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My Workshop

Over the years I have collected tools and machines which are in keeping with making models.   This has not been an easy task as long ago small machines were not available or were very expensive.  Below are the machines and tools I use to make my miniature furniture.   If you click on the thumbnail picture you will be able to see a larger photograph to illuminate the detail of the machine.  You will note that I have a lot of Proxxon machines, I do not have any affiliation with Proxxon in promoting these machines.  I have found them to be the proper scale for working with the woods that I use.  I have noted that MicroMark in the USA have similar machines all be it in a different livery and also some that are a different design but are not readily available in the UK

TOYO ML1 Lathe This was my first small machine.   Unfortunately when I bought it I could not afford the accessories that came with the machine.
PD230/E Proxxon PD 230E This is a delightful and very functional little lathe. I can use it for machining metal and wood.  I have purchased all the accessories that can be bought for the machine which includes, 4 Jaw Independent Chuck, Centre Turning Attachment, Fixed Steady, Quick Change Tool Post, Tailstock Chuck, Collet Chuck with Collets and Die Holder with six metric Dies.
MillDrill  Proxxon Mill Drill Stand BFB 2000, Compound Table KT 150 and the Mill Drill System BFW 40/E , all three come together to make an excellent mill for miniature work.  I have a comment about this combination.   The BFW 40/E has a short time duty cycle of 10 minutes.   This fine providing you are working on small work pieces for a short time.  However if you have a lot of work for it then having to stop and start can be annoying.   Luckily the the BFB 2000 has a 43 mm collar for attaching the BFW 40/E or any other spindle drive with a 43 mm collar.  I have a Bosch router that fits but it is limited to 1/4" tooling.   My solution is to use a Kress spindle which gives 900 Watts at the tool, has variable speed of 5,000 to 25,000 RPM and I have a set ER type collets that are 1/8", 1/4", 3 mm, 4 mm and 6 mm.   Each collet can be purchased individually.  Mill-it-Mini (see below) also has a Kress spindle so I have flexibility of tooling betwee the two machines.
MBS240E BandSaw Proxxon Band Saw MBS 240/E   Previously I had a small band saw which was cheap and not so cheerful.  The problem was in the quality of manufacture.   I did make some design modifications but still I was not happy with it.   Reading the specification for the MBS 240/E made it a must have.  I went the whole hog and bough it with the cooling attachment as it can be used with the proper blade to cut metal as well as wood (variable speed)  With the diamond blade and coolant  it will also cut stone a dream for a craftsman who practices various crafts.   The one thing that it does not come with is a fence, I am not sure why, I did enquire, so I made one but I only use it when cutting wood
KS230 Proxxon Bench Circular Saw KS 230 I still have this machine but I have also the more up to date version FET.   I was impressed by the additional functionality which was designed into the FET that I had to have it.  One of the features to I really like is the fact that the fence can be adjusted to 0.1 mm precision when you want to cut the width of the section.   Adjusting the fence can be a skilled task with many frustrations.  With the FET you take it to near the size required and slightly over wide.  Lock the fence to a carrier, then with an engineering rule laid on the table you turn the micrometer screw until you match the size to the edge of the blade.  Then with a further clamp lock in the required size.   Yes you still need to exercise skill but there is no frustration.   It was worth updating the machine
Proxxon Table Saw FET   This is the newer version of the FKS/E which I also posses.   The FET is my preferred saw as it has a micro adjustable fence which allows for very accurate setting to width.  It has many other functions which you would find on a full size bench saw.  I now have an attachment for the FKS/E which allow for the replacement of the blade guard with a sideways guard.  This allows for making dados' safely by keeping the blade guarded before and after the cut is made.
Router Table Proxxon Micro Shaper MT 400 Yet another modeling tool from Proxxon.   It is ideal for making architrave sections for the dolls house.   Once again to present small section stock to a full size router is a daunting task and very dangerous.   Using this small machine carefully allows you to work the section in long lengths which can then be hand worked to fit the dolls house room.
HS2SV Hegner Scroll Saw HM 2SV  This is an excellent machine for scrolling.  It has a variable speed control which allows for delicate fret working.  I use it for prototyping components to get the "feel" of the scale.   I do however use it for making the thick (25 mm) ornamental jigsaw puzzles.
Proxxon Micro Milling Machine MF 70 Although this little milling machine is manually operated I am always astounded by its accuracy.   This said you do have to use elimination of backlash techniques. I have the Dividing Head to go with this machine which allows a rotational accuracy of 1 degree.  It can be mounted on the table in either the horizontal or vertical position
Proxxon Thickness Planer DH 40  This machine moved my model making to a new level.   My models are as near as possible to the exact proportions of the piece that is being modeled. Prior to obtaining this machine I was, like many others, limited to using stock thicknesses of whatever modelling wood was available.   Not anymore, I prepare my own stock to one twelfth scale thickness to fit the model in whatever wood I think best fits a matching grain size that will hold the detail required
  Proxxon Crosscut & Mitre Saw KGS 80 This is a great powerful little chop saw but I must admit that it is better fitted for larger models where thicker section are required.   However I still regard it as a modeling tool and it does have its uses when it comes to making dolls houses
Proxxon Drill Bench Drill TBM 220 with KT 70 Micro Compound Table I do have a large bench drill in my workshop but when it comes to using small drills for making small hole in small pieces of wood or metal ten this little drill comes into its own.   It comes with a set of collets but you can purchase a drill chuck for it.
