James River Branch: Tools and Supplies

Tools: Jeweler's Files

This is one of those classic items that belongs in just about every modeler's tool collection. They're easy enough to find; however, they're not all created equally. The trick is finding the smallest file set possible that's also well-made; far too many tools these days are just cheap Chinese junk, not even worth the postage to ship them. At the same time, you don't need to go overboard and buy the most expensive set you can find; you can pay too much.

At less than $20, this set from Micro-Mark offers a nice balance of quality and affordability. Even more significantly, they're smaller than most any other jeweler's files you'll find, which makes them appealing for small-scale modelers.

Just getting started? You don't need to buy exactly the same ones I have, but having accumulated many dozens of files over the years, I can say they're the most frequently-used set I own.