Kitbashing and cutting

[Bernard]

This is one area I have some fear about, cutting a structure so it's dimensions can fit into another area. Why do I fear it? Because once you cut it, you hope you don't make a mistake because the chances of putting it back together are slim.

 

Here is my question. In the past I use an Xacto fine saw to cut the plactic on my building to kitbash them. It takes time and after a while your fingers get sore. I'm thinking about using my Dramel drill to cut with but afraid of "slips".

 

How do you Kitbash and cut the existing structures?

[CaptOblivious]

Finetooth saw all the way. See if you can get a jewler's saw, even. It takes forever, and it hurts like hell, but the results are way better, and you have far more control. Dremels will just melt the plastic rather than cut it (nevermind slips!), leaving an unsightly gash where your saw would leave a fine cut.

 

When mistakes are a concern, I do smaller jobs with a sharp scalpel. I've found that small gashes in plastic made by a scalpel (x-acto) can be repaired by burnishing the gash with a toothpick—scalpels don't remove material when they cut, so mistakes can be (in theory) repaired. A little tiny drop of plastic cement completes the repair (don't burnish after cementing, at least not until its dry).

[Martijn Meerts]

There are special cutting disks designed to cut plastic actually, but you still have the issue of having little control.

 

If you want to make sure you don't slip and get the best results, I'd definately stick with the fine tooth jeweler's saw.

[cteno4]

The dremel with a cut off blade is quick with plastic, but hard to get really straight and clean sometimes. razor saw really does give you more control while you are going. if you do try the dremel find an old model and go at it with the dremel and a cut off blade and see what happens for you. hardest thing with a dremel and cut off blade is getting the blade perpendicular to your piece in some positions.

 

cheers

 

jeff