Equipment thread.
Tell/show what do you use.
Beginner here what are basic tools i need to get ?
>>531939
Paper
Poverty tier: some sort of cardstock, 0.99 scissors, some sort of glue. cardstock is much better than printer paper, but may be expensive if you dont have any.
Basic tier: a craft knife. You can make a cutting mat by gluing some sheets of paper together. i eventually bought a cutting mat for $1.50 at daiso. its nice.
If you like the Gundam, you want to get the paper of another color. (Multi-pack?) Tweezers may be helpful. Small scissors may be useful. Colored markers, but not always, will support the edges. Ruler is suitable for blades and straight cut.
>>531939
DONT FORGET THE PAPER CHRYSSI
Absolute-third-world-beginner tier, based on local prices: (assuming 1$ = 21000VND)
- Disposable medical scalpel handle (1$) + Disposable scalpel blades (1$/10 blades, 5$/100pcs bulk box, durability is 1 A4 sheet/blade) for precision, or standard thin box-cutter (0.75$, 0.5$/box of 10 blades)
- Polyvinyl Acetate Glue, locally known as "Yogurt" Glue due to the similar consistency (1.2$/1kg plastic bag, will last several models)
- Cutting Mat made out of 2 newspapers (0.2$) laminated with the glue above.
- 180gsm printing paper (0.02$/A4 sheet), suspiciously look like 2 90gsm paper laminated together. Very prone to de-laminating too.
- a large sewing pin, approx 70mm long (0.1$/10pcs). Very useful for applying minuscule amount of glue, creasing and folding.
- Kit and printing prices varies. From Russian pirated copies printed at 0.15$/a4 sheet, to Polish genuine stuffs at 30$/kit plus 30$ shipping.
Current kit (after 6 years on-and-off):
- A4 cutting mat (~7$)
- Scalpel handle & blades
- Craft knife handle (2.5$), can also accept scalpel blades (slightly longer than craft blade)
- scissor
- Sewing pins
- "Yogurt" Glue
- 1 set of hole punchers and hammer, 1-10mm
- compass with the pencil end replaced with a box-cutter blade. for any circle 10-50mm
- tweezers
- A local contact with a Laser-cutting machine. This is crazy and very expensive (and require some CAD knowledge), but spending some dosh is easier on the hand than manually cutting a 20mm circle on a 3mm recycled board or 5mm wood plank. See pic related.
- clay for filling the interior
- steel wire for skeletal structures, if needed.
Pic related: my set of D&D characters I made 2 years ago.
I have a plastic cutting board and a Swiss Army Knife. They do me well. Although the SWK leaves little frayed edges, it helps if you want to leave everything in the paper then tear it out after you're finished. (like perforations)
I use letter size paper since it's so common and is just easier for the printer to handle. I've also got some color letter paper from an old paper airplane kit, but I'm afraid to put it through the laserjet because it's sorta thin and might rip.
Some tooth picks are one of my most used tools. They're great for applying a small amount of glue, mixing glues, sometimes curling paper, and whatever else you can think of. An X acto or some pen knife is also necessary like everyone already said. I have two rulers I use: one stainless steel one for cutting straight edges and making slightly more precises measurements, the other is a clear plastic one that also has a magnifier in it. I don't use the plastic one for cutting straight edges since the knife may cut into it, but it's nice mainly because it's see through. Little tiny scissors may be helpful, but I rarely use mine. I use a piece of scrap plywood for a cutting mat.
Not mentioned yet (and a bit beyond basic equip):
- Bone folder(s) for perfect creases. I recommend getting one made from actual bone, not wood or plastic. It's not really necessary, you use plenty makeshift tools instead, but the shape of bone folders is specifically designed for creasing, so you can get better results.
- Small clothespins can help a lot with assembling modular origami, or fixating flaps while the glue dries.
Absolute minimum poverty tier:
- printer paper 75gsm (Basically free)
- scissor (not those shitty plastic kids scissors. Something with a fine tip and not too big.)
- tape (Anything that adheres to paper well enough to not fall apart instantly)
- access to at least a black and white printer
Won't get great results with this without great effort though.
Good enough tier:
- stack of low density (100-140gsm) paper and a stack of high density (170-200gsm) paper.
- decent knife with a comfortable handle and replaceable blades (You will get RSI/cut yourself if you buy a crappy knife and/or use dull blades and you will die)
- one of those nice self-healing cutting boards so you don't ruin your knife blades instantly.
- angled tweezers
- consistent tacky glue that won't run everywhere and dry quickly (Don't need a lot)
- toothpicks
Can't go wrong with these. Good enough to do mostly anything.
Quality of life:
- collection of tweezers. Straight, curved, angled, self clamping, etc. (Don't get ones with teeth or made with shoddy metal that bends easily)
- containers for work in progress pieces.
- large variety of paper with a variety of gsms. A4 recommended.
- good spudger or similar. (Infinite use toothpick)
- one of those tools with the tiny metal ball tip (very handy for doing pre-fold creases and some other magic)
- thin straight edge. (Maybe steel square? great for doing clean folds and lengthy cuts you want to be straight)
- digital calipers
- various cylinders of various diameters (Very handy for curling paper without fucking it up)
- good printer (Very expensive considering the ink.)
None of these are necessary. Probably not recommended purely for this sort of stuff.
Little tip from me - instead of bone folders I use a pizza cutter for creasing. If you buy decent paper you can sharpen it like a blade and it will create PERFECT notches.
Heres some of my stuff. The jewelers glasses and reverse tweezers are super handy for small items.
>>532940
Also one more thing I use for small items, it even has a light in the top piece.
>>532146
When you are eight years old and frustrated because the bone folder isn't straight, do not try to bend it.
I want a rotary cutter blade that makes nice tiny perforations. perhaps a regular blade and a couple aluminum oxide (diamond?) abrasive sticks would yield it, tiny notches all the way around.
>>532931
>>532985
Scoring with sharp tools is great for thicker paper, but not so much for origami paper, foil and so on. Really depends on your material and project. I love bone folders because they are round enough to not damage the paper yet great to apply lots of pressure. After all, they are the traditional tool in bookbinding and other paperworks.
>>532940
What's the contraption top row, #4 from the left?
>>533025
I believe they are jewelers magnifying lenses
This is my dream, I wanna make a studio and craft origami all day
Not to thread jack...
But I am just getting into Paper Craft. I am trying to pick up a cheap/free inkjet then getting a CIS for it. I know my shit when it comes to printing ect. And I know about paper.
But I am looking to do scenery/buildings/vehicles for Warhammer 40K. I will be getting a self healing mat, good exacto knife and glue.
What paper should I get first? 110gsm? The printer I am looking at is an Epson CX4800.
>>533353
Just buy some card-stock.
>>533354
What type. And is the recommended to print on thin cheap paper the glue it to the card stock?
>>533356
depends what you're doing.
if its some simple textureless low poly mask, that's probably fine.
thicker cardstock makes sturdier builds but are harder to fold and you have to take into account thickness. a tenth of a millimeter per layer can seriously add up. 160gsm and up.
thinner cardstock is easier to fold and do intricate details but won't be as sturdy. 100-150gsm.
>>533357
Warhammer vehicles, mechs, scenery for warhammer stuff ect. Low res buildings, but the vehicles will be more detailed.
