Tools for cutting

You can get razor saws and mitre boxes from Xacto

google

Excel Mitre Box Set

Dremel multi-tool or any other brand.  

Bruce

Dremel is the only brand.

Dick

Dremel - I didn't know about the multi tool  I watched a few videos that left me with more questions

What blade would I use to rip a straight line on hardboard say 20" long?   Would I need a table with a guide to make it straight?  

What blade and how do you cut a 45 angle on the edge of two plastic pieces you want to mate in a corner 

Dremel makes a "circular saw " head that works great on stuff up to a 1/8". 

You can also get a 45 degree router bit.

for cutting plastic, I just use a cutting disc.

There is lot's of stuff out there, you need to do some shopping.   I made a living with tools (electrical contractor).   Two items that were purchased, when I decided to do a layout.   Small table top band saw, and a disk/belt sander. 

Band saw.

Disk/belt sander, most used tool.

IMO you would find that styrene plastic tends to melt when you use heavy duty cutting tools. You would be into a lot of cutting with exacto-knives and sanding.   Required: good straight edge and squaring tools and a cutting pad.

Both tools pictured require the: Safety meeting of the day.  Becareful, you only get one set, (10) fingers.  Eye protection should be worn.

Best wishes with your project.     Mike CT.

I review this picture from time to time just to remind me how stupid I can be.   But this was done by DJ, a seasoned carpenter, who helped with my layout.  A quick look away from the table saw, and this happened.  The piece hit DJ in the stomach, no damage other that what is pictured.   Second Safety meeting of the day.  No tool has any respect for a human being.

davidbross posted:

 

Dremel - I didn't know about the multi tool  I watched a few videos that left me with more questions

What blade would I use to rip a straight line on hardboard say 20" long?   Would I need a table with a guide to make it straight?  

 I use the wood / metal / drywall blade pretty much exclusively.  Yes you would need a flat surface and some sort of straightedge to make the initial pass.  If cutting say 1/8" masonite you would make 2 or 3 passes to complete the cut.  It's not like a skilsaw  where you make an initial cut and you're done.

What blade and how do you cut a 45 angle on the edge of two plastic pieces you want to mate in a corner 

When cutting plastic or resin material such as in the Ameritowne builds  i use the blade as noted above and slow the blade speed to the minimum to avoid melting the resin.  If cutting a 45 angle angle i would probably use my table saw or miter box depending on the size of the piece.  The multi tool would work but you would need a steady hand and patience.  If just cutting balsa or basswood for trim the multi tool works fine.

Home Depot, Lowes, and Harbor freight sell different brands of the multi tool.  i have seen Ridgid, Milwaukee, Dewalt and others. Some are cordless and more expensive.  If you purchase just make sure you get a variable speed so you can slow it down for plastics and resins.  Harbor Freight had one on sale this weekend for $25.  Don't know if that included the blades.

Bruce

Check out www.MicroMark.com.  They offer a wide selection of cutting tools for all types of materials.

davidbross posted:

 

Dremel - I didn't know about the multi tool  I watched a few videos that left me with more questions

What blade would I use to rip a straight line on hardboard say 20" long?   Would I need a table with a guide to make it straight?  

 

What blade and how do you cut a 45 angle on the edge of two plastic pieces you want to mate in a corner 

I've kitbashed a lot of Ameritowne, Korber and DPM plastic kits and have never cut an angle to mate pieces in a corner.  Butt joints work.  The Ameritowne and Korber pieces are designed so that at least one piece has brick detail molded into the edge.  If you end up with a joint you don't like on the corner of a brick building, a piece of 3/32" or so plastic rod can be glued on as a downspout to hide it.  Vines can also work. 

I use a regular circular saw to cut most hardboard.  If you know somebody who has woodworking as a hobby, you can probably borrow a use of their table saw or whatever.  I traded a 6-pack of imported beer for enough table saw time (with an extra-fine veneer blade) to cut all of the wood for my tall curved trestle.  I second Mike CT's suggestion of a disc/belt sander.  I bought one at Harbor Freight (8 inch disc) and use it all of the time.  You do need to work slowly with plastic to avoid melting.  As with all tools, practice with scrap pieces.

For cutting plastic parts, I use a metal straight edge and a razor saw.  Ameritowne parts have a groove on the back as a cutting guide between floors.  Repeated light pressure passes with the tip of the razor saw will deepen the groove until the part can be easily snapped apart.  The edge can then be sanded straight (tape a piece of sandpaper to a flat surface and move the part over it).  For vertical cuts, use the joints between bricks as a guide.  The joints in every other course of brick will give you a nice straight like to cut on.  Again, very light pressure with the tip of the saw is used to start a groove.  Once the groove it there, you can use more pressure.

Bill Bramlage uses a band saw to make vertical cuts and it is a much faster method.  If I was planning something like Tower City then I would be looking for a fast mechanized alternative to the razor saw.

I use a Dremel for lots of things.  Cutting pieces for structures is not one of them.

I do a lot of kitbashing. Like others have said, a Dremel is not the best choice for cutting plastic. In fact, most power tools will melt the plastic along the cut making a a raised ridge that has to be sanded off. Ask me how I know. Resin doesn't melt like plastic. I have used my table saw to cut it without any problems. 

For cutting plastic, I make multiple passes with a hobby knife or use a hobby saw. X-Acto also makes saw blades to fit their handles. For Drilling holes, I use a pin vice. Careful handwork is the best approach when working with styrene.

A  Dremel tool is useful but I wouldn't use one to cut plastic and long pieces of wood. 

