" x 5"

 

Diamond Hone

Diamond Hone

An essential companion to the foam knives or any knife!  Keeps them sharp.  Use it dry, without oil.  It sharpens very fast.  Made of industrial diamonds set into a plastic matrix, it comes with a protective leather sheath.


Drill Gauges

Drill Gauges

We use these gauges to size the brass stem of the mount before we drill into the case for installation. For a tight fit, choose a drill bit one size smaller than the stem diameter; for an easy fit, choose the same size.

 

Needlepoint Scriber

Needlepoint Scriber

A hard, fine point for scribing and marking out lines on brass, stainless steel, plexiglas, etc. Comes with four spare points stored under the cap.

 

Calipers

CalipersIndispensable when you need to know the size of the brass you're working with. The sliding action, since brass is a "self-lubricating" metal, just gets better with time.  
Divided into 16ths and mm, opens to 3.149"/ 80mm . 
Made in Germany.

 

Tweezers

Tweezers

For delicate placements, getting threads out of the way, pulling splinters, etc. Stainless steel with a fine serrated point and serrated finger grip area. 4-1/2" long, opens wide to 5/8".


Pinning Pliers

We've had made what we consider to be the easiest to use and most versatile of pinning pliers, a copy of the customized ones that we've used for over 30 years. These pliers have a groove across one jaw for a firm grip on pins and a curved nose to provide a fulcrum for leverage. Made for us in Germany.

Of polished steel with box joint construction and PVC-coated handles, 5-1/8" long.

 

Chain Nose Pliers

The chain nose plier has short round jaws which are good for making a range of angled bends. They are made of polished steel with box joint construction and PVC-coated handles. 5-1/8" long.

Forming Pliers

We're very happy to announce that the forming pliers are back! Here's our old favorite back, fresh off the boat from Germany, with jaws shaped to our specifications. One jaw is flat, one is round. We use them all the time to make either sharply angled or curved bends, as needed. Made of polished steel with box joint construction and PVC-coated handles. 5-1/8" long.

Foot/Metric Tape Measure

Foot/Metric Tape Measure

Measurement underlies all installation and mountmaking work.  This rugged Stanley retractable rule has a broad, yellow ruler surface, graduated in feet and inches on one edge and in centimeters on the other.  You'll need them both.  Overall length is 10'/3m.