Waldron Miniature and Sub-Miniature Punch and Die Sets

Roll Models

S u m m a r y :
Catalogue Number:	Waldron Miniature and Sub-Miniature Punch and Die Sets
Description:	PE detail set for RD Models Avia B.534 Series IV kit
Availability:	Available on-line from Roll Models
Contents & Media	See details below
Review Type:	First Look
Advantages:	Precision components; high quality production; many uses for scratch building parts.
Disadvantages:
Conclusion:	High quality tools for fabricating precise and repeatable shapes.

Reviewed by Brett Green

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All tools are not created equal. We all have a collection of hobby knives, saws, sprue cutters and files; but I am sure that most modellers hold a special place in their heart for their favourite tools. The exotic ones. The expensive ones.

Waldron’s Punch and Die sets are high on my list of favourite exotic tools. Waldron Model Products have been around for decades, and their punch and die sets are a staple for scratch builders worldwide but they have sometimes been difficult to find. Recently, Roll Models from the USA took over the Waldron brand, so availability should no longer be a problem.

Waldron Punch and Die sets are available in “Precision” and “Sub-Miniature” sizes. The Precision set offers six punches (.039, .059. .081, .089, .120, .160); while the Sub-Miniature set comes direct from tiny town with ten punches ranging from .063 to an almost microscopic .018”.

The Precision set is great for punching instrument dials, large rivet heads and small access hatches; while the Sub-Miniature set will be ideal for creating smaller rivets and bolt heads.

Both sets provide high quality stainless steel punches plus a metal and resin die. The metal section is the base, while the clear resin part may be lifted from the metal surface. This permits material such as sheet or strip plastic, thin metal, paper or cardboard to be slipped between the resin and metal layers. The appropriate punch is then inserted into the corresponding hole in the die. A sharp tap with a small hammer will create a precise circle from your selected material.

I bought my first Waldron Punch and Die, the larger Precision version, around twenty years ago. It has been a faithful and much used tool ever since, helping me create reliable, repeatable shapes for my model aircraft and AFVs. Over the years, however, the metal punches have started to corrode.

Roll Models has now come to the rescue by offering sets of replacement punches for both the Precision and Sub-Miniature sets. In an unbidden case of perfect timing, a sample turned up just at the time I was about to look for a new set. The replacement punches fit and work perfectly in my old metal and resin die. These “Punch Only” sets are available at less than half the cost of a full set.

Whether you are a first time purchaser who wants to take the plunge with a full Waldron Punch and Die set; or if you need to rejuvenate your old set with brand new punches, you will be able to find these very useful products online from Roll Models.

They’re not cheap, but real quality hardly ever is.

Highly Recommended

Waldron products are available online from Roll Models

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2011 by Brett Green
Page Created 10 January, 2011
Last updated 10 February, 2011

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