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Mad Ax

Kamtec ABS shells - how do you cut yours?

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Got a Kamtec Baja ABS shell that's been lying around for ages, I've managed to roughly cut the outline using the old score-with-knife-and-fold technique, needs a bit of tidying up but it's going to look right when it's done.

I came to do the windscreen but because I couldn't twist the plastic, I had a horrible time trying to get it out.  Score after score after score in a 'scrap' area eventually broke through (using a brand new craft blade), but I still had a lot of trouble getting the windscreen out.  I didn't want to repeat-score over the actual window edge because I can't be sure I'll get the curved line right the second time and would end up with a messy window.

The smaller windows will be even tougher.  I'm thinking I'll have to put a cutting bit into a vice-mounted dremel and offer the shell up to it to get a rough cut, then tidy up with abrasive paper.

Any other suggestions considered :D

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Don't know if it would work on a Kamtec shell, But I have videos on Youtube of people cutting shells with cotton, using it like cheese wire. Another method would be to use a small drill bit (1 or 1.5mm for example)  and drill lots of small holes round the edge of the part to remove, making it like perforated paper, then cut with a modelling knife and then sand. I'm probably going to end up with similar problems when I put a beetle shell on top of the war rig trailer I'm building (Found the blitzer shell I'd bought had the wrong rear wheel arches, so will be getting a Kamtec shell when I get the tanker skin on), so I will be interested to see what you end up doing and what the results are like.

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Oddly enough I woke late last night with the idea of using cotton thread.  Not tried that for a long time.

Will do one window using thread and one using a dremel and see which comes out best :)

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Most ABS will score and tear in the same was as plasticard and lexan.

Carefully cut the areas you want removed (wheel arch) a few times with a modelling knife or scalpel, then at the start of the part you want to remove make a deeper cut, this will allow the section you want to pull off as you start pulling. I use pliers and grip the waste material and start to gently pull away from the cut. This will start to tear the plastic along your cut lines leaving a clean edge. You will need to give this a sand after as it will be quite sharp. This does take a little practise but the results are very clean. It's the cutting of the tear line that is vital to get right so just like spray painting make several soft cuts along the line and not just try for a single deep score.

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Is it one of these by any chance? 😉

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Had a few Kamtec bodies over the years and found the score and snap method doesn't really work for enclosed sections like Windows. Saying that a Tamiya panel line scriber tool makes cutting ABS and plasticard too easy.

Here I used a permanent marker to draw where I want the cut to go and drill out any corners carefully to get a nice rounded edge.

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I'll then use a metal saw disc in the dremel which cuts a thinner line and makes less mess than a carbon cut off disc. I cut as close as I dare to the finished line I want and then use various sanding drums and discs to get to the final line. 

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Finishing off with hand files and stolen emery boards from my wife's cosmetic bag 😬

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Gives you plenty of chances to correct any slight mishaps and the end result is tough and looks good to me 😜

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4712D456-A03D-4A3B-BD34-CFB3273E61CE_zps

 

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Thanks Mr Crispy, yes it's one of those, I have a couple to paint up.  Great-looking shells and have so much choice for customisation.

I think I have a metal cutting wheel somewhere, sounds like it will save a lot of manual work (at least until clean-up time).

I love how you've got your shape very close to the original Scorcher shell, most people seem to have cut them down much more.  I might have to try that with one of mine :D (in fact I might have to buy a few more to try different designs :)

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Looks like I'm going to have some fun later this year then :o I've purchased one of the Rolls Royce Hearse shells for an idea I was throwing around!

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