Plastic Cutting Question?

[badroadahead]

I know you great Klowns are a wealth of information out there so here is my question.

I have a Revell VW Street Machine with the front hood molded in. I need to cut it out (to stuff in a V8). The hood is curved. What do you advise on the best way to cut it out? I need to cut around curves.

I tried a hot knife on a test body but it left an uneven gap.

Dave

[Brandon]

I do mine slowly with a sharp knife... just keep going over your lines with a little more pressure. It's tedious and time consuming, but it can be done.

[mykturk]

I like using the back side of a new #11 xacto knife. Drag the knife backwards along the desired line you want to cut, you'll need to make several passes depending on the thinkness of the plastic, before it cuts through. You'll know you're doing it right when you get a little curly-q of plastic each pass. Very clean and effective.

[Deleted]

Jan 23, 2011 14:28:33 GMT -6 mykturk said:

I like using the back side of a new #11 xacto knife. Drag the knife backwards along the desired line you want to cut, you'll need to make several passes depending on the thinkness of the plastic, before it cuts through. You'll know you're doing it right when you get a little curly-q of plastic each pass. Very clean and effective.

This would be my opinion also!

[Brandon]

I meant to say the back... you have to score it... They make little scribing tools, but I've never used one.

It takes a while... be patient and don't put too much pressure to cause a slip up.

[Tim Nolan]

Well, you can do like I do, especially if you don't need the hood! I use my Dremel (I have the pistol shaped one) with a red cutting wheel. I simply use it to buzz the unwanted plastic out. BUT. don't try to follow the line you need. Leave about 3mm around the inside of the actual line you want to keep. Once the major plastic chunk is out, you can use a finer grinding tip and then a hand file to get the rest to the shape you wish.

[db1995]

you can get an extra body and destroy the hood on the good body ur using and destroy the body on it and youll have a good hood to use on it, if you need an extra front to cut the hood out of pm me and i might have an extra.

[badroadahead]

Thanks Klowns!

I will take your suggestions.

If I fail I will contact db1995 to see if he has a spare VW front..

Tim - I need both the body and the hood.

This is going to be a real challenge to make a successful separation of the two....

Dave

[Starry Eyes]

Jan 23, 2011 18:35:08 GMT -6 badroadahead said:

Thanks Klowns!

I will take your suggestions.

If I fail I will contact db1995 to see if he has a spare VW front..

Tim - I need both the body and the hood.

This is going to be a real challenge to make a successful separation of the two....

Dave

Or send the body to me and I'll cut it out for you... ;D

[Deleted]

Model Car Garage sells photo etched saw blades as thin as the gap between the hood and body and if you work carefully, you can cut around a corner. They are thin and will bend but you can easily straighten them.

[jim]

use an etching pen ,not the electric kind, to score it then exacto

[hobbybobby]

www.briansmodelcars.com/tutorials/tutorial/4

[flounder]

The PE saw baldes are good, You can also but them to go in your dremmel. They make quick work of straight lines, and leave a very small gap. But...BE CAREFUL. They have a taste for human flesh. If the rotating blade bends, throw it away.

Here is a cut made in just a few - cautious - seconds

Flounder
Hosted on Fotki

[showrodjohn]

One of our larger hardware shops sells hobby tools. I bought a scaple with a fine saw blade best thing I ever bought.

[badroadahead]

Thanks for all your great suggestions.

I made the cut last night. I decided to use myturk's suggestion using the back of a new knife blade. It worked perfect!

Now it's time to work on the chassis and engine compartment.

Thanks again.

Dave

Here are a couple shots.

[Joe Stoy]

I use a saw blade with 40 TPI that fits in a #1 x-acto handle the saw is shaped just like a #11 blade and i get mine from Mirco Mark tools they are about 3 dollars for two blades.

they cut very nice and leave a small line similar to the regualr knife would.

Joe

[barten]

I like the old fashioned way. . .a dremel tool! With a big head on it! ! ! ! ! hehehehehehehe


But I bet these other suggestions are much better! ! ! ! ;D

God Bless
Dan

[Bert]

Well, you take an 029 Stihl chainsaw with a 24" bar and a delicate touch and... ;D ;D ;D Turned out great! The backwards #11 has always worked well for me.

[Tim Nolan]

Holy sh*t Dan!!! LMAO!!!!!! Your a bigger hacker than I am!!!
That's hilarious.....

Hey man, you did a good job seperating that thing. I would have left it in a molten pile of crud too!

[barten]

;D