Alec AL-K33 F-V6 Tool Review

By Michael Benolkin

Review

I recently saw the Alec series of modeling tools and was anxious to try them out. This tool is called the F-V6 and is a chisel-shaped chamfering tool. While the tool looks like a ninja throwing star, it has squared edges on every edge with varying chisel shape angles up to 90 degrees for cleaning inside channels, beams, and otherwise flat surfaces. This is handy for cleaning up inside cockpits, for example, where mold lines, ejector pin marks, and/or flash is present around consoles, frames, and stringers. Used correctly, this tool can scrape away those flaws without creating additional collateral damage.

Because all the edges on this tool are squared, there are no sharp edges to gouge the plastic surface unless you dig one of the corners into the surface. If you pull the tool across the surface rather than push it like a chisel, you'll achieve an effective scraping effect that will get better with experience. Not only is it effective with mold lines, flash, and other issues in plastic, it works effectively on resin, and puttied surfaces as well.

I have found four tools in the Alec series (so far), the R-Boko which is an outstanding solution for rounded surfaces, the F-V6 (shown above) for working around flat surfaces (especially confined spaces), the R-V6 which makes clean-up of ejector pin marks and the insides of round parts easy, and the Lagia, which has a combination of these features.

You can find the F-V6 (within the US) at HobbyZone USA here!

My thanks to HobbyZone USA for this review sample.