Beyond The Sprues
Modelling => Tips, Tools & Techniques => Topic started by: Jeffry Fontaine on March 23, 2012, 01:36:52 AM
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Of course the old standard is the X-acto type razor saws that are very effective for things that need cutting with long calculated and very careful strokes but there are times when long strokes are not the best approach to your cutting task. I have enough razor saw cut scars and I know I am not alone in suffering from this kind of mishap. For a number of years I have seen images in books and on the internet of a saw that looks like a very large razor blade with three holes in it to center and secure it to the tool that holds it. I thought this was a unique design and had thought that it might be to my benefit to acquire something similar for the those small cutting jobs where the X-acto razor saw was over-kill.
I finally took the plunge and found a saw via Sprue Brothers that was made by CMK. I am not that excited about the plastic blade holder but it works for what it is intended to do and that is to cut small things without damaging them. The tool comes with one double-sided saw blade containing an edge with 70 teeth and an edge containing 42 teeth (CMK #H1004 Ultra smooth and extra smooth saw, 2 sides).
Now that I have one I wish I had found this twenty years ago. It works in cutting small things or in tight places where the X-acto does not. Certainly a must have for your tool box.
Click on image or html to view details
(http://www.cmkkits.com/res/data/072/008562_05_032653.jpg?seek=1219777477) (http://www.cmkkits.com/en/others/cmk-holder/)
(Image source: CMK Kits (http://www.cmkkits.com/))
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I 2nd this. This is how I do all my extended wings. I could not do my builds without this tool.
I have the JLC model available from UMM here: http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=21_28&products_id=35 (http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=21_28&products_id=35)
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Thanks Jeffry, very interesting. For small stuff, I use the X-acto #15 blade (keyhole saw) but it's rather limited. This one look promising.
I note on the website that CMK offer a range of replacement blade combos including untoothes. I wonder how those work? :icon_surprised:
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Radu Brizan also makes some interesting cutting tools and PE:
http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=10 (http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=10)
He has a cool wood pattern PE mask:
http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_117&products_id=369 (http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_117&products_id=369)
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Radu Brizan also makes some interesting cutting tools and PE:
[url]http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=10[/url] ([url]http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=10[/url])
He has a cool wood pattern PE mask:
[url]http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_117&products_id=369[/url] ([url]http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_117&products_id=369[/url])
That wood pattern airbrush stencil is insane. But it does have a distinct wood pattern.
Thanks Jeffry, very interesting. For small stuff, I use the X-acto #15 blade (keyhole saw) but it's rather limited. This one look promising.
The keyhole saws produced by X-acto and other companies are great if you are cutting wood but the tooth density of the saw blade is not dense enough to make smooth cuts on models.
I note on the website that CMK offer a range of replacement blade combos including untoothes. I wonder how those work? :icon_surprised:
Not sure what saw blade you are referring to that has no teeth. The saw tooth density is listed on the supporting images for each blade type.
H1000 - Ultra Smooth Saw (70 teeth) on one edge and Extra Smooth Saw (42 teeth) on one edge
H1001 - Ultra Smooth Saw (70 teeth on both edges)
H1002 - Very Smooth Saw (42 teeth on both edges)
H1003 - Smooth Saw (31 teeth on both edges)
H1004 - Ultra Smooth Saw (70 teeth) on one edge and Extra Smooth Saw (42 teeth) on one edge
H1005 - Ultra Smooth Saw (70 teeth on both edges)
H1006 - Very Smooth Saw (42 teeth on both edges)
H1007 - Smooth Saw (31 teeth on both edges)
So you have choices on tooth density for each blade type ranging from 70 teeth (Ultra Smooth) all the way down to 31 teeth (Smooth). Granted the term smooth is not the first word I would turn to in trying to describe the cutting abilities of a saw blade.
Perhaps it would have been better if CMK had used more familiar terminology such as ultra fine, super fine, fine, medium, and coarse to describe the cutting properties of each type of saw blade.
If you ignore the word and focus on tooth count, you can see that the more teeth on the blade the better it will cut. This includes flesh too so be careful.
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Another type of cutting tool that is sometimes quite handy is the punch and die type manual nibbler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nibbler).
Click on thumbnail image to view larger image of the punch and die type manual nibbler.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Nibbler1.jpg/220px-Nibbler1.jpg) (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Nibbler1.jpg)
(Image source: WIkimedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nibbler1.jpg)
The chain store called Radio Shack used to carry this type and that was where I found mine. The cutting head is about 5mm X 5mm so it will nibble out substantial amounts of plastic or other material as you crunch away with it. Though it works well, you still have to be careful to not proceed too fast on your path of destruction lest you cut away too much of your model, especially the part that you wanted to build.