Sawzall

Plastic......thick stuff.....I'll use a band saw taking it nice and slow not bothering to make the finish cut as well.  Sanding block and belt sander to finish.

Plastic.....thin stuff...utility knife with a new blade or a #23 scalpel doing multiple cuts until it can be flexed & snapped.

Wood.....large and/or "rough" cuts - back to the band saw.....  Razor saws, scalpels, and sanding blocks to fit into place.

Invest in an array of a range of cutting tools and good straight edges and good squares.

Beveling on a 45 to fit corners...... Really need a good quality small table saw - Proxxon or something of that ilk.  I've never bothered to have a modeling project that required or one that I let have such a requirement.  Furniture and stuff - I have a radial arm saw that I will put into play as needed.

The more advance kits that I've assembled do a backer for the inside of the corner and then a trim on the outside.  I had seen miter corners on one of the older Walter's kits.   Krazy Ken's

Inside office.

Brick corners.

Note the large assembly tabs.  These models were designed for a yearly display, then dis-assembled and boxed for storage.  Then re-assembled at a later date.

Corner of a BTS kit.  Note the square corner backer.

Exterior trim to finish the corner.

Corners without trim.

Corner Trim applied.

DennisB posted:

I do a lot of kitbashing. Like others have said, a Dremel is not the best choice for cutting plastic. In fact, most power tools will melt the plastic along the cut making a a raised ridge that has to be sanded off. Ask me how I know. Resin doesn't melt like plastic. I have used my table saw to cut it without any problems. 

For cutting plastic, I make multiple passes with a hobby knife or use a hobby saw. X-Acto also makes saw blades to fit their handles. For Drilling holes, I use a pin vice. Careful handwork is the best approach when working with styrene.

A  Dremel tool is useful but I wouldn't use one to cut plastic and long pieces of wood. 

Dennis, are you talking the rotary Dremel or the Dremel multi tool.

I agree that the rotary Dremel would not be a good choice for working with plastics or long wood cuts.  The multi tool uses oscillating technology and has numerous blades for a variety of materials.  For instance you get much cleaner cuts on track with the multi tool using the metal blade.

mwb posted:

Beveling on a 45 to fit corners...... Really need a good quality small table saw - Proxxon or something of that ilk.

There is one good alternative: Cut the bevel a bit "loose" and tighten it up with a disk sander.

Avanti posted:

mwb posted:

Beveling on a 45 to fit corners...... Really need a good quality small table saw - Proxxon or something of that ilk.

There is one good alternative: Cut the bevel a bit "loose" and tighten it up with a disk sander.

Yes, you could do that and also then fill the gaps, etc.......and use a interior block for alignment, etc.

Lots of great advice here. I am still looking for something to cut hard board at 20" high and 3 to 4 feet in length. The band saws I looked at wont handle that height or length cut. 

Eventually you deal with cutting 4' X 8' sheets.  Many of the lumber supply stores, or Big Boxes, will do cuts for you.  A very good set of saw horses and a handheld circular saw is in order. (You can fabricate a guide).  Smaller panels can be handled with smaller table/hobby saws.  IMO. Mike CT

i like a tale saw fine carbide blades  zero clearance insert   and a good push stick  works well for me for lots of cutting tasks

davidbross posted:

Lots of great advice here. I am still looking for something to cut hard board at 20" high and 3 to 4 feet in length. The band saws I looked at wont handle that height or length cut. 

Length of a cut using a band saw is limited to the space on each side of the saw; I've cut 8' sheets of Homasote into roadbed using my band saw; what's the 3rd dimension of your cut? 

You may need to "borrow" a table saw or 1st get close with a Skil saw and then do a fine close cut with another saw, table or band saw.

BruceT47 posted:

DennisB posted:

I do a lot of kitbashing. Like others have said, a Dremel is not the best choice for cutting plastic. In fact, most power tools will melt the plastic along the cut making a a raised ridge that has to be sanded off. Ask me how I know. Resin doesn't melt like plastic. I have used my table saw to cut it without any problems. 

For cutting plastic, I make multiple passes with a hobby knife or use a hobby saw. X-Acto also makes saw blades to fit their handles. For Drilling holes, I use a pin vice. Careful handwork is the best approach when working with styrene.

A  Dremel tool is useful but I wouldn't use one to cut plastic and long pieces of wood. 

Dennis, are you talking the rotary Dremel or the Dremel multi tool.

I agree that the rotary Dremel would not be a good choice for working with plastics or long wood cuts.  The multi tool uses oscillating technology and has numerous blades for a variety of materials.  For instance you get much cleaner cuts on track with the multi tool using the metal blade.

 I was talking about the rotary Dremel. I've not used the Ocillating Multi Tool.

davidbross posted:

Lots of great advice here. I am still looking for something to cut hard board at 20" high and 3 to 4 feet in length. The band saws I looked at wont handle that height or length cut. 

You are talking about two different types of cutting here. There is no one tool to do it all.

Cutting big masonite panels requires a table saw, or a skil saw with a straight cutting guide, or let the lumber yard cut it for you.

Cutting plastic kit walls and other small modeling projects has been covered by Bob, DennisB, mwb and others. They know what they are talking about when it comes to model-making.

Jim

Jim Policastro posted:

Cutting big masonite panels requires a table saw, or a skil saw with a straight cutting guide, or let the lumber yard cut it for you.

Or a radial arm saw if you are somewhat daring and have excess phalanges,

Actually, the Skil saw is a good general tool that will let you break down large stuff to something manageable to do final cutting & shaping on a band saw....