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4wdmt

What Do You Use To Cut?

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Hi guys. Just want to get some idea on what you guys use when cutting those plastic parts tree (when building kits). I personally use a small side cutter and STILL trim some of those small unwanted plastics with the use of exacto. It works, but the only thing I hate when using the exacto knife is it take out more of the material than I want to. Sometime it even slips uncontrollably that it scratched some of the platic parts. I really hate that.

Is there any cutters out there that makes a perfect clean shearing action in one shot that you don't need to do any more follow up clearing of the plastic part?

Thanks.

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Hi guys. Just want to get some idea on what you guys use when cutting those plastic parts tree (when building kits). I personally use a small side cutter and STILL trim some of those small unwanted plastics with the use of exacto. It works, but the only thing I hate when using the exacto knife is it take out more of the material than I want to. Sometime it even slips uncontrollably that it scratched some of the platic parts. I really hate that.

Is there any cutters out there that makes a perfect clean shearing action in one shot that you don't need to do any more follow up clearing of the plastic part?

Thanks.

I use 'scalpel' knives on a self healing cutting mat, and maybe a fine clean up

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Side cutter for very rough cutting and after that a nail clipper to cut off the plastic completely. Saves you so much work filing it smooth, especially with some plastics... (Especially the softer, more flexible plastics are a pain to file down).

The nail clipper really works as long as the tree residue isn't too thick to put it between the nail clipper. And the curved cut it makes takes some time to get used to, but can be used in your advantage on rounded surfaces :)

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I use a side cutter, a file and many years of airfix building experience to get a perfect cut every time. :) Practice makes perfect. :)

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Tamiya got a sidecutter that leaves very little on the parts. I smile every time I use mine :) Of course if its parts that needs painting you will have to use knives or files. Search for under Tamiya Tools on E-bay

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I don't have a link, but there is such a thing as "flush cut side trimmers" - they are just glorified side cutters but they leave very little excess. I have a very small pair of Klein side cutters made for electronics work and they get pretty darned close. I still do a tiny bit of shaving with an X-acto most of the time just because I'm picky like that.

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I use a small set of electrical side cutters, then finish with a scalpel blade in a Pro-Edge holder (tools from my static kit building days). The trick with using a scalpel is to keep it razor sharp so there is no pressure needed to cut and the cut is clean. Don't get greedy with the cut either, thin slithers of plastic with each cut until the surface is level. Digging in with a deep cut will fracture the plastic and leave a whitish effect around the cut. I probably spend more time with the blade on the fine stone than actually cutting with it. The razor saw is good sometimes when you can't get the tip of the side cutters into the part sprue.

If I'm painting the part I will sand/file and fill. If the plastic is the finish, I'm extra careful with the scalpel to get a clean cut without removing too much material. Some plastics are nicer to cut than others too. There can be several different plastics in the one kit, different plastic for suspension arms as compared to gearbox halves for an example.

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Thank you for your tips guys.

I am wondering, does this Tamiya side cutters works well without leaving any plastics?

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti00...=LXVU67&P=7

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti00...=LXVU36&P=7

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti00...=LXWC08&P=7

The first pricey one looks like it does the job really well.

Third one down is what I use. Cutting it right, you don't have to clean up that often afterwords. That little cutter has saved me soooo much time, it's one of my favorite tools.

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