Again and again we get questions about the right tool, which one can be recommended or what do you use.
One thing in advance, tools can never be good enough and good tools are not available for 10,- at the discounter around the corner. This phenomenon is no different in model making than in crafts - if you buy cheap, you buy twice.
But we want to differentiate here, once the tool for on the road for a repair in the forest or building models at home in their own hobby workshop. The quality of the blades on a hexagon socket of 1.5mm can already differ significantly. This starts with the grinding of the blade and ends with the steel that was taken for this. Also, the handling of tools should not be underestimated, the feel of a handle makes a big difference, as well as the diameter.
Here, everything important should find space in the backpack. Huge tool bags no one wants to drag 5 hours on the back along with drinks, etc.
Here, interchangeable blade systems, such as those sold by the company Traxxas®, are ideal. Everything that could become important in any form is stored in a bag in the format 22cm x 10cm x 3cm. In the set is a handle, plus double blades with different sizes on both sides. If you need a different blade, it is changed in the handle. The whole is the ideal set for screwing in the quarry or in the forest.
Price-wise we move and here around the 22 euros, money which is well spent. I think that everyone who drives a lot at some point had to screw something on the road.
As good as these sets are for on the road, they are then impractical in your own workshop.
I personally find it more like annoying to constantly change the blade in a rather thin handle when I assemble a complete car. Here I would like to have a separate handle on each tool, which then please also so that I can immediately recognize the size. Also, for this type of work I have a different demand on the haptics. The handle should lie perfectly in the hand and it should be light.
Anyone who has spent a few hours screwing a completely new model knows what I mean. A handle with 10mm diameter is nice but not really for continuous work.
At home on the RC operating table I use the tools from the company Arrowmax from the Honeycomb and Black Golden series. The tools that I use constantly (hexagon socket, ball head and socket wrench) I have in the Black Golden Edition, the rest in the Honeycomb version.
On the road I use from Arrowmac the Mulitool in Black Golden, in the handle you have everything important directly in your pocket and zero weight, in the vehicle I also have a tool bag from Arrowmac in the Honeycomb version.
There is certainly never too many tools and even less there are too good tools, but what is the one I should really buy or what should a tool set include. I am of course limiting myself here to the TRX4 and also the metric screws associated with it.
If you already buy the tool selected, pay attention to the blade length. I use blades with a length of 120mm. Some screws are quite far away and a tool with appropriate length simplifies the uncomplicated and fast reach.
Hexagon socket tool: 1.5mm - 2mm - 2.5mm
Hexagon socket ball end: 2,0mm - 2,5mm
Socket wrench: 5.5mm - 7mm
Things like a Lexan drill, damper pliers etc are then great accessories, but not what you really need to have our little guy on the operating table someday.
I always see people using a ball head hex for extreme tightening of screws - people a ball head is just not meant for that. To loosen tight screws or to really tighten the screw, please use a normal straight hexagon socket. Your tool will thank you with a long lifetime and also the Allen screws will be happy.
If you want to take your little one into the field, you should do a function test at home. Are all functions working, is the servo horn really screwed tight and do all electrical components work as they should.
It is damn annoying when you meet with your crawler group and then have to repair the car for 30 minutes before the start. Take also always for safety the most important tools with means here in the backpack and not in the car have lying, (if necessary the original of Traxxas®), everyone should already be able to carry out small repairs themselves.
Replace the plastic servo horn with the metal one, if you don't just take your crawler for a walk in the woods, you will destroy it at some point.
Of course there are other brands, there are certainly some good ones, but I do not know everything. The addressed here I currently use, or have used.