Most useful...

[invercloy]

Just noticed this.

In terms of my favourite tool, I'd have to say my Citadel Colour (Warhammer) scalpel is my most used.  I'm not a war gamer, but the grip is much more comfy than the Swan Morton ones.  Although my favourite tool to use is probably a set of needle files, not sure why, but I find something satisfying about using them to accurately shape something to how I wanted.

Favourite non-tool item, I'm with Rod on this, my imagination! :)

And favourite material - foam board, it's great for thick walled buildings, like those I am portraying in Scotland.  It's light and rigid and easy to work with too.

[Tigger]

"...And favourite material - foam board, it's great for thick walled buildings, like those I am portraying in Scotland.  It's light and rigid and easy to work with too."

Good point Tom - I hadn't thought of that but I'll agree - it's ideal for thick-walled buildings and if you can't score details directly onto the surface it's easy to laminate a fully-detailed layer onto it.

[invercloy]

Absoutely, although for roughly covered crofts, or stone buildings, I've been coating it with a thim skim of filler or das.  This seems to work well, although does add a bit more weight than plastic sheet, but I find the carving rather therapeutic.

[Tigger]

Sounds about right - for thatch it's plumber's hemp but folks, be aware of the very regional variations!

[Gerhard Novak]

Just found this old thread - difficult to answer. I love my tools and I have quite a selection as some of you may have noticed. But for building structures or cutting sleepers or you name it it is my Swan Morten no.26. There is no comparison with a Stanley or every other DIY cutter - it cuts just much cleaner and better and is reasonable priced too (if you buy the blades in 100 piece boxes...).

Non tool item: Lightply (poplar ply). Hard to get in the UK if you need small quantities (easy if you want 12 sheets 2400x1200mm... :-\) small sizes are at RC model shops but at pharmacy prices. A reasonable priced source is SLEC. This material  is light as the name says, easy to work with, also with hand tools but strong enough for structural building like baseboards or any structures supporting the track.

[engerth399]

Not sure if it counts as a tool or not but I find a great many uses for cocktail sticks, of course, couldn't manage without the magnifier.

Peter

[jimowers]

Another 'odd' set of tools for the colection are the bound set of 'Railway Modeller' magazine which we press into service regularly to weigh things down while they set. Could not be without them

[duttonbay]

I was today preparing to upgrade my drawing package, Cadrail, to the latest version, and had a quick search through my financial system to see when it was last one. I found that all previous versions of the software had been categorised as "Hobby:Tools"

[Gerhard Novak]

@ duttonbay: Have you ever tried SCARM? This software is free and easy enough that I can use it.
See some drawings from SCARM in my layout thread "Donnersbachkogel". The software contains many track libraries, so you can design for instance with PECO code 75 or code 90 or many of the continental manufacturers. And it does also work with flex track (which I use exclusively except the points) Actually I can link the drawing here so you don't need to search for it.
projekt12 by Gerhard Novak, on Flickr
regards
Gerhard

[duttonbay]

Hi Gerhard, No I haven't, but I have been using Cadrail for many years and it suits my needs perfectly. It's a drawing package which just happens to have lots of tools useful for track planning,. but can also be used to produce drawings of anything I want - I use it for rolling stock, locomotives, my house...

[Andrew Emery]

1. Most useful tool: A good airbrush. A nice paint job hides a multitude of sins.
2. Most useful non-tool item: An understanding wife.