toothpick are one of MR best kept secret in my opinion. You can use them from stirring paint, for checking consistency of plaster, as a sculpting tool, you can use it for painting tiny detail , you can file them to fit as shim anywhere, in a pinch you can use them instead of insulating joiner. Toothpick can also be used as load in N scale and Z , can be use for small lumber in HO. you can  put masking tape and use it as a painting handle for small parts. burn a few toothpick and use the ashes to weather models, you cn use their sharp tip to gently scrape paint splatter, its an excellent glue applicator as well as grease/lube...the flat one can be use to build shipping pallet for pennies.thats only the tip of the iceberg. , if there ever was a tool id have a hard time living without, toothpicks would be right up there with my atlas and zona saws and my ole metal caliper.

 they are cheap, plentyful and if you break one...so what, 99999 more in the box...

all hail the mighty toothpick, puny in size but large in applications

ranchero wrote:

toothpick are one of MR best kept secret in my opinion. You can use them from stirring paint, for checking consistency of plaster, as a sculpting tool, you can use it for painting tiny detail , you can file them to fit as shim anywhere, in a pinch you can use them instead of insulating joiner. Toothpick can also be used as load in N scale and Z , can be use for small lumber in HO. you can  put masking tape and use it as a painting handle for small parts. burn a few toothpick and use the ashes to weather models, you cn use their sharp tip to gently scrape paint splatter, its an excellent glue applicator as well as grease/lube...the flat one can be use to build shipping pallet for pennies.thats only the tip of the iceberg. , if there ever was a tool id have a hard time living without, toothpicks would be right up there with my atlas and zona saws and my ole metal caliper.  they are cheap, plentyful and if you break one...so what, 99999 more in the box...   all hail the mighty toothpick, puny in size but large in applications

Now that's what I'm talking about...

Tracklayer

As Inch just said, toothpicks can be used for fence posts.  My rural style wire fence is from toothpicks and thread.  It is only about 3/4" in front of my back drop, and it adds the illusion of distance.

It's easy to make. Use round type toothpicks. Paint or stain dark brown.  Cut each tooth pick in half creating two fence posts per toothpick.  At this location I had some styrofoam under the ground foam. So, It was easy to poke the sharp end of each half-toothpick into the scenery. Next I simply wrapped thread around each fencepost while stretching it the length of the fence.

With all the stuff in the foreground, any imperfections with the fence are not noticeable.

Tracklayer

nice somthing you see around the house  !!

where you been hiding

I like the match stick

fine lumber

K

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I also use what use to be a tiny paint brush.  The brustles didn't last long after a couple uses leaving on a plastic handle coming to a pin point tip, firm, but soft enough not to do damage.  It's great for gluing and fine painting