Information on kit bashing: cutting tools

I am thinking about kit bashing and making a unique structure from them. My question has to do with cutting prepressed parts for resizing purposes. What tools and procedures work the best. TIA

Reply to
serveyerself
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Well it depends on what you are working on. Metal, wood, Styrene? What are you "kit bashing" ? Mike M

Reply to
mike mueller

Reply to
serveyerself

"serveyerself" schreef in bericht news:eSBbn.136033$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe08.iad...

X-acto knife , razor saw and some small files comes to my mind.

Greetz Jan

Reply to
Jan ( Bouli ) Van Gerwen

Use a straight edge and several light cuts. Test fit and dress with a file to make a snug joint. Use liquid plastic cement applied with a small brush. Consider where and how you will apply interior bracing to strengthen joints.

And oh yes: measure, and measure again (and again) before cutting.

A good trick is to photocopy the parts, and cut apart the photocopies to test different combinations.

cheers, wolf k.

Reply to
Wolf K

Plastic is cast in high pressure molds to the shape and size desired. Moderately high temps are also used in the molding process. Table top describes "engineeriing type" mold making machine and these weigh hundreds of pounds to begin with. Work with plastics with typical woodworking tools and things will be fine.

-- Bob May

rmay at nethere.com http: slash /nav.to slash bobmay http: slash /bobmay dot astronomy.net

Reply to
Bob May

On 2/7/2010 7:40 AM serveyerself spake thus:

Others have given some good answers. I'll just give you my general take on what tools you need.

You can do most (or all) of what you want to do with ordinary tools, some of which you probably already have:

o small saws ("razor" saws, like Xacto or equivalent) o hobby knife (Xacto or equiv.) o small drills (might want to get a set of small number drills, #61 to

80, available at many hardware stores)

For heavier cuts, I find an ordinary utility knife is better than a little #11 Xacto. And you'll need a good straightedge, preferably metal, not plastic so you don't slice into it. Styrene (which 99% of the plastic you'll be dealing with is) can be scored and then cut by snapping or bending; you don't always have to cut all the way through.

A model railroad scale ruler (available at many places: General makes a good one) is nice for measuring in "pretend" (i.e., HO) feet.

A good cutting board helps. I make my own from sheets of Masonite (hardboard or equivalent), to which I glue thick-ish sheets of posterboard or illustration board. When the surface gets too sliced up, I glue a new sheet of paper to it.

A roll of masking tape or similar will help hold things together temporarily.

When you get to painting, a set of small paint brushes is needed. You can start with a cheap set you can get at the dollar store. Good brushes (more expen$ive) are available at any good art store. Lots of other goodies at the art store too.

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

David Nebenzahl wrote: [...]

I use one of those self-healing cutting pads used by quilters. Excellent value IMO.

[...]

cheers, wolf

Reply to
Wolf K

I also use those self-healing cutting pads: I call them "my hands".

Reply to
Twibil

While at the art store or the 'craft' store (Michaels), stock up on acrylic paints at better than hobby paint prices. Way better!

Reply to
LDosser

Yep use those too, I especially like the ease of squaring up things along the grid lines on these pads. I got a whole box of these ( 20 ) at a local euro store when they were only 1,50 each for the somewhat larger then A4 size.

Greetz Jan my model train site

formatting link

Reply to
Jan ( Bouli ) Van Gerwen

LOL

wolf k.

Reply to
Wolf K

Aren't those craft store paints rather thick compared to our typical MRR paints like Floquil? Don't want to cover up the tiny details.

Reply to
Rick Jones
[...]

Whyncha try 'em and see? ;-)

They are more than good enough for most painting jobs around the layout, esp. scenery and structures. They are excellent when thinned to be used as washes for weathering, tinting rock, toning down over-bright enamels, etc. Bonus: the flat ones are dead flat. Since most of them are water based acrylics, you do have to thoroughly wash plastic first, and prime everything (which you do anyway, right?)

cheers, wolf k.

Reply to
Wolf K

On 2/8/2010 9:06 AM Rick Jones spake thus:

Nope. As I've said before, nothing magical about the paints you buy at the hobby store as opposed to the much cheaper ones you find at "craft" stores. It's not as if the pigments in the model railroad paints are ground for 1:87 rendition. Plus they come in a *lot* more colors. (Only problem is that you can't buy them in standard railroad colors like Pullman green or whatever, but for buildings, etc., they're great.)

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

Rick Jones wrote in news:hkpg5v$qdv$2 @news.eternal-september.org:

In my experience, they thin really well. I usually thin 1:1 with water for craft store paints destined for the air brush. If you're worried about details or whatnot, thin a bit and apply a thinner coat.

As always, test on a representative sample before you do your whole project.

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

On 2/8/2010 2:35 PM Puckdropper spake thus:

Yes, I can attest that these paints (Delta Ceramcoat, etc.) work very well in an airbrush if thinned. They go on smoothly, don't obscure detail and adhere well, as long as you don't try to spray them over bare nekkid plastic (you'll need some kind of primer for that).

Yep.

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

So what do you use for a plastic primer? And for metal?

Reply to
Steve Caple

On 2/8/2010 4:36 PM Steve Caple spake thus:

Solvent-based primer in a spray can. Works on pretty much any surface. I'd like to find something in a can or bottle I could airbrush, but the commercial primer works fine.

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

Yeah, that's what I was hoping to hear about.

Reply to
Steve Caple

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