What are your"go to tools" for layout and benchwork building?

Not a power tool, but when building benchwork don't forget the importance of a good level. I have an Eco-tech by Johnson. Very high quality and made in the USA. My speed-square also came in handy.

Battery operated drill , a good screwdriver and needle nose pliers. A good set of eyes would help too.

DeWalt 12v cordless drill, matching flashlight and Dremel (380-6, a really old one). Hand tools for everything else. Had eyes fixed a couple years ago, cataract surgery, working much, much better now!

(Edit: Actually I have 2 of the DeWalt 12v drills. I liked the first one so well I later got a second one that was a 'no box' sale item at Home Depot. It was an offer I just couldn't refuse!)

Battery powered drill and assorted sizes of drywall screws. I second the importance of a level...I still use my dad's. 

Tom 

4 hand drills Craftsman and B&D are my long term survivors, and a small Ryobi press do holes. 

2 Dremel (one is a Dayton) and a Milwaukee and DeWalt 5" angle griders do on the spot cuts and grinding. "Toy" Dayton and Large Thor for bench grinds.

Needlenose- GreatNeck compound type for grip. Worth it, and the compound side cutters are awsome too. Don't pass these up, I rarely use my old ones anymore.

 A small stainless plier set for soldering to parts, not tools. A set of blunted top cutters for closing tubular on pins stops fits of swearing. The small Craftsman set works, but is brittle. Medical grade hemostats are good too.

  Many screwdrivers, but magnetic and screw holding by blade arms are gems. For track, screw bit sleeve guides are nice to stop screw flop.

  I keep high power soldering guns, because I hate waiting for irons to heat. A digital level with lazer & beep , four sizes of machinist's slide squares(ones a three footer), 3 tape measures; fat and skinny and taylors, and a few yard sticks to mark up.

Oh, and the last tool used.... a 5 gallon Shop Vac with a filter

Makita laser chop saws, Bosch saber saws, table saws, angle head screw guns, 12 & 18 volt battery guns, air cleaners and power vac w/ 4" pickups, oscillating  cylinder sander,  Porter Cable 5" hand sanders, 12" table disk sander,  matching width 2', 3', 4', 6', 8' levels.  The four foot levels are graduated in 1 degree increments.  360 degree laser,  scores of squeeze clamps, bar clamps & pipe clamps.  Several dremels with flex and angle heads, trim and plunge routers, pneumatic brad and crown guns,  roll around air compressors  air filters, drill press,  Roller chair for under layout work,  Head mounted LED work light, 28 db ear phones, safety glasses, variety of convention and resistance soldering guns and torches/.  Carry racks for wire reels.  Plus racks and tool boxes for every tool so I can get them easily and replace them properly.

Tom T. you are over equipped !!  Really my most important tool is a keen eye !!

My favorites:  

Dewalt 12v drill and impact driver. 

Ridgid and porter cable circular saws. 

1960s craftsman table saw  

B and D miter saw from my Dad  

Dewalt 20v battery sliding miter  

Bosch jig saw 

Fein multi master (don't know what I did before I got this tool)  

And not to forget:  Dry cut saw and mig welder for bridge construction. 

You only need two, a screw driver and a hammer. 

Dave

Especially a BIG hammer !!

david1 posted:

You only need two, a screw driver and a hammer. 

Dave

Same for my future layout. Maybe two screw drivers if someone helps me build the Mianne bench work. 

jim pastorius posted:

Especially a BIG hammer !!

Yes!!!!  A BMFH as I remember.

Fortunately, I used Mianne benchwork and was able to get Home Depot to make most of the cuts on the plywood/homosote decking, so that simplified my life considerably. Beyond that, my DeWalt cordless drill has been indispensable. My second necessity is an old Craftsman circular saw for the few cuts I couldn't get HD to do. I do have a 10" Craftsman table saw and 10" chop saw which are also helpful at times. Beyond that, as Norm Abram says, you can never have too many clamps (and I definitely don't have enough of those) - as I work alone, I prefer the trigger type clamps that can be tightened/loosened with one hand.

We all can expand this question to:  "what procedures do you use to set up a layout/benchwork?"

One offering would be four levels to bring the frame work flat and level with adjustable feet. 

