Introduction
Model trains are scaled models and replicas of real-life trains that can even run on tracks to mimic an actual train. These models are made with a range of materials and can be powered by electricity, steam, or other sources.
What Influences the Complexity of a Model Train?
The complexity of a model train is influenced by a range of factors. A design with a lot of hyper-realistic detail offers excellent aesthetic appeal. But it also makes the model difficult to make as a lot of intricate details have to be added. The complexity is also influenced by the scale opted for by the modeler. The scale decides how small or large the elements of your model will be, dictating how easy or difficult it will be to work on the model.
There are large scales like HO (1:87) or the O scale (1:48), and there are smaller scales like the N scale (1:160). A small scale requires more detail and precision than a larger one. Even the type of train affects the complexity of the model. For example, a steam locomotive has more moving parts than an electric engine. The more parts to assemble and operate, the more skill required to build the model. For more information on model train scales, you can read our Guide to Selecting a Model Train Set.
Also, the train model will become more complex if a modeler wants to add even the smallest detail, like the effect of aging. In other words, models can be as complex as the modeler wants, but even simple models require some skills and proper tools.
Model Train building requires excellent precision, skill, a keen aesthetic sense, and the know-how of technical working of the train. Yet, even with all of that, to make a finished model, the modeler will require the right and relevant power tools. With that being said, let’s explore more about different power tools needed in model train building.
Why Use Power Tools for Model Train Building?
Power tools offer a range of advantages when building a train model. They can save time and effort and can come in handy as they can expedite many of the processes such as sanding, drilling, and sawing. For example, a manual saw or a file can take a lot of time and effort to manually shave, cut or shape the wood or metal. A power tool with a blade running at thousands of rpm can complete the same job in minutes.
Moreover, power tools allow for better control and precision. This ensures more accuracy and precision in the model. A drill, for example, can help make straight and even holes in the wood. Power tools allow more diversification in terms of the materials being used. With a little change of a blade, the same power tool can be used to work on wood and metal. A circular saw is another example, which is often used to cut wood as well as metal.
Additionally, power tools can allow a more sophisticated design. There are many specialized power tools that can be used to add intricate details to the design, as they can reach corners and places where it might be difficult for human hands to reach.
Power tools can make model train building less fatiguing and excruciating. Traditional tools require a lot of labor and time, whereas power tools don’t, allowing modelers to be more creative as they can experiment with more designs at the same time using less energy and effort.
Types of Power Tools
Handheld power tools
Offering the convenience of being carried around and operated, handheld power tools are probably the best option for beginners. They can be powered through a battery, a mounted electricity socket, or compressed air (Pneumatic tools). Here are a few basic handheld power tools that beginners should be familiar with.
Rotary Tool
This tool operates a bit that can be interchanged according to the application. The tool operates by spinning the bit at high speeds and is mostly used for drilling, sanding, grinding, cutting, and etching designs and shapes on the base material.
Miniature Circular Saw
These handheld electrical saws are primarily used for sawing through thin sheets of wood, plastic, and metals. They have different speed controls and depth settings that can be adjusted according to the purpose or material.
Cordless Drill
This Power tool is primarily used to drill holes and is powered by rechargeable batteries. The chuck that holds the drill bits can also drive screws to fix and rivet various elements on the model.
Hot Wire Foam Cutter
A foam cutter shapes and cuts through foam seamlessly to make precise shapes and designs. They use a thin wire that heats up when current passes through it. The wire melts through the foam, allowing it to make well-defined shapes and designs.
Miniature Table Saw
This miniature saw is used to slice through thin sheets and pieces of wood, plastic, metal, or other similar material. Powered by batteries or electricity, it can be fixed on a table and houses a strong, sharp blade that spins at high speed to cut through wood.
Stationary power tools
Mostly used by experienced modelers, these power tools are fixed and mounted on some surface. They are usually used for more advanced projects due to their high-tech features and cost.
Drill Press
This drill press has a stationary adjustable base and a rotating spindle that holds the drill bit above the base. This spindle is lowered using the rotating lever to make holes through the material as the bit spins at high speeds..
