Is there such a tool, similar to rail nippers, which will flush cut plastic.
I just use another dedicated pair of rail nippers for kit work. I painted the handles a different color to keep them separate.
I have two which work well. The Xuron is for most work, the MicroMark (less used) one for teeny parts.
http://www.micromark.com/tweezer-sprue-cutter-despruing-tweezer,8012.html
I’ve used these from Harbor Freight. They seem to work just fine.
The best was PBL’s but those are hard to find but there are some others out there that are sopposed to be just as good and Swiss made also. If I remember right they are called cutting tweesers.
I too have one from PBL and would be lost without it. I also have the Xuron, plier type. Just be sure to mark them so you don’t try to cut rail with them by mistake.
Why not use the same tool? The plastic is not going to wear out the average rail-cutting plyers any more than actual metal rail would.
A hobby knife would also work (X-Acto is a popular brand).
I use an X-Acto, but I dont like to use it with thicker pieces of styrene
“Why not use the same tool? The plastic is not going to wear out the average rail-cutting plyers any more than actual metal rail would.”
The reason for sprue nippers is to accurately snip very delicate plastic parts from the runners. Rail nippers are to large and clumsey. Using the sprune nippers to cut rail will dull them, making them useless for de-spruing delicate parts. Same theory suggests two sets of jewlers files. One for plastic only, another for everything else. If you aren’t building Proto 2000, Red Caboose, Branchline or Intermountain kits, it probably doesn’t matter.
I agree, for fine cutting of delicate plastic parts, never use the high quality tool on anything else. I, too, favor PBL’s nippers. PBL is selling them again, but temp out of stock and taking reservations on the next shipment.
http://www.p-b-l.com/tools/tools_1.html
Well worth getting in line for. I have a pair I’ve been using for 15+ years now and wouldn’t do without them.
Am I missing something here, or is everyone suggesting the OP use spruce nippers for cutting sheet styrene? Wouldn’t it make more sense to use tin snips of some sort instead?
Edit: In other words, is the OP cutting sheet styrene, or shapes (tubes, rods, girders, etc.)?
Dunno, but if so, I just use plain ol’ scissors to cut the thinner stuff or for the heavier, score with a blade and snap. You’d need a high qualty set of shears to cut plastic with reliably with them.
“Edit: In other words, is the OP cutting sheet styrene, or shapes (tubes, rods, girders, etc.)?”
Shapes. snapping some of the shapes after scoring them does not necessarily result in a clean straight cut.
Can you sand the ‘unclean’ parts from the shapes with a fine grit sand paper? I figure that 2000 or 3000 grit would work. I’ve scored a few thick sheets and didn’t have any issues. Part of the trick with scoring is applying even pressure throught the cut.