I find it somewhere between difficult and impossible to precisely cut styrene sheet.
When I say precisely, I mean an absolutely straight cut over a long length.
Here is my specific issue. I want to take a 7" x 12" styrene sheet and cut it into 12 inch strips that are exactly 3/10" wide.
Using an Exacto knife or a box cutter does not work for me because I cannot keep a straight edge firmly attached to the styrene sheet. I have no idea how to actually make such precise cuts.
Any ideas or suggestions of how to accomplish this task?
Try clamping the straight edge down on the styrene sheet then use the Exacto knife. It has a thinner blade. I assume the straight edge is metal.
Second alernative, much pricier and I have not used it, but Micromark sells the Microlux Miniature Table Saw, now on sale for $124, along with the cost of whatever additional doo dads you have to buy.
Right now, Micro Mark is running a sale. That saw is listed at $200 regular price. I would consider buying any number of those smaller tools from MicroMark but I really cant justify the expense. A couple of years ago, probably.
Get Yourself a draftsman t-square…preferably a stainless steel one…there are other’s made out of plastic or wood…but the steel is the best…they are not cheap, but invauable for making straight cuts, they come in all sizes. I have a 24’’ one myself for the past 40yrs. A drafting board made out of wood, which is precisly flat and also come in different sizes. Also a plexi-glass scriber. All the above I have and use all the time for cutting not just plastic, but also for other materials…I just use a different cutter…I prefer the fatter Xacto knife with a #2 blade…it resembles a #11 but larger and beefer. I also use only the Gold blades. They cost a little more, but are stronger and sharper. It takes some practice with the t-square… but once You learn how, there is no need to ever clamp your work. To add to the above… a beam square is also a very handy tool for making presice square cuts. I do have a Proxxon precision 2’’ table saw for smaller precision cuts in all materials…the cost of that has already been justified many times over…makes the choppers look like toys.
Just as an aside…I did go four yrs. to a trade school for Electrical/Machine design and am very proficient in the use of drafting instruments.
What thickness is your styrene sheeting? Depending on the thickness, the challenges are going to be consistent widths, as well as keeping the X-acto blade perfectly perpendicular to the sheeting as you cut AND as the blade dulls.
If the sheeting is fairly thin then you might be able to use one of those stock card cutters that uses a sliding cutting wheel for making precision cuts. I don’t know if it comes with a guide though for making consisent width cuts. For thicker stock the mini table saw is probably your best bet.
You might also try googling to see if there are any vendors who can custom cut styrene sheeting for you in the thickness and width that you want and need. I would check either art houses or businesses that specifically deal with stocking and cutting plastics.
There is a much simpler way to cut precisely parallel lines in styrene sheets, and it doesn’t require any special tools other than your basic #11 X-acto blade with a regular handle, and a gentle touch.
The secret is to buy the styrene sheets with the lines already scribed into them. Evergreen makes a huge variety of ‘V groove’ sheets with parallel lines already molded in. I keep a selection of various sheets on hand that vary from .020" to .040" thickness and have the molded in lines anywhere from .020" wide to .100" wide. Evergreen car siding comes measured in scale inches to make things even easier. All you need to do is select the sheet that has the desired thickness and line spacing that is close to what you want. Then score the lines gently with a sharp blade a few times, and then snap off the piece that you need. Gentle is the operative word here. Press too hard the first time and your blade will wander. Ask me how I know!
Turn the lined side to the inside (non visible) part of the model and you are good to go!
The initial investment may seem to be a bit costly, but having all that scribed stock on hand makes things really easy when you start your next project.
Take a trip to your nearest Stapes or Office supply store or shop on line for. A guillotine paper sheer.
Don’t go with the cheap one from Xacto . Instead one with a solid cutting arm . I know from experience that the ex-acto doesn’t cut straight when cutting styrene. Although it wasn’t designed to cut styrene . It does a fine job for short lengths of styrene like you want.
You also have to firmly hold your styrene down for a decent straight cut. I’ve been using a guillotine paper sheer for years cutting strips of styrene. Doesn’t work too well for cutting thin strips.
I have a guillotine paper shear and it works good on .02” Styrene sheets, I haven’t tried it on thicker Styrene but it does well on .05” bulletin board.
Excuse my stocking feet.
Mel
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
I haven’t either, Bear. Just throwin’ the idea out there - i.e. in case it would work. Even if it just scored the styrene somewhat, you’d could then snap it along the cut line - like you can when cutting it with an X-acto knife.
Geez, Rich, 12" strips isn’t what I’d call long! [:P]
For your needs, a machinist’s square and a utility knife should do the trick. The utility knife is less likely to rotate in your hand as you make the cuts, and the longer the cut, the more chance there is that an X-Acto will rotate, throwing off the angle at which which the blade cuts.
I use a long metal straightedge and a utility knife to cut 4’x8’ sheets of .060" styrene. The only space I have in which to work on such large pieces is the floor of the layout room, so keeping the straightedge in place usually involves my free hand and both feet. That requires several short passes with the blade, then moving along and re-aligning the straightedge.
For very accurate long cuts, the best choice may be a matte cutter, but they’re too expensive for my limited requirements.
Tom, it is good idea. I may try it with mine when I am cutting thin sheets. Dont have any idea about the maximum thickness. I use it to trim photos and paper.
I have one of those and have used it to “cut” 0.060 styrene. Seems to do a good job. But I am not cutting all the way through. I believe that most folks cutting styrene use the scribe and snap method.
A razor saw works for me. The longer the better. They can be up to 6 inches long and the blade has a stiff spine which keeps it perfectly straight. When I use a regular short blade, my problem is that the blade can swim a bit making a imprecise cut. Longer blades work better for me.
