I’m doing some reading and research before tackling my first Highliners kit. What I’m looking for are recommendations for cutting the photo-etched (PE) parts (e.g. fan grills, corner steps, hatch screens, etc.) from their sprues.
The directions state that the PE parts should only be cut with “sharp stainless steel scissors to prevent loss”. It appears that the PE parts in the kit are steel rather than brass. And some parts have a black oxide finish, while others are unpainted. How necessary are the scissors? Could a sharp #17 X-acto blade work just as well?
Also, what other tools would you deem necessary for dealing with PE parts? Someone on a website suggested good-quality diamond files for removing the nibs from the cut PE parts. (I guess if a sharp #17 X-acto blade is an option, a glass plate would be a preferable cutting surface so that the parts don’t bend.) I’ve also read that applying transparent tape to the back of the etching prior to cutting will greatly reduce the wasted time of scouring the floor for parts that have irretrevably entered the “ether zone”.
For brass, I use a new #11 blade, because that’s what I have, and do it on a mirror, so I have a perfectly flat, hard surface. Then I sand or file off any sprue left.
For stainless parts, I use a great little shear/scissors, I bought at Micro-Mart, on the reccommendation from Frank (Zstripe). Xuron 9180et.
I’m on the wife’s computer, with Windows 10, and for the life of me, I can’t find the top tool bar for a copy and paste to show picture and description, but yes, it is the Xuron 9180et.
You might have to go to Xuron, or Amazon, as I can’t seem to find it in Micro-Mart.
I’d use a utility knife to cut the parts from the frets, then clean-up the cuts with files or a cut-off disc in a Dremel. If there’s enough room to maneuver, you could use the cut-off disc to…well, cut-off the parts from the fret.
I just happened to glance at this thread and thought I would leave a little advice. I have been using those Xuron shears for quite a number of yrs. I use them on all PE materials mainly stainless steel which are what the A-line truck mirrors and detail parts are made out of. Some of the parts like turn-signals and such are very tiny. Most times on those I use a Hemostat with locking jaws and curved toothed tip to lock on and hold the parts I am cutting…have not had any wandering parts, ever. I do have a 8’’ swing arm lighted magnifier, that is worth it’s weight in gold. I don’t care for the optivisor’s. That tool that I use is over 15yrs. old and is still as sharp as new. What I like most about it is…it will cut all the way to the tip so you can get as close to the part You want…I found No need to ever file any part that I cut off the fret…the magnifyer helps a lot in that respect for I have to wear glasses, I have Glucoma…hard to see tiny things without the right light.
Use the Precision Sprue Cutter and place the sprue in a large Ziploc bag. Reach in with the tool and cut so that the parts remain inside the bag. That’s what I do.
I like the idea of the Ziploc bag but do you really use those precision cutters on photo-etched parts???
I use them at work all the time for deinsulating and cutting very small gauge braided or stranded wire and they work great. While they would work fine on plastic, I don’t think they would cut it (pun intended) on solid stainless steel or brass PE parts. At least that’s my experience with them…
Keep in mind when you are “harvesting” your parts it may be better to cut sections of the “sprue” or fret, then once the part is off the fret go back and do the final snip.
Trying to fit the shears between closely spaced parts will be difficult unless you free them from the fret.
I agree - IIRC they work for a few cuts at best, but before long they become rather dull and unable to cut thru brass (I tried it years ago).
So I finally broke down and brought the photoetch shears at the Amherst Model show this past year.
Tom, sorry, I should have been more careful in what I wrote. I do use the Ziploc bag and the Precision Sprue cutter, but I use the cutter on styrene, not the photo etched parts.
Thanks for the feedback, fellas. I just picked up the Xuron 9180ET PE scissors and Tamiya diamond file off eBay. I love good tools and I know these will serve me well on my F2 project and beyond.