Airsmithing tools

[Nocte]

What about a small tablemount vice and a Dremel kit?

Aside from custom-fitting things together, those two are usually the tools of "you did it wrong," as far as gearbox upgrades go.

[Variable]

The dremel is the butcher knife of the hobbyist.

[Sleepy]

Okay, so for something like my next project, which involves filing down the hammer sear in a WE 1911, what would you recommend? Just a smallish metal file?

[Nocte]

Depends on how much you need to file off. If you've got a lot of material to remove, I'd suggest a dremel, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that a dremel is something that should be in every airsmith's repair kit (assuming that's what you're trying to piece together). They're nice to have when you need one, but you shouldn't need one very often.

[Raging Hormann]

They're nice to have when you need one, but you shouldn't need one very often.

SO VERY TRUE. I have used my dremel maybe 3-5 times in my entire airsmithing career, but files I have used much more. I have an old set of jeweler's files, a 12 pack with a case. Round, triangular, flat, angled, you name it, it probably has it. If you can find one of those, you'll be set for a lot of fine tuning work.

[Sonic]

two words, ELECTRICAL TAPE!
a must have in any airsoft tech tool box.
then theres
-allen keys
- star bits (slang term)
- small electric drill (by small I mean low Voltage)
- the normal mini screw driver set
- oils and grease
- cleaning unjamming rod (stating obvious)
- a book of collected schematics (personal preferance)
- dentist tools
- soldering iron probably spelt it wrong)
- bubble gum
- ball point pen
- paper clip
- plastic explosives
- and finally, a music player of some kind

[Raging Hormann]

two words, ELECTRICAL TAPE!
- and finally, a music player of some kind

These. I've used electrical tape to keep the trigger in place by wrapping some around and taping it to the side of the gearbox. It uses the tension to keep the trigger from getting popped out while you put the gearbox halves together.

[X]

All of the above plus : " Liquid electrical tape and I also use a Rare Earth magnet " to hold all the tiny parts from moving all over the place . The liquid tape helps in fixin those wires with a tight fit that you can't get a shrink wrap on but don't want a buldge in the wire from regular tape . And the magnet helps keep screws from rolling around while your working on the box . And the most important thing that everyone needs in a smith tool box is PLENTY OF BEER God don't forget the BEER !!

[TMiller]

All of the above plus : " Liquid electrical tape and I also use a Rare Earth magnet " to hold all the tiny parts from moving all over the place . The liquid tape helps in fixin those wires with a tight fit that you can't get a shrink wrap on but don't want a buldge in the wire from regular tape . And the magnet helps keep screws from rolling around while your working on the box . And the most important thing that everyone needs in a smith tool box is PLENTY OF BEER God don't forget the BEER !!

You are a genius x.

I do agree that magnets are VERY helpful when keeping the ARL and the gear shafts from moving around

[Nocte]

I almost forgot, I was going to post a picture of my workspace for ya, Dave. You don't need everything I have here, a lot of my equipment was extra stuff from Sprint and my boss told me to "get rid of it" because we didn't have anywhere to store it.



SPARE PARTS. This is by far the most important thing you'll want. You can barely see it in my picture, but in the bottom right there's a grey box full of spare gear sets, tappet plates, springs, pistons etc. There's also a few new-in-box parts on the pegboard.

electric screwdriver (I normally wouldn't use electric screwdrivers, but this one is pretty special. it's got a really sensitive clutch that's designed to not tear the heads off of screws much smaller than are ever used in AEGs.)
lots of bits for the screwdriver (durrr)
light with magnification (I almost never use the magnifier)
soldering iron
heat gun and shrink tubing
multi-tool
paper towels
silcone oil
gear grease
battery charger(s)
small tray to stick screws in so they don't roll off the table

The red toolbox also has various hand tools that I've collected, mostly from when I had to buy my own tools to do phone repair. They're useful for when there's a pin that needs to be pushed out of somewhere or other tasks that don't specifically call for a particular type of tool (i.e. screwdriver for screws).

Not pictured is a small collection of parts pertaining to wiring and the electrical parts of AEGs. I've got one whole motor, and a partially parted-out motor, some deans connectors, and a few feet of 16ga silver wire (get this at a hobby store for RC cars, not Home Depot).

[phiz]

I use a disk drive magnet to hold the gears in place for reassembly. Put it behind the lower shell and it sucks the gears in tight. I've even been able to cycle the piston and everything stays together.

[G36 FTW]

I use a disk drive magnet to hold the gears in place for reassembly. Put it behind the lower shell and it sucks the gears in tight. I've even been able to cycle the piston and everything stays together.

Semi-necro-epic first post..