Plasticard Tools

[evil tendencies]

I want to start trying to build some stuff with plasticard, but I'm a little ignorant of the tools I should use.

I made myself a punch to make rivets out of some hollow brass rod already, but I'm curious about tools for cutting sheets of the plastic. I think someone mentioned using a...scribe? What is that, and where do I find one?

Also, what kind of glue do I use for this?

 

[Tercha]

A scribe is a pointed metal stick similar to a pen, to scribe is to scratch the surface of the material
img<http://flosi.tripod.com/projects/scribe.jpg>

 

[Sand Rat]

I use either plastic cement or super glue

 

[fiesta0618]

I simply use a craft knife + metal ruler for straight lines, and a rotary tool to make smooth curves. And I've always used superglue, myself--alternating between liquid and gel as the situation dictates.

 

[Chrome]

Pens and/or Pencils for outlining my cuts, scalpel for cutting after I have drawn the lines.
If I need straight lines and exact measures I use a slide caliper to measure out the distance needed and then I use it as a scribe to groove out the outline of the piece I need.
When the line is done I use a ruler and a Stanley knife to cut following the groove.

One thing I never do(unless the piece is really small or bent, then I just cut it out straight away) is cut all the way through the plasticard, I cut about halfway and then snap the pieces.
That helps making harder lines with a smaller risk of failing due to uneven pressure from your side when cutting(Makes the knife think it's an ice skater or something, hurts both you and the pieces I tell you!).
When bending the plasticard I roll al larger piece than the one I need around the handle of a sculpting tool to soften it and then carefully cutting out the shape I want with a scalpel in the now softer material.

Files are constantly used to adjust angles, edges and such and I'm using a toothbrush to remove excess chippings.

Oh, and when I need to scribe freehands I use various sculpting tools, the edges on those are lovely for freehand work.

Plastic cement is the way to go with plasticard, super glue is in my opinion good for making mockups to see if the pieces fit or if I -really- need that piece now and cannot wait 3 minutes for the glue to set.

 

[evil tendencies]

I'm actually looking at cutting out some circular hatches and such, and I want to make them round. What does this rotary tool look like? Or, even better could someone tell me what to google to find products that will do the job? I've been looking for compass-type cutting systems that will go through plasticard for forever, and I have no idea where to start.

 

[cassar]

set square and protractor r useful steel ruler for straight edges. also i use a large tyrone crystal box lid (shoe box type set up) to catch the filings/dust in, this in conjunction with superglue can be used like a filler for those little errors in measurement where the corners just dont meet. various grades of sand paper and good files, a sturdy wire brush to clean em with. i also have a bench sander/grinder, vacuum connectable and dremmel. happy modelling.

p.s. a mask too as the dust from plasti card's not good for you.

p.s. a hair dryer is good for bending the card into shape

 

[Tercha]

I'm actually looking at cutting out some circular hatches and such, and I want to make them round. What does this rotary tool look like? Or, even better could someone tell me what to google to find products that will do the job? I've been looking for compass-type cutting systems that will go through plasticard for forever, and I have no idea where to start.

Well it depends on what size discs you want, leather punches will do the smaller ones and a regular hole saw (without the pilot drill for discs - with for holes) will do the bigger ones, or buy wooden rod and slice it.... you don't HAVE to use plastic!

 

[cassar]

hatches

use coins, trace the shape, cut it out roughly then use the same coins one either side held tightly against it whilst you sand or file the shape down, you should end up with a perfect circle.

 

[Rugne]

Tinsnips. A half decent pair of tinsnips will help a lot for rough cutting shapes on the thicker stuff, the thinner stuff you can get away with normal scissors, if they have a serrated edge.

Marc

 

[fiesta0618]

I've never had a good experience cutting circles from card...I just slice a thin wafer from the end of one of the many diameters of PVC rod in my collection.

 

[evil tendencies]

Cutting circles from rods sounds way better than anything I've come up with...but what tool would I use to get an even cut? A miter saw, perhaps with the rod firmly clamped?

 

[fiesta0618]

Something like that. The only tool I have is a Dremel, and that works ok.

 

[mickc22]

google "circle cutter" that should bring back plenty of options, you can then choose one which is convenient to you

this is the one I've got (the image was copied from: http://talasonline.com/ )

I saw one with a cutting wheel, but I don't know whether it would cut through plasticard, that was on the Seers website

edit: actually they have both on the Talas website

 

[nels0nmac]

I use the stuff regularly as part of my job. Cutting is as basic as a ( metal ) straight edge such as a ruler and a sharp knife - personally I use a scalpel but any craft knife will do. On most thicknesses up to about 2 mm thick all you need to do is make one cut and then bend and snap the two pieces apart for a nice clean edge. Above 2mm and its normally easier to use a small saw.
For circles I use the same cutter as Mick - again good for the thinner material. A scriber- as mentioned by Tercha is a handy little tool for engraving lines on to the material - it basically gouges a small furrough in the material. Great for panel lines and such like.
The glue I use is called Liquid weld; also known as DiChloromethane - DiChlo for short. It is a powerful glue that is waterlike in consistancy. You use it by putting the 2 pieces of styrene together and then brushing the join with a brush loaded with the Dichlo. It evaporates fairly quickly but the join will remain soft for a little bit. Being of water consistancy you have to be careful not to knock the bottle over as it goes everywhere and as it evapourates quickly it will soon stink out the area. You can get safety dispensers which are really handy things !!! You have to take care with Dichlo as its sister chemical - Trichloromethane - is also known as Chloroform, and most of us know what that can do if you're not careful.