Rahmat from ai69 Metal Work got a hold of me after reading my review of the TMP Chisel. He offered to send me a couple of modeling tools he was working on in exchange for some honest opinions.
I received 6 tool bits along with 2 handles to play around with.
The tools are made of Tungsten Carbide and the workmanship looks good.
But people say the proof is in the pudding so after trying out for a bit of time, here are some quick thoughts of the tools he sent over.
Chisel Hook
This would be the chisel to go with if you’re after a straight line as it’s the easiest to use this way: line up against the guide and simply pull towards you.
The hook leaves behind a clean line with minimal clean-up required.
Scriber
I’ve been using a needle + pinvise combo for quite some time as I haven’t found anything better. The ai69 scriber is heck of a lot sharper for scribing lines. It’s also heavier than a needle so it’s easier to use for making circular scribes. I like this one a lot and the tip looks like it will maintain its sharpness for quite a while.
Chisel
The chisels work the same way as the TMP ones, with the difference being these need to be inserted into a handle. The TMP chisels are heavier so they are easier to use especially when pushing to make the lines. For freehand work though, I think the ai69 chisels will be easier to use since the handle is longer and holding a cylinder feels more natural than a cuboid.
Bevel (Chamfer)
Now we come to the most interesting item in the pack, a bevel to chamfer plastic. It is however hard to use and requires some practice to get right. I find that it works better when pulling towards me but it works by pushing away also. The challenge comes from getting an even chamfer across the whole width of the work. You will also note that part of the bit scrapes the top of the sample plate. I think more practice will prevent or minimize this from happening.
Bevel (Curve)
This bevel creates er… curves on the edges of your plastic part and is easier to use than the chamfer version. I find that it’s easier to control when pulled towards vs pushed away from me. Like the chamfer though, it takes some practice to get the curve to be consistent across the the whole length.
So what can I conclude from all this?
- They all perform as advertised, although some will require practice especially the bevels
- They are all very sharp and will handle any plastic you can throw at them (I used them on Tamiya and Bandai plastic for this article)
- The long handles that the bits will come with makes them easier to hold and store than the bar-like style of the TMP chisels.
The bits are made once he has enough orders and range in price from 75,000 IDR to 200,000 IDR per bit. He has packaged deals if you order multiples. Do drop Rahmat a message on his Facebook or ai69’s Facebook page or WhatsApp +6281279361389 if you have any inquiries. If you’re overseas I’m sure something can be arranged also.
Disclaimer: I was asked to give my honest opinion of the tools in exchange for getting them for free. Before publishing this article I offered to pay for the tools but Rahmat refused the payment.
~ Review courtesy of ai69 Metal Work
