A brand New Direction....Questions

[Gene Howe]

Recently, I acquired about 100 HO cars and engines.
Just beginning the process of acquiring track and controllers.
Eventually, I’ll want to build buildings and scenery. If possible, I’d like to avoid the expense of micro woodworking machines.
My question to you all is, do you think it’s possible/advisable to machine 1/8”-1/4” wood like balsa to the tolerances needed for small, detailed projects with a full sized table saw (Shopsmith)? What saw blades would you advise. I can only use a 5/8 arbor.
My shop has a router table for a Dremel, another router table with a 3 HP router, small strip sanders, but no small disk sander, a band saw, a Delta 16” scroll saw, a lunch box planer and a “V” sander that does a good job of thickness sanding.
If any of you folks have done any model work, PLEASE chime in.
Thanks, everyone!

[Lee Schierer]

Balsa cuts pretty easily, but I don't think I would use a table saw to cut it, it is too expensive to waste 1/8" with every cut in sawdust. I've seen lots of jigs made to cut balsa into strips using razor blades so there is virtually no waste. Any table saw would have to have a zero clearance insert to avoid braking the thinner wood.

[Gene Howe]

Thanks, Lee.
I'm really new to this area of woodworking. I've never worked with anything this small.

[Steven Green]

I build and fly RC Aircraft and have used my tablesaw many times to cut balsa. Flying models have pretty close tolerances if you want to avoid extra weight and trimming hassles. I wouldn't hesitate to use your current tools.

[John Coloccia]

I've done model work, and I did practically everything by hand. Occasionally, I would use a scroll saw to cut a piece out of plywood, or a dremel for a little touch here and there, but everything else was hand work. The only power tool I would invest in, IF YOU WANT TO, is a decent scroll saw, but unless you're cutting "thick" plywood for some reason (thick in this case being 1/4" and up), I think you'd do better with a fret saw (i.e. jeweler's saw) and a bench pin for that kind of work to be honest. Everything else is xacto blades, razor saws, etc.

Oh oh! A disc sander come in VERY VERY VERY handy.

[Bill Huber]

I really can't address your question but was wondering if you have seen this site, I had never heard of them until for some reason they set me a catalog, got some neat stuff.

http://www.micromark.com/

[Van Huskey]

I have been a model railroader for most of my life and in terms of the actual models I have never used a single power tool. Building the "bones" of layouts is a different story. A beginner modeler would be well advised to look to laser cut wood kits. They are one of the greatest "inventions" for scale building models. The results from even a novice can equal master craftsmen's scratchbuilt stuff, well at least until the novice begins to paint and weather it.

[John Coloccia]

I have been a model railroader for most of my life and in terms of the actual models I have never used a single power tool. Building the "bones" of layouts is a different story. A beginner modeler would be well advised to look to laser cut wood kits. They are one of the greatest "inventions" for scale building models. The results from even a novice can equal master craftsmen's scratchbuilt stuff, well at least until the novice begins to paint and weather it.

You can go really nuts with this stuff too. On one layout I worked on years and years ago, we had the train going through a bad neighborhood (i.e. near the train yard). I spent an hour making a pair of sneakers....I think I used a mounting grommet for a servo...a little paint and some thread, tied them to each other and draped it over a power line. Smudged some blackish paint in the parking lot to emulate a leaky engine, etc... It's very easy to go down the rabbit hole with this stuff! That was back in college when I worked at a hobby shop. I believe that layout made the cover of some magazine somewhere.

[Gene Howe]

Thanks to all of you who replied with some great suggestions.
I think I have a pretty good idea of what I need.
Thanks again.