Proxxon Disc Sander TG 125E  Like the KGS 80 this machine is applied more to the larger sections of wood
Proxxon Grinder & Polisher SP/E  No workshop would be complete without a maintenance tool.  This little grinder is ideal for sharpening small hand tools.   Sharpening small hand tools on a full size grinders is a dangerous exercise.
Proxxon Micro Wood Lathe DB 250 I use this little machine for turning larger parts which can be done by hand.  Work Holding can be done by using driving dogs, collets or a chuck and it has a live centre at the tailstock.   A little comment here about the tool rest.   It is made from aluminum and therefore the tools tend to bite into it and deprive you of a following cutting motion.   I have therefore discarded the supplied tool rest and made one from steel to my own design.   Included in the design is a range of different lengths of the rest as in the past I have found that on miniature work a rest of the work piece length is an asset to hand turning
Mill-it-Mini CNC Milling Machine   This is the dream of my machines.  A mini computer numerical control      (CNC) milling machine.   The picture shows it with the 4th axis attached which effectively gives me a CNC lathe for doing round sections.  This little machine was made specially for me to make my miniature masterpieces by StoneyCNC http://stoneycnc.co.uk/mill-it-mini-overview/   OK you do need an extra skill set to operate this little baby but what it can do for you is just amazing.   Firstly you need to polish up your draughtsmanship by producing your drawing to scale using a technical drawing package.   I use TurboCAD and VcravePro, TurboCAD is not that far removed from using pencil and paper that I once used as a design draughtsman, except it is more accurate and the drawing is in soft (digital) form.  The file can be exported to VcarvePro where they can be processed using the post processor to match the CNC machine to produce a 2.5D solid model.   VcarvePro also has a drawing package front end which requires a more modern approach to producing the drawing which I am using more and more as it does make the process of drawing a bit easier, but it is another learning curve.   Since the drawing is already in the package it can be post processed to the CNC machine directly.  What this machine give me is the ability to produce accurate detail that would be extremely difficult to produce by hand.   I love it!!
DrumSander Model Machines Drum Sander Thicknesser   This is the very latest addition to my workshop and I am sure it is going to be a very worthwhile purchase.   The DH 40 thickness planer is a bladed cutter and when you plane thin sections of exotic wood which has random grain directions or cross grain structure the blades act fiercely on it.   Net result is that the wood shatter and becomes unusable.   The answer is to sand it down to size.   So for nice straight grain woods then the DH 40 is the machine because it is quicker.   For the nice but naughty grain structured wood it has to be the slower sanding process.   The upside is that it will allow a larger selection of woods to be used in making miniature furniture
Proxxon Surface Planer AH 80   This is a replacement for a SIP surface planer.  The SIP was a big heavy machine and very noisy.   The AH 80 is smaller has good dust collection and fits better for the starting stock sizes.   I usually start with spindle blanks 50 x 50 x 300 mm, plane one side smooth with the surface planer.   Then I slice to near thickness using a band saw and then to the desired scal thickness using the thicknessers.   Note I have a big band saw for this task and use the MBS 240/E for smaller more delicate section work
  The Extra Tools Best I can do here is to point you to a site that supplies Proxxon power tools  https://www.germantools.co.uk/ in particular https://www.germantools.co.uk/tools/Proxxon_Handheld_Power_Tools.html  and https://www.germantools.co.uk/tools/Proxxon_12_Volt_Power_Tools.html I have most of these tools which come in handy for other tasks as well as twelfth scal modeling.   One for special mention is Proxxon PS 13 Pensander 12V for twelfth scale modeling and other craft work.
  Jigs and Fixtures   There are certain tasks which are difficult to replicate from the full scale method of making the part.  For example when a stool has sloping legs and you need to drill a hole for a horizontal stretcher.   A skilled craftsman on a full piece of furniture would probably just drill the hole using his eye to set the angle required.   On a twelfth scale model this is not an easy task.   The best solution is to make a fixture to hold the leg at the correct angle while you drill it with a bench drill.   I have made many jigs and fixtures for specific purposes so that I can hold the accuracy of the model.   The problem arises with the time taken to make the jig or fixture and consideration should be given as to how often you will use it.   For a 1 off it is best to just clamp up the piece and machine it, but for many pieces it is worth making the jig or fixture as it will save more time that it takes to make it.
  Special Tools   There are many more tools which I have made as none are available to buy at the sizes I want.   I have made several slot cutters from Silver Steel which have been hardened and tempered (H&T).  Small chisels, from High Speed Steel, to make the mortise for my mortise and tenon joints .   Small turning tools for turning small detail on spindles are made from High Speed Steel or Silver Steel H&T.   If the shape is simple then it is best to grind the High Speed Steel otherwise if the shape is more complicated then it is easier to form in Sliver Steel then H&T.   There is a case for declaring that you practically have to make a new tool for each new piece of furniture you make as there is sure to be some facet of the design that will require a special tool.   I consider that it is my ability to design and make these tool that enhances the end result of a quality miniature.
  Ancillaries   There is a multitude of other items that assist in getting the correct feel to the model.  An airbrush for varnishing, I consider an essential item to gain an incredibly thin coating on the model.  A selection of tweezers, a selection of needles, a selection of abrasives, a selection of wood stains, a selection of woods, a selection of glues and many more.