Band Saw
A band saw uses a continuous blade adjusted to different depths to cut through wood, plastic, and metal. It can also be set at various angles. This makes it a suitable tool for creating customizable shapes and designs.
Scroll Saw
A scroll saw is a stationary power tool with a thin sharp blade mounted on the arm. This arm can be maneuvered over a circular work table where the working material is placed, cut or shaped. The flexibility of operation allows the modeler to make precise and customizable shapes.
Table Saw
This saw has a blade protruding through the middle of the table. The blade can be adjusted to different depths and angles to cut various sizes of wood or metal. It is best used for rip and straight cuts.
Disc Sander
This stationary tool has a round vertical sanding disc mounted on a working surface facing the disc. It is used for sanding and smoothing surfaces.
Importance of Power Tools in Model Train Building
Power tools offer many benefits in model train building, allowing a modeler to make a well-defined, elaborate, and intricate model with finesse and finish.
Precision
Power tools aid in consistent cutting, sanding, and drilling of shapes and pieces. This allows for well-finished designs and also makes it easier to work with small elements. A modeler can make precise designs that can be shaped down to the last millimeter.
Efficiency
Power tools save time. They can cut, shape, and sand large blocks and pieces of material in a matter of seconds or minutes, which can otherwise take hours. This also leaves the modeler time to work on more elements and details, allowing for a more detailed, creative, and finished train model.
Safety
With safety features like blade guards, sorted cords and cables, automatic shut-off, safety triggers, kickback prevention, and many more, power tools are safe to work with.
Quality
A modeler can make precise, accurate, and even cuts using power tools. They also allow efficient, smooth sanding and drilling. All of this can result in a hyper-realistic and compelling model that delivers great aesthetic value.
How to Choose the Right Power Tools for Model Train Building?
Choosing the right tools can greatly influence the quality of the final models. Here are some factors to consider to make sure you choose the right tools.
Material
Know and understand the material you are working with. Materials like softwood or plastic can be easily cut with low power tools. However, hardwood or metal will need a powerful, durable and heavy-duty power tool. Choose the tool after deciding and gauging the working material and the type of model.
Scale
A small-scale model will require precise and delicate tools to work with the small elements. On the other hand, a large-scale model will demand bigger, more powerful tools as the strength and thickness of the working material will differ significantly.
Budget
Building a Train model on a budget can be challenging. You have to ensure a balance between buying an expensive top-of-the-line product against other important elements. But still, since tools are mostly a one-time investment, it’s worth buying durable tools that will last for many projects.
Experience Level
There are many small bits and pieces with smaller price tags that end up summing into a big amount. Understand the level of skills you are at. When starting, buy basic, less expensive tools and gradually go for expensive ones when you can handle and maintain them.
Tips for Using Power Tools in Model Train Building
Wear Protective Gear
Safety is paramount, and when working with sharp tools like saws and nails, it is necessary that you wear protective gear. A dust mask, safety goggles, and gloves must always be worn as there is dust, debris, and shrapnel that can hurt the eyes and exposed skin.
Keep the Work Area Clean and Organized
This will enable easier cleaning and lessen the risk of accidents and injuries. It will also increase the life of the tools and allow for easier maintenance of the train model and the tools.
Measure Twice, Cut Once
Once you cut your material, there is no going back. Always take multiple measurements to get an accurate reading and then run the drill or the saw on the wood or sheet of metal.
Practice on Scrap Material First
It is better to do a dry run with scrap or waste material, especially if you are a beginner or trying a new technique. This will help you understand the motion of the tools and save material.
Conclusion
Model Train Building has a long history, and the art has evolved over the years. Modelers constantly explore ways to make more natural-looking models. In this endeavor, power tools come in handy. They offer precision, accuracy, and convenience in making intricate designs. They also diversify the range of materials you can use and save time and effort for the modeler to think and experiment with more elements and styles, thus allowing more creativity to be expressed in the model.