There are a few tools that just aren’t worth the money paid for them or are just not of any particular use to this hobby. Some of them are made by well known companies and the best advice which can be offered is “buyers beware”. Most well made useful modelling tools are comprehensively discussed on different modelling forums and looking through old forum posts will enable you make well informed decisions before spending your hard earned money.

Here’s a few of the stinkers we’ve uncovered and paid for over the years.

**Note: the comments and opinions contained in this article are those of the authors’; please view them as personal opinions which not everyone will agree with.

Small wood plane; this thing has been around for years in the model aircraft field. It might be OK on balsa but certainly not on the timbers used in model ship building. The blade is a double edged razor blade like Grandfather used to use in his razor. It is impossible to set the blade into the right position for cutting as there is no method of moving or adjusting the blade once the blade cover is fitted. Adjustment of this plane into something resembling a workable plane usually leads to the successful cutting of your own fingers.

There are quite good model planes available in good hobby shops or on eBay. There are some really good deals made of rose wood and brass from time to time.

Loom a line; the general consensus is that this tool is useless. Despite having tried it a several times the result is always the same, give up in disgust. It is supposed to allow you to construct rat lines off the ship. It just that the finished product never seems to fit the ships. All in all it’s an easier and better job to do the rat lines on the ship.

Hobby knives; the weakness of these particular knives is with the blue plastic collets which hold the blade in the handle. These collets are a dangerous weak spot and have been know to stretch and even break when pressure is exerted on them. The knife with the orange handle is supposed to be for heavy duty work but the collets will give way very quickly.

Two 12 volt DC engravers. These two models are average, handy for some work, but don't offer fingertip control which is almost essential. All engravers must have zero closure collets for use with micro drills. Variable speed control devices as well as forward and reverse are desirable. A simple electric train controller can be used if the variable speed control is not available as an optional extra. While not in the “useless” class there are definitely better models to buy.

Plastic clamps. Perhaps some of you have found a viable use for these particular clamps but to date we have found them to be of no real use at all.

Fair a frame; another type of jig which supposedly is meant to help you get the bulkheads square to the false keel with no fuss or bother. Our advice is, don’t bother, this jig is of little value and has been roundly criticised on forums around the world. A simple building board, a set square and a few pieces of 90 degree angle will work far better.

Another of the multitude of plank bending devices except that this one has been roundly criticised by just about everyone who has attempted used it.

Advertised as a work bench for modellers the device pictured below usually sits in the drawer designated for holding many of the other items featured in this article.

Written and prepared by Dirk De Bakker (kelvin12) & Greg Brooker (Southlander) for the exclusive use of the “Model Ship World” website.