Piano Wire Cutters

[scruffyduck]

I have a  Xuron piano wire cutter which due to being a shear will not cut the pint flat to the turnout plastic.  I am left with a small bit sticking up which on code 75 rails will snag passing vehicles couplers.  I realise now that I should have bought a type where the cutting blades meet rather than crossing.  Perhaps someone can offer me a suggestion as to something that will do the job and get the last couple of mm off.  I want cutters since I don't want to use a cutting disk since I will likely damage the turnout given my general ineptitude

 

Many thanks for any suggestions

[PatB]

I have a  Xuron piano wire cutter which due to being a shear will not cut the pint flat to the turnout plastic.  I am left with a small bit sticking up which on code 75 rails will snag passing vehicles couplers.  I realise now that I should have bought a type where the cutting blades meet rather than crossing.  Perhaps someone can offer me a suggestion as to something that will do the job and get the last couple of mm off.  I want cutters since I don't want to use a cutting disk since I will likely damage the turnout given my general ineptitude

 

Many thanks for any suggestions

 

Maybe not a cutting disc, but what about a diamond burr. Used carefully I would think it would be possible to grind off the last mm or two without involving the surroundings.

[Enterprisingwestern]

Maybe not a cutting disc, but what about a diamond burr. Used carefully I would think it would be possible to grind off the last mm or two without involving the surroundings.

 

Remove the pin and file it flat.

You do of course make them removable?

 

Mike.

[young37215]

Remove the pin and file it flat.

You do of course make them removable?

 

Mike.

 

Whilst my pins which link servo to point are removable, to do so is a major faff when it comes to re-fitting them. Like the OP, I would like to find a tool that will enable me to get a close cut on the pin at the pint it protrudes through the tie bar of my points.

[scruffyduck]

Whilst my pins which link servo to point are removable, to do so is a major faff when it comes to re-fitting them. Like the OP, I would like to find a tool that will enable me to get a close cut on the pin at the pint it protrudes through the tie bar of my points.

 

That is where I am.  They are removable.  It means lifting the baseboard and refitting is likely to be somewhat hit and miss.  I am researching other types of hard wire cutters that will cut flush.

Edited September 6, 2018 by scruffyduck

[Irish_R_M]

Scruffy,

 

What you need is Xuron Track Cutters # 2175B. It cuts one side flush, the other side is mangled. Best I've ever used. 

 

RM

[St Enodoc]

Scruffy,

 

What you need is Xuron Track Cutters # 2175B. It cuts one side flush, the other side is mangled. Best I've ever used. 

 

RM

NO!

 

These are for soft metals only. They do not work on piano wire or other hard metals.

 

https://xuron.com/index.php/main/consumer_products/3/13

 

I have two pairs of hard wire side cutters. A large pair, from a DIY warehouse, and a small pair, from an electronics shop. For trimming point motor operating wires I use the small pair, tucking it as low as possible between the rails. You still get a small "peak" on the cut wire but it is well below rail level.

[Irish_R_M]

NO!

 

These are for soft metals only. They do not work on piano wire or other hard metals.

 

https://xuron.com/index.php/main/consumer_products/3/13

 

I have two pairs of hard wire side cutters. A large pair, from a DIY warehouse, and a small pair, from an electronics shop. For trimming point motor operating wires I use the small pair, tucking it as low as possible between the rails. You still get a small "peak" on the cut wire but it is well below rail level.

 

Ah my apologies. I'll make enquiries about hard metal straight cutters, but I suspect some high end expensive piece of kit, like those for orthodontic or dental work like this http://www.dentronix.com/Products/tabid/58/ProdID/110/HARD_WIRE_CUTTER_STRAIGHT.aspx 

 

RM

[tractor_37260]

These are the Xuron cutters you need:

 

https://xuron.com/index.php/main/consumer_products/3/17

 

or

 

https://xuron.com/index.php/main/consumer_products/3/19

 

Why use piano wire ? which is high tensile steel and difficult to cut/work with,  think Peco etc supply a softer wire that's far easier to use/cut....

Edited September 6, 2018 by tractor_37260

[BR60103]

The Xuron cutters look as if they'll leave a sprig of wire stickinh up the widh of the jaw. I have some cutters from a guitar store that cut nicely but not flush.

I found that using the Dremel heated the wire which melted the plastic between the points.

I was recommended an American brand of cutters but couldn't find the right ones when I finally located the brand.

Edited September 7, 2018 by BR60103

[Junctionmad]

Scruffy,

 

What you need is Xuron Track Cutters # 2175B. It cuts one side flush, the other side is mangled. Best I've ever used. 

 

RM

Have 2 , junk tool , soft cutting edge , snaps it’s jaw off at a moments notice , which flies across the room

[young37215]

I use piano wire as that is what is recommended by Dave Fenton of Megapoints for use with his kit and servos.

 

Xuron 2193 max cut is 1.01mm and 2193F is 1.63mm. The piano wire I use is 0.8mm so either should cope, both seem to sell for £17+ on Ebay. However both are shear style which is what the OP wants to get away from (and so do I if there is an alternative) 

 

Can anyone recommend non-shear style cutters?

[JeffP]

What about a decent pair of end nippers?

[Enterprisingwestern]

I may be wrong, not having an engineering background, but I wouldn't have thought that hard wire snips could be made flush cutting due to needing a double edge on the cutting face due to hardening it sufficiently?

 

Mike.

[Ian Morgan]

This old pair of pliers is what I use for cutting piano wire. Not many people seem to know what the cutouts by the side of the hinge are for:

 

 

 

Piano wire will kill most 'hobby' wire cutters, including