James River Branch: Tools and Supplies

Tools: Pin Vice & Miniature Drill Bits

Working in the small scales often means having to drill tiny holes. The only way to accomplish this is using a pin vice and tiny drill bits. Be aware that this also means breaking bits—it comes with the territory. You'll get better with practice, but trust me, you'll always break bits. (If you do a lot of drilling, you may even wear out your pin vice.)

Just getting started? If you don't foresee doing a lot of precision work, but just need to drill the occasional small hole, you can probably get by just fine with a light-duty pin vice and small bit assortment such as this one from Micro-Mark. If you're going to get more serious about things, however, you'll need to invest in a full set of bits and a heavier-duty pin vice. Ultimately, you may even need some ultra-tiny drill bits for holes smaller than those you can make with a #80 bit, which is the smallest bit included in most bit sets.