Heddheld is right about the pivot point.Changing the Pivot point to individual will effect how the tools work. If you scale with 2 separate faces selected (set to median Pivot) it will scale those faces from a point between them. If you set it to individual pivot it will scale them according to each elements local position. So pivot is something you may have to change depending on what you are trying to do. Oh random info Alt-S will move an element along its normal direction.  Hope this helped

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"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination".

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