tools of the trade

[teen steam fan]

Good exacto knifes, the same ones you can find at Tractor supply where you get the three handles are a god deal, and the harbor freight ones aren't have bad either.

[Hamltnblue]

If you can add a dremel that would be a big deal.  I had no idea when I bought My Wife her dremel that I would use it soo much. .  It has several uses on the layout.

[rambo1]

I wish my wife thought like her ! rambo1..

[ihmr]

thanks for the welcome! i don't foresee myself hanging around here much....unless i need something, like now. i mostly agreed to the small layout as a way for the hubs and our 4.5 year old who is obsessed with trains already (i'm beginning to think it's genetic!) to stay connected and to have something to do after the baby is born when a fair amount of my time is occupied. my husband is also in the navy, so daddy works A LOT, even when he's not deployed. i figured that my son was old enough now that he can handle following the rules and understanding that trains with daddy aren't the wooden thomas trains he plays with on his bedroom floor! see, what my husband doesn't realize, is that i held out for so long that now he doesn't have to test his patience on a toddler and his model trains! ;D

[cowman]

I agree, he's a lucky man. 

Good start on the tool collection. 

My wife designated a nice large room as the "train room", without my asking, while our house was under construction after a fire.  Unfortunately she got trumped by a son returning home (married him off again), her mother coming to live with us (put her in a trailer next door), now second son has returned to the nest (will have to work on that).  Will have to get busy and fill with trains when he moves on.  Though she doesn't participate, she has no  problem with the things I've done so far.  (Figures it is cheaper than a psycotrist).  Even asked for and got an N scale that she sets up at Christmas.  Recently asked for a couple more buildings, maybe there's hope.

There are many fine layouts on a door.  The folding legs are a good idea too.

By the way, welcome to the forums.  Hope you and the new arrival can enjoy working with him on his passion.  We'll be waiting to hear about progress and the new arrival.

Have fun,

[Fazby]

Safety glasses and a first aid kit. (Seriously!)

Soldering iron.

Metal ruler (for a straight edge as well as measuring.)

A selection of screws (I really recommend McFeeley's square drive) 

A set of "small" screwdrivers (like for eyeglasses, that kind of small)

Xacto knives and blades

 

 

[ihmr]

thanks for all the advice, so far! for $125 i got him a rotary tool set that comes with like 60 bits/attachments and a handy little case, and a 19.2V cordless drill w/ 30 piece tool set that includes a hammer, tape measure, level, pliers, wrenches, etc, and it all fits into it's own handy case! i'd say that's a pretty good start for now. :D he's not new to MR'ing, we just didn't have the space to accommodate a layout (and my willingness to put one in the KITCHEN!) until now. he knows ALL the in's and out's of what he's doing....he grew up doing it with his father. i, oops...i mean HE, also has 3-4 more boxes of back issues of model railroader magazines sitting in the nursery (baby is due in 6.5 weeks!), full of all the ideas he could ever need! this is in addition to the 3 or so boxes he's already gone through cutting out individual articles and has since put them into plastic sleeves in a giant binder. MR'ing consumes him, more than i can appreciate some times. but now, he's got the go-ahead to do a layout, again, IN MY KITCHEN, so he's chosen to do one on a standard door with folding table legs. this was what we came to an agreement on!

[Medina1128]

I already had the Dremel tool, so the two tools I bought that I got the most use out of were a cordless drill and a table saw.

[SpaceMouse]

 I'll ditto the Dremmel Tool.

And don't worry if he seems like it doesn't like it or doesn't immediately figure out what it is for. Eventually it will become a favorite.

[cudaken]

ihmr

His birthday is today and I'd like to get him something to get his tool set started, but I don't want to by just any old power tool if it's not something that will get a lot of use, specifically on his layout.

 

 My wife thinks I am the power tool! Far as power tool for cutting lumber, depending on how big he is making his layout I am not sure if it would be worth buying. Home Depot will cut lumber to sizes now, so if he knows the sizes he needs, they will cut it to fit.

 My self, I would like to have a gift card to Home Depot or a Loews. He will be going there quit a bit looking for odds and ends. 

  My the way, your husband is a lucky man.

            Ken   

[Seamonster]

I'll second the idea of a Dremel tool. Get one with variable speed. You might be able to get one that comes with a kit of attachments like small drill bits, cutoff wheels, grinding stones, wire brushes, etc. As far as big power tools go, I think a drill (preferably cordless) is the #1 power tool to have. In my opinion, a sabre saw would be the #2 tool to have. He's going to want to cut some lumber and lacking a circular saw, a sabre saw can be quite versatile.

[foxtrackin]

Dremmel tools always come in handy. lots of different tools in one

[ihmr]

my husband is preparing to start his first layout, but we don't own any power tools other than the drill. his birthday is today and i'd like to get him something to get his tool set started, but i don't want to by just any old power tool if it's not something that will get a lot of use, specifically on his layout. HELP! p.s. N scale is his scale of choice.