Recommended Tools and Supplies
There are so many tools and products out there for modelers like you. Which ones are the best? The products on these page are honest recommendations of items that Aero Rarities actually uses, and not paid endorsements. You can click on the product links below to go to Amazon (or another on-line store) and purchase these directly. As an Amazon Associate, Aero Rarities earns from qualifying purchases; a great way to help support us while getting a proven quality product for yourself!
Cyanoacrylate (CA) Thin Glue: 
We have tried many different brands of thin, instant-setting glue over the years, and they all seem pretty much the same. So how can Aero Rarities recommend one strongly over the others? Think about what virtually all brands of hobby thin CA glue have in common: They come in narrow, oval shaped bottles with tall, push-on caps, tip over easily, and once they spill, the plastic cap is either glued on for life or gummed up with dried glue so it no longer fits. Have you ever used up an entire bottle of thin CA glue? I'm always throwing out more than half full bottles because either the cap won't come off, or the glue has dried up inside. This is what makes Guoelephant K50 Jewelry Adhesive different, and our recommended choice: the bottle! It has a traditional screw on cap for a tight fit so the glue won't dry out, and there is a channel around the opening that catches any drips before they get on the threads and stick the cap on for good. I've had one bottle for over a year, with it getting knocked over frequently or left on its side for days, and it's still going strong! It's also a good sized bottle with 20g of adhesive which sticks nearly instantly, sets quickly, and holds strong like any thin CA glue should.
Shop Guoelephant K50 Jewelry Adhesive on Amazon
Magnifying Goggles: 
Did you see the amazing and stylish magnifiers that Eric wore in our Grand Opening video? Of course you did! We have tried a few different goggles and we think these YOCTOSUN Magnifying Glasses with 3 LED Lights and 4 Lenses are the best. They are comfortable to wear, similar to regular glasses, and don't put all the weight on to the bridge of your nose like those other ones that sit high up on your forehead with the flip up lenses. There is also an elastic strap to make sure the glasses stay put when you lean forward over your model. It has 3 LEDs so you can adjust the brightness from "Bright" to "Very Bright." The goggles come with 5 swappable lenses, each with a different magnification level. The lenses are very clear, swap out easily, and have a good depth of field. The goggles are also rechargeable so you don't have to wear bulky AAA batteries on your face.
Primer: 
Mr. Finishing Surfacer 1500 primers by GSI Creos are our absolute favorite primers and are suitable for all types of paints. Thin 3 parts primer with 2 parts Mr. Color Leveling Thinner for a super smooth and durable base. Mr. Finishing Surfacer Black 1500 helps you to easily spot surface irregularities before painting, and provides a great foundation for darker colors and pre-shading. Use Mr. Finishing Surfacer Grey 1500 for lighter colors, and Mr. Finishing Surfacer Pink 1500 when painting yellow. Pink? Seriously, give it a try!
Rigging Elastic:
Modelkasten Rigging is great for 1/48 & 1/32 scale subjects as it has a round profile, where many other brands of elastic are flat or have a rectangular cross-section. It is also easy to work with, holds firmly with CA glue, and doesn't fray when cut. One drawback is that it is quite glossy, so you might need to paint over it to knock the sheen down. Use Modelkasten size 1.5 for 1/32 scale and Modelkasten size 0.6 for 1/48 scale. For 1/72 or smaller scales subjects, the shape of the profile will be hard to see, so a more typical elastic will suffice. We recommend Uschi "Fine" rigging for 1/72 scale use, as it stretches far, doesn't break easily, and you get an incredible 45m worth. Note that for aircraft subjects, supporting wires are generally larger than control line cables, so size your elastic appropriately.
Sprue Nippers: 
Are you still using nail clippers or just your hobby blade to remove parts from the sprue? Cutting parts off the sprue is something you will do multiple times, on every model; don't cheap out on this important step! Indulge yourself with a high quality tool that is designed specifically to make this job easier, more accurate, and minimize the chance of damaging your delicate parts. (That sounded wrong!) At Aero Rarities, we use the GodHand Blade One Nipper. I hear you say, "But Eric, it's much more expensive than other nippers! Is it really worth it?" Yes. Yes it is. It cuts through sprue like butter. There is only one cutting blade, the other side is a stopper blade. This set up not only reduces damaging and whitening of the parts, but also makes it easy to get the cut the gate exactly where you want it. The Blade One Nipper with the red handle is what we have been using for a few years, and it is fantastic for both large and small parts. Since then, GodHand has come out with the GodHand Ultimate Nipper 5.0 with the blue handle that features a sharper but lighter blade for very fine cuts on the most fragile parts. You can't go wrong with either one. This is a tool you will use over and over, so it's worth your money to get the best. Buy once, cry once! Once you use a GodHand, you'll never go back.
Tweezers: 
There are many different tweezers available for modelers. They come in different sizes, shapes, and lengths. Aero Rarities has tried several of them, but always comes back to Ol' Reliable: Tamiya HG Straight Tweezers (74048). The Tamiya HG tweezers are finely crafted, and the two fingers of the tweezers come into perfect alignment at a fine, sharp point. They are of a heavy material and feel secure in the hand. Springiness is also perfect; it does not take a lot of force to hold items securely in the tweezers, and it is easy to let go of the objects as well. Finally, they are sturdy and will last a long time.