Building layouts in basically a module format, whether it be stick built or Mianne, I find it helpful to use a four  levels in a rectangular picture frame arrangement while adjusting the leveler feet.  This gives me the ability of keeping score of how well each adjustment is progressing without repositioning this old body to reset a single level on four edges as the adjustment is progressing.

This is most  important with flat deck two rail format.  Three rail is more forgiving and leveling during open grid construction could be confined to setting the risers although that is a tad sloppy IMO.

Also, a masons line is very helpful.  Usually of a strong contrasting color and it holds a straight run.

Plus a well fed chalk line is indispensable.  White chalk cleans off easily.   Color chalks can stain.

For around the wall benchwork, rent or buy a self leveling 360 degree laser.  They  can not be beat and prices have really dropped.  You could use a water level but that can get a tad cumbersome  in a medium to large setting.  When working in a large area consider many datum reference markings.  HVAC plant,  tanks, vertical pipes, stairs,  door ways.  You have no idea how or where you may wish to expand in later years and these reference marks will then be very helpful.   Don't worry about what height, just establish a common datum line from which all measurements can be made.

Note the hard to see 3" horizontal dash lines near the top of the second and fourth stud.  I place these around the entire train room.

For those using Mianne benchwork, while you might plan and lay it out, Mianne actually builds the bench work which you then assemble when it's delivered. Sorta like IKEA furniture for model railroaders.

A staple gun if you opt for cork road bed and a Utility knife . Seems like everything else is covered. Either way there will be a few trips to the hardware store for a tool or two along the way.

I find the tools I use most often are an old school Sears Craftsman power drill with a looooong cord; a pair of fine tip locking needlenose pliers, small standard head and phillips screwdrivers - but then again, my layout isn't wood. It's foam board atop a crawlspace.

Well let me see, I rarely go into my train room without one of my impact drivers.  At the moment I am in the process of installing a siding off of the mainline.  I use the impact driver to remove and install screws...makes it real easy!  As for bench work, I have several powered miter saws that I used along with my Delta table saw.  The impact driver was also used because I screw everything together in case I want to change something later.  I used my table saw to cut the plywood for the top of the  layout, but a good circular saw would also do the trick.  I have been doing cabinet work for years, so I have just about any tool that I would ever need. 

Tom Tee posted:

We all can expand this question to:  "what procedures do you use to set up a layout/benchwork?"

One offering would be four levels to bring the frame work flat and level with adjustable feet. 

Building layouts in basically a module format, whether it be stick built or Mianne, I find it helpful to use a four  levels in a rectangular picture frame arrangement while adjusting the leveler feet.  This gives me the ability of keeping score of how well each adjustment is progressing without repositioning this old body to reset a single level on four edges as the adjustment is progressing.

This is most  important with flat deck two rail format.  Three rail is more forgiving and leveling during open grid construction could be confined to setting the risers although that is a tad sloppy IMO.

Also, a masons line is very helpful.  Usually of a strong contrasting color and it holds a straight run.

Plus a well fed chalk line is indispensable.  White chalk cleans off easily.   Color chalks can stain.

For around the wall benchwork, rent or buy a self leveling 360 degree laser.  They  can not be beat and prices have really dropped.  You could use a water level but that can get a tad cumbersome  in a medium to large setting.  When working in a large area consider many datum reference markings.  HVAC plant,  tanks, vertical pipes, stairs,  door ways.  You have no idea how or where you may wish to expand in later years and these reference marks will then be very helpful.   Don't worry about what height, just establish a common datum line from which all measurements can be made.

 

Note the hard to see 3" horizontal dash lines near the top of the second and fourth stud.  I place these around the entire train room.

It is obvious this man is a professional Nick

The only tools I'm allowed to use are a hammer and a pair of pliers.

I can also use a screwdriver...with supervision. 

DeWalt 10" table saw.  DeWalt 18 volt battery drills, circular saw, recip. saw.  Kreg pocket joining system.  Hand tools.

OGR Webmaster posted:

The only tools I'm allowed to use are a hammer and a pair of pliers.

I can also use a screwdriver...with supervision. 

Then I guess a power screwdriver is totally out of the question