If you have been considering the purchase of a Dremel® "MOTO TOOL" for modeling use, now may be the time. Not long ago, I got one of the new Model 395 tools to replace mine, which had several years of hard use. They have made some changes to make a good tool even better. The motor is now much stronger but no larger in size. You can easily drill a hole up to 1/8" without loading down the motor or turning up the speed too high.

The speed is controlled by a 5-position slide switch on the tool body. I was using a separate speed controller, but it's no longer required. The slowest speed is fine for drilling, and the highest is used for grinding or cut-off wheels. The shank of the tool, closest to the chuck, is now a long taper down to a size, which is much easier to hold in your fingers for fine drilling or cutting.

You now get the same graduated chucks, like the previous models, but you also get a larger hand adjustable chuck which needs no wrench. This is much more convenient when drilling different size holes requiring several drill changes. You are cautioned not to use this chuck at higher speeds, however. Use only the smaller chucks for high speed. Read and observe all safety precautions included with the tool.

All was not well when I got my new tool, however. I tried it out and it simply didn't run. I called Dremel® and explained that it seemed to be a bad switch. They were very apologetic and said they had a discovered a group of bad switches in their parts. They sent me a new tool via U.P.S., who also picked up my bad one, all at no further cost to me. If you do have a problem, they don't hesitate to make it good!

Be advised that the old Dremel® accessories don't fit the new model tool, they have their own. This is now clearly marked on all packages when you buy them. If you want to make a modeling investment to make your work a little easier and more enjoyable, I recommend this new Dremel® tool.

We get used to using certain tools or brand names in the hobby, and sometimes forget that other sources can be just as good or better. One excellent source for modeling tools is the "Micro-Mark" company, which advertises in the pages of Model Railroader. A look through their catalog can give many ideas to make things easier.

I recently invested in some of their surgical scalpel blades. These are excellent quality stainless steel, sharpened to a razor edge. They must be handled with care, since they are as sharp as any razor blade. They are much sharper and more durable than an Xacto™ blade. They don't dull when used for such modeling jobs as trimming plastic flash or cardboard. One of these blades will outlast several of the others.

I discovered that the handle offered for these blades is not as easy to use as an Xacto™ handle. However, a blade will fit just right into the Xacto™ handle No. 1, which is the smallest diameter round handle from Xacto™. These handles are available now with a clear safety cap, which is a good investment to protect your fingers and the blade when not in use.

The Micro-Mark catalog offers these and many other small tools to make your modeling more enjoyable.

When Connie was a "work-in-progress" I needed to cut thin (<10 mils thick) brass shim stock without it curling. To do this I purchased (hello Lowe's) a strip of steel 1/8" x 1/2" stock and cut it into two 6" pieces. Clamp the two pieces together so they are smooth and parallel to each other then drill 1/4" holes a 1/2" back from either end. Use 1/4" x 1/2" bolts w/nuts to keep them together. If you want to get fancy drill 3/16" holes into the paired strips then open up both holes in ONE steel strip to accommodate threading with a 1/4" tap. The holes in the remaining strip should be open up to the bolt's clearance size.

With all the fancy modeling tools available, sometimes a simple item works best. Next time you need to apply a small amount of glue, try a safety pin.

Open the pin and bend out to a right angle. The bend and the safety head make a handle, which is easy to pick up and grip for good control. The pointed end is used to apply very small amounts of glue with no smearing.

If the glue is hard to clean off when it builds up, like "Super Glue", hold the tip over a small flame like a match for just a second. The glue will flash off and you can wipe the tip and continue.

Much has been said about "Hot Stuff" glue, some good and some bad. Some people like it fine, and others have nothing but trouble with it. I have used it for some time now, and can pass along some tips for using it (or avoiding it.)

Like most things, there are good points and bad. It is the strongest glue you can get, and will glue almost any two materials together in a very short time. About the only things it won't bond are very porous materials like bare wood, or some vinyl materials which have a lot of surface oil. It will also bond skin or clothing, but more about this later.

There are two types for modeling, "Regular" and "Gap filling". The regular is a very thin liquid, which quickly seeps between all surfaces and sets up almost immediately. The gap filling type stays more on the outside of the joint and allows a little time to shift the pieces if you don't get them lined up just right. To get the best joint, both items should be clean, with no oil on the surface. If painted, scrape off the paint at the joint. Put the parts together like you want them, preferably in a fixture of some kind to hold them. Be sure to keep your fingers away from the joint, or you may have trouble putting it down. Apply a very small amount of the glue to the joint and it's done. Bonding will only take 5 or 10 seconds and you can continue with your work.

For very small jobs, I put a few drops of glue on a small piece of waxed paper. This does not let it soak in or set up until you're done. Then use a pin or other small tool to apply a small amount to the joint. If the tool gets covered after several minutes, either scrape it off or hold it over a flame to clean it off. You must allow for a few special properties regarding use and safety. It will bond your fingers together very quickly BUT don't panic. Just gently pull your fingers apart, and it will eventually let go. If you really get a good bond, hold it under running water and gently pull until it lets go. Don't try to cut them apart, or you may cut more than glue.

If you get it on your clothes, there is NOTHING that will remove it that won't also damage the fabric. There is an acetone based remover which will eventually dissolve it, but is very slow and hard to use. With a little care, it can make your gluing jobs go a lot faster. It's also great for repairing broken items around the house that nothing else will fix.

I found a couple of items that make life a little less difficult when using "Hot Stuff". The first is the pointed cap which now comes on the "Hot Stuff" bottle. The company now puts out these caps by themselves. They're called "Hot Tips" and come in the same plastic box at four for under a dollar. Now you can replace the tip when it gets clogged.

The second is the small soft plastic bottle that the Labelle company uses for their oil. This is also now available by itself. Now, the biggest surprise of all is that the "Hot Tip" cap will fit the bottle perfectly. This combination gives an applicator bottle for "Hot Stuff" that is very easy to use. The bottle that "Hot Stuff" comes in is very stiff to squeeze, and seems to get stiffer with age. (Don't we all). The Labelle bottle is soft enough that a little pressure with the bottle in any position will start the flow. With the bottle upright, the same pressure will force some air thru the tip to help prevent clogging. When you cut the tip off the first time, get the smallest hole at the very end. Be carefull until you get used to this new combination, since very little pressure is needed.