Cutting thick card

[Sun VI]

Good afternoon All,

I'm currently trying a Scalescenes sample coal / weighbridge office that I've had enlarged to 176% for 7mm scale.  Where the instructions are to use thick card for backing, I'm using the basic 2mm grey board from an art supplies shop.  While it is a nice, stiff card, it's rather tough to cut and, using either a Stanley knife or a scalpel, I'm not achieving vertical cuts.  Can anyone suggest what I should do to improve the situation?  Are there better tools to use?  Would laminating card from serial boxes be better?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers  

[amdaley]

Good afternoon All,

I'm currently trying a Scalescenes sample coal / weighbridge office that I've had enlarged to 176% for 7mm scale.  Where the instructions are to use thick card for backing, I'm using the basic 2mm grey board from an art supplies shop.  While it is a nice, stiff card, it's rather tough to cut and, using either a Stanley knife or a scalpel, I'm not achieving vertical cuts.  Can anyone suggest what I should do to improve the situation?  Are there better tools to use?  Would laminating card from serial boxes be better?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers  

 

Use several passes of the knife as you won't cut it in one go.

[Sun VI]

Use several passes of the knife as you won't cut it in one go.

 

Thanks Tony,

yes, I'm making several cuts, possibly up to 6, but to no avail I'm afraid. 

Cheers

[brossard]

Use the big Olfa cutter (the yellow one).  A scalpel is way too flimsy IMO.  I made several 7mm Scalescenes models using this knife.  You will need to make several cuts.  Cutting thick card is never going to be easy.

 

https://olfa.com/professional/product/bn-l/

 

Get a pack of spare blades too.

 

John

[dhjgreen]

Good afternoon All,

I'm currently trying a Scalescenes sample coal / weighbridge office that I've had enlarged to 176% for 7mm scale. Where the instructions are to use thick card for backing, I'm using the basic 2mm grey board from an art supplies shop. While it is a nice, stiff card, it's rather tough to cut and, using either a Stanley knife or a scalpel, I'm not achieving vertical cuts. Can anyone suggest what I should do to improve the situation? Are there better tools to use? Would laminating card from serial boxes be better? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

 

My wife and I have used this thickness of card for photo competitions for many years, with cuts up to 20" long. A new stanley knife blade well held straight edge and light pressure on the knife, many passes letting the blade do the work (as ever).

 

Edit to add: we even did window mounts with a 45 degree bevel; that took some patience.

Edited November 29, 2018 by dhjgreen

[michl080]

I am using "finnboard" https://www.architekturbedarf.de/cardboard-+-paper/beige-finnboards/1  which is quite soft. I can cut it with a scalpel blade with some 4 cuts @ a 2mm board. I think it is important to use a massive ruler to have a good guide. This helps keeping all your fingers if you have to use a lot of force.

 

Michael

Edited November 29, 2018 by michl080

[ed7]

I am testing 2 mm Palite (foamed pvc - Foamex may be similar) as an alternative to 2 mm card for Scalescenes buildings.   It is certainly easier to cut.   

 

More information at http://modelshop.co.uk/Content/DynamicMedia/cms-uploaded/files/4D_guide-foamed_PVC(3).pdf

[ed7]

Removed - duplicate post

Edited December 1, 2018 by ed7

[sb67]

I've just used knives from the pound shop, they look the same as the Olfa one. A cutting mat, good steel straight edge and dont try and force the cut, just loads of light passes.

Steve

[Colin_McLeod]

You can't have too many unused, sharp blades.

 

After paying for the materials and considering the time devoted to construction it is folly to try to keep using a blade after its "best before" condition has passed.

[Sun VI]

Thanks to all for your responses so far.  My problem, I think, is in my lack of wrist control.  For woodwork, I've tried mitre boxes, Japanese draw saws and so forth.  While these have helped (the draw saws are brilliant), I only cracked making decent vertical cuts when I bought a power mitre saw.

 

I went to the local picture framer yesterday who was most helpful.  He showed me a catalogue from Lion, vendor of picture framing materials (https://www.lionpic.co.uk/).  There are two items that I've seen on line that look as though they would do for occasional use: a 'Dafa Hand Mount  Cutter' at £16.48 inc VAT or a 'Logan Team System Plus 610mm' at £58.40 inc VAT.  I'm inclined to the Logan item - there's a link to a very useful You Tube video demonstration too. 

[MartynJPearson]

I had similar issues, what I now do is use a ruler and a Swan Morton scalpel to make the first few cuts in the card, then use a rotary cutter like this one to do the rest : https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0012FHV8G/ref=asc_df_B0012FHV8G57219713/?tag=googshopuk-21&creative=22110&creativeASIN=B0012FHV8G&linkCode=df0&hvadid=258679417334&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6137267452680001254&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046404&hvtargid=pla-421357227574&th=1&psc=1

 

- I find it works well and is easier to hold at 90 degrees.

[14Steve14]

If you are struggling getting a good cut in 2mm thick card, why not use two layers of 1mm card and cut then before sticking together. May take a bit longer, but may get a better finish. Saying that I use greyboard and find it hard to cut even using new blades. Patience is a virtue and lots of light cuts. I also use a safety rule which means I keep my fingers.

[brossard]

Steve, I've done that with 1.5mm card to get 3mm thick card for 7mm buildings (scales close enough to the 2mm thick card called for by Scalescenes for 4mm).  However, once dry, the full thickness needs to be cut to get the required accuracy IMO.

 

John

[boxbrownie]

If you truly cannot cut straight with a normal knife and cutting edge then a mount cutter rule with adjustable angle blade cutter (or just a 90deg blade) will always cut straight and true, I used one for over thirty years and almost never had a bad cut (me or the board!).

 

Pricey though, upwards of £40-60 but it'll last a lifetime, mine has.

[Greengiant]

Rather than use grey board I would use good quality white card stock, it will cut easier.

 

Martin