How to cut plastic card?

[UKPonchoMan]

It sounds simple but it's giving me fits!

I need to cut plastic card and ensure that I get a perfect 90 degree angle each time. If I use a knife, not only can I not guarantee it'll be perfectly perpendicular, but but the time it's sanded smooth, it's even worse!

Can anyone suggest any better ways of doing it - to give a little background, I'm scratchbuilding some vehicles in 1/72nd scale and working mainly with 20 thou and 40 thou card...

[ThatJeffGuy]

You need the CHOPPER by NWSL

The picture does not show the chopping blade.....it's like a little cleaver. Only problem so far is the length of cut is kinda

limited to the length of the blade (2-3 inches)

[cruiz]

Hello

Recently I became aware of this.

LINK

Never used this one but it seems useful to scratchbuild.

Carlos

[Chuck1945]

A jig for sanding:

http://www.micromark.com/SAND-IT,9548.html

[spejic]

For thin plastic, a regular paper trimmer works fine.

[72linerlover]

Hi, UKPonchoMan.

I normally plan what I have to cut and make a 2D drawing with a CAD program.

Print all on a self adhesive paper and stick it to the plasticard.

Than cut with a sharp blade (Xacto #11, normally) and a steel ruler.

Sometimes for single pass cuts I prefer a regular cutter.

If you follow that way, be careful to choose a low tack adhesive paper, for obvious reason.

Regards

Euge

[Edgar]

Make a knife cut, both sides, then flex, and break off. Stick (double-sided tape will do) some wet-and-dry paper to a flat board. Get, or make, a length of "L"-shaped metal, ensuring that it's a perfect right-angle; lay it on the sandpaper, and hold the plastic against it, while sanding your edge.

Edgar

[Britaholic]

I use a steel rule and my Bare Metal Scriber to cut plastic card, nice and easy with several passes.

Cheers

Den

[UKPonchoMan]

Guys - thanks all for the responses! I think some form of cutter is the way to go, as the pieces I'm working with are so small... I did try a small plastic cutter but it wasn't up to the job - I think a "proper" one is what I need!

[Thorsten Wieking]

Thanks for adressing that subject, since I too have my problems with getting a perfect 90° "rim" on the cutting line.

Cheers

Thorsten

[phasephantomphixer]

Purchasing a cutter would be fine but the steel rule and light scoring on surface is nearly free, and small pieces no problem since all that is needed is light pressure. The rule can hold the piece for you. Straightest cut is when you hold knife lightly anyways. For 90 deg. sanding, I use the fingernail sanding boards you can buy almost anywhere.

[RedHeadKevin]

I have The Chopper, and it's a great tool for cutting little multiple bits of plastic strip. The only problem is that you REALLY have to clamp the guides down. I find that if I'm trying to cut something that's too "heavy," the blade will have a "wedge" effect on the material, and will push against the guide, so each one of my cut pieces gets a teeny bit bigger. Quite aggrivating.

For cutting sheets, I recently bought one of these:

It's designed for paper, but it's great for cutting thin sheet styrene when you need a long, straight cut.