Equipment

Our tools are our single greatest asset when building a model. The quality of your supplies can greatly enhance the quality of your next build. You don't need all of the items listed, and honestly I don't use some of the stuff listed as often as others but I can get just about any job done with this list.

Key

Beginner: New builder, less than 5 kits under your belt.
Intermediate: Built more than 5 kits and feel comfortable with the supplies but don't feel confident with more advanced techniques yet.
Pro: Veteran builder, experience with everything from photo etch to resin, many kits under your belt.

Cutting Tools

• Xacto craft knife (Beginner)
• Xacto razor saw (Intermediate)
• Blades in sized #11, #17, #16
• Razor saw blades in small, medium, and large sizes
• Xuron 2175ET professional sprue cutter (Beginner)
• Xuron 9180 Photo Etch scissors (Pro)
• Dremel variable speed rotary tool (Pro)

Glues

• Testors Liquid Cement (Beginner)
• Testors cement for plastic models (red tube) (Beginner)
• Testors clear parts cement (Beginner)
• ZAP CA (superglue) thick (Intermediate)
• ZAP CA medium (Intermediate)
• ZAP CA thin (Intermediate)
• ZAP CA slow (Intermediate)
• Elmer's white craft glue (Beginner)
• Five minute epoxy (Intermediate)
• ZAP CA glue accelerator (Intermediate)
• ZAP CA Debonder (Intermediate)

Seam Filling

• Bondo Spot & Glazing putty (Intermediate)
• Squadron white putty (Beginner)
• Squadron green putty (Beginner)
• Evercoat polyester putty (Pro)
• CA glue & accelerator (see glues section) (intermediate)
• Mr. Surfacer 500 for small gaps (Intermediate)

Sanding & Filing

• 3M wet or dry sand paper in grits 400, 600, 800, 1000, 2000 (Beginner)
• Micro Mark polishing cloths grits 3200, 3400, 3600, 4000, 6000, 8000, 120000 (intermediate)
• Micro Mark files in round, triangular, flat, square in varying sizes (intermediate)
• Rifler files (Intermediate)
• Flexi-File sanding tool for curved surfaces (intermediate)
• Sanding sticks in 400 & 600 grit (Beginner)
• CVS brand nail buffing stick (Beginner)

Holding & Folding

• Xuron needle pliers (Intermediate)
• Various size hardware store needle nose pliers (Intermediate)
• Mission "Etch-Mate" (Pro)
• Tweezers in various sizes with flat, pointed, round, and paddle tips (Beginner)
• 1' C clamps (Intermediate)
• 6" bar clamps (Intermediate)
• Office store rubber bands (Beginner)

Masking

• Tamiya Tape in several sizes (Beginner)
• 3M general purpose masking tape (Beginner)
• 3M blue painters tape (Beginner)
• Frog green tape (Beginner)
• Post-It notes (Beginner)
• Poster tack putty (Beginner)
• Bare Metal Foil (clear part masking) (Intermediate)

Paint & Thinner

• Tamiya fine white surface primer (Beginner)
• Dupli-Color general purpose gray primer (Intermediate)
• Model Master enamel solvent based (Beginner)
• Model Master Acryl water based (Beginner)
• Polly Scale Acrylic (Beginner)
• Tamiya Acrylic (Beginner)
• Vallejo Acrylic (Intermediate) due to price
• Testors enamel 1/4oz bottles (Beginner)
• Grumbacher artists oils (pro)
• Testors enamel paint thinner (you can substitute hardware store mineral spirits) (Beginner)
• Refined linseed oil (Pro)
• Tamiya acrylic paint thinner (Beginner)
• Home brew acylic paint thinner for Model Master consisting of 1 part 90% rubbing alcohol and 4 parts Windex (Beginner)
• Tamiya TS spray lacquers (Intermediate)
• Dupli-Color automotive touch up lacquers (Pro)
• Alclad II natural metal system (Pro) 
• Mr Surfacer white 1200 as a pre-primer coat  (Intermediate)

Airbrushing

• Aztek A220 single action general purpose spray gun (Intermediate)
• Badger Single action suction feed airbrush (Intermediate)
• Aztek A470 Single/Double action airbrush (Pro)
• Aztek general purpose nozzle (Pro)
• Aztek High flow nozzle (Pro)
• Aztek fine line nozzle (Pro)
• Aztek acrylic nozzle (Pro)
• Aztek wide area nozzle (Pro)
• Color cups in sizes from small to extra large (Pro)
• Badger TC910 compressor (Pro)