Bulding basics - cutting styrene strips

Robobuild · Post by **Robobuild** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 10:54 pm

Hey guys...

I need to cut a heap-load of styrene strips in very strange sizes... Unfortunately, the locally available greenstrip stuff is to small...

Has anyone built a jig or system that they have used successfully? Or maybe know of something that can do this sort of job? I see my nights being taken up by cutting long lengths, and I really don't want to mark them all up by hand...

ANY and EVERY thought or idea is welcome...

-Robobuild[/b]

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 11:54 pm

First off, welcome aboard.

Here's what I do. My workbench is covered with a piece of tempered glass. The edge of that glass nearest me as I sit at the bench is perfectly straight. I also have an X-Acto Mitre box and a 12-inch Steel ruler.

The mitre box is constructed such that the bottom edge nearest me, has a "lip" that runs the length of the underside of the box. This lip allows me to place the mitre box at the edge of the glass, while pushing towards the center of the table, and the mitre box is now perfectly aligned with the edge of the glass. Since that lip is hanging off the edge of the glass, the rest of the underside of the mitre box is now flush on top of the glass.

The mitre box is now effectively forming a "stop" for my steel ruler. I place my sheet styrene on the glass, butted up against the mitre box. I then place the ruler at a 90-degree angle relative to the mitre box and the edge of the glass the mitre box is "riding."

I can move the ruler along the mitre box to adjust the width of strips I need to make.

IF this is confusing I apologize. It's late, and I don't have time to snap any images. Picture the mitre box as the "_" of a capital "L" and the ruler as the "|" of the "L" if that helps. The glass gives a nice cutting surface, and a nice edge for the mitre box lip to align by.

I hope this helps.

Kenny

Pat Amaral · Post by **Pat Amaral** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:42 am

There's always something like The Chopper. I still need to get one of these things myself.

Mr. Badwrench · Post by **Mr. Badwrench** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 2:56 am

I use an ordinary paper cutter, (the kind your third grade teacher warned you not to chop off your fingers with), and old fashioned drafting tools. A T-sqare, a couple different triangles, a good straight draftsman's scale, a protractor and a compass, cover most jobs. The paper cutter can chop cleanly through stock up to .060 thick, any thicker and I have to scribe 'n pop, or use a bandsaw.

To make many pieces the same size, I cut them all a bit oversize, then tape them together and sand them all along the edges at the same time. Or if I'm cutting strip stock, and need to cut a bunch of pieces the same length, I'll set a stop on my paper cutter.

Hope this helps a little bit.

big-dog · Post by **big-dog** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 4:54 am

The paper cutter sounds like a great idea for thin styrene. For thicker stock a rip fence (could simply be a straight edge clamped on the bed) on a small power saw would likely do the job.

Robobuild · Post by **Robobuild** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 5:31 am

Lt. Zombie - That sounds like avery cool idea. Never thought of tempered glass as a cutting surface before. Where would I find something like that? What is tempered glassed used in?

Pat - The chopper is a great tool, but I need to get the lengths created before I can use it!

Mr Badwrench - Are you talking about the hinged paper cutters, or the slide along the ruler paper cutters? It sounds like this may be the best way to start, but I want to be sure about what your talking about..

Big-dog - Thanks for the rip-fence idea, all I need now is a power saw!

Thanks for all your ideas. I know there are many ways to the same conclusion, and it helps to hear how others have done the same job. If anyone has any other methods, please sing out..

-Robobuild

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:46 pm

Robobuild wrote:Lt. Zombie - That sounds like avery cool idea. Never thought of tempered glass as a cutting surface before. Where would I find something like that? What is tempered glassed used in?

Have you ever seen the glass used on top of chests or coffee tables? Some pieces of furniture have table tops made entirely of the stuff. The piece I use was the protective top from a chest of drawers.

As for where to find it, that's a tough one, or a really easy one depending on things. If you have access to some old, REAL wood furniture, they usually have a piece of the stuff on top as a protective barrier. Or, if you can find a glass coffee table or something similar, and remove the legs and fittings. You might try Goodwill or a garage/yard sale too.

My entire workbench is covered with one big sheet, and a couple of smaller ones. Not only is it great to cut on, but it's easy to clean up. Simply scrub and scrape up paint and other stuff, as the glass is solvent-proof. The tempered glass is pretty resilient too, as long as you don't drop anything too heavy on it.

If you head to my Photobucket page, and click on the "Messy Workbench" link, you can make out the pieces. Here's a link:

http://photobucket.com/albums/v161/Z0mBe/

I hope this helps.

Kenny

Andrew Gorman · Post by **Andrew Gorman** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 2:41 pm

You could use a balsa stripper:
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=%22 ... a=N&tab=wf
Andrew

Mr. Badwrench · Post by **Mr. Badwrench** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 5:37 am

Robobuild wrote:Mr Badwrench - Are you talking about the hinged paper cutters, or the slide along the ruler paper cutters?

The hinged kind, like this:
paper cutter

big-dog · Post by **big-dog** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 10:39 pm

Looks like what I was thinking about, BTW they've got one on sale at Harbor Freight right now for 12.99.

Robobuild · Post by **Robobuild** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 11:01 pm

Thanks guys... I think I know what to get!

-Robobuild

jack wendt · Post by **jack wendt** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 12:29 pm

i use the middle one. may buy the top one.
http://www.internethobbies.com/internet ... rcoin.html