I see. How much do you end up needing to pin models? As far as clippers made for plastic models, I wanted the tamiya ones... but those don't come in until november--so I went with these ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IBSFAI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) instead. They were commonly recommended and were even the recommended ones on the minipainting subreddit. Will these work better for plastic?
I see. So sounds like I should invest in some gap filling item such as green stuff (and?) milliput to get rid of the gaps. These are applied after the pieces are attached?
It sounds like I will need to wait a week? That, or if I make it to a store this weekend I could pick up a new one there.
For cutting I use flush cutters, something like this.
I've found split ring pliers to be really useful for digging in there to get things really tight at the end. (I originally got them for actually attaching split rings (aka keyrings) and I actually really like these for making keyrings and attaching charms and such
I'm not sure how to help with the knots coming undone. Are you finishing the ends before you start? Your description of the problem there is a little unclear as I'm not sure if you're talking about the cord fraying (in which case always start with nice clean-melted ends), or if the knot itself is coming untied (a more technical issue that could just need adjustments to the way you hold it and how much initial tightening needs done).
You bet. Here is a table of tools, connectors, terminals (pins), wire, and cable wraps. You don't need everything if you just want to try it out, but these tools and parts are highly recommended if you want a good result.
| ITEM | Website | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Tools | ||
| Crimping Tool | Amazon | $23.00 |
| Strippers | Amazon | $42.00 |
| Cutters | Amazon | $9.00 |
| Pin Extractors | Amazon | $14.00 |
| Paracord Threader | MainFrame Customs | $12.00 |
| Materials | ||
| Paracord Sleeve - Fabric Texture | MainFrame Customs | $5.00 per 25 feet |
| Teleios Sleeve 4mm - Plastic | MainFrame Customs | $6.75 per 25 feet |
| Various Connectors | MainFrame Customs | $0.65 - $0.85 ea |
| Various Molex Brand Terminals | MainFrame Customs | $0.35 for 5 |
| 16AWG Wire | MainFrame Customs | $7.75 per 25 feet |
| Heatshrink 1/4" 3:1 | MainFrame Customs | $4.50 per 4 feet |
| Wire Wraps | Ensourced | $0.40 - $1.15 per pair |
Ok, that seems like a lot. But you do not need everything to get started. If you want you can sleeve your existing cables and save a lot of cost. It is a little more annoying and time consuming but it is the cheapest option as you do not have to buy wire, pins, and connectors. If you are going to be working with wires though, you are going to need the crimpers and some pins. You are going to mess some up while learning. I still do and I've been sleeving for a little while now.
If you are going to just sleeve your existing cables, I recommend going with the Teleios Sleeve as it'll be easier to feed onto the wire. Or if you want to use paracord you'll need to buy the Paracord Theader. If you don't, the pins will tear up the paracord and it'll look like crap. So the only tools you'll need if you want to go with Teleios are the pin extractors and cutters.
If you want to make extensions, you'll need to buy both male and female connectors and pins. This is a great place to get your feet wet as the pin outs between the connectors are 1 to 1. Watch this video from PCPartPicker. You should also take some time and watch all of Lutro0's sleeving tutorial videos. He runs MainFrame customs and does a great job at providing and explaining everything you'll need to get started.
I hope this helps, if you have more specific questions please let me know.