Hold n Fold

The Small Shop Hold 'n Fold
rating:

Getting the Small Shop PE Tool Set:

I first saw this tool at a model show in Vancouver, WA, then again at the Region 7 Show in McMinnville, OR. After the second time I saw it, I decided to give it a try. I decided on the complete 4 inch set, which includes: the 4" Hold and Fold PE Parts Workstation; the Rolling Kit; the Cutting Kit; and the 4" Folding Blade.

The Kit Instructions:

The instructions are simple, and complete, and have nice drawings to illustrate how to use all the components. The instructions for the Z-fold seemed to be for an earlier version of the Workstation (the edge has changed), but it was easy to see how to do the fold anyway.

The Cutting Set:

This was probably the least useful part of the entire Kit for me... but... it was also the least expensive part. If you consider that all the other parts are very useful, and desirable, then the cutting set is just about free.

This cutting aid works just fine. I tried it on several parts, and it does make it easier to hold small parts for cutting them right up to the edge of the part. You do need a cutting tool, as this kit is just for holding the parts while cutting.

The Hold and Fold Workstation:

This is the heart of the whole system. And by far the most useful. It takes only a few more seconds to secure a small PE part in the vice than to hold it down on any flat surface. And those few seconds mean the part is completely locked in place regardless of how distracted I get. Also... if I have more than one of the same small PE part to work on, then this clamping allows for easily duplicating from one part to the next.

After you screw in the center set screw, there is a spring around it for lifting the clamp top (seen right above the base). The combination of the pins and the lifting spring make it very easy to do repetitive folding very consistently.

The Rolling Set:

This one will take more practice, but even on my first try I was able to roll a cylinder. The tools are simply a wide variety of dowel sizes, and a multi level working surface.

At first I thought the rolling rods were kind of rough, but right away I found that helped them to better grab hold of the parts being rolled.

Conclusions:

Well... to start off... It is easy to look at the kit and think $80 is a lot to spend for things I could piece together on my own. That's what I thought at first too.

But then I realized the kit could actually be rather inexpensive if I think in terms of how long it will be useful to me. There are no parts that should wear out, so I could end up using it with dozens, if not hundreds of kits, and PE parts... as well as scratch made parts I might make. At this rate, it would cost less than the paint and glue I use on each model... so it could prove to be a good deal in the long run! That's why I decided to go ahead and try it and find out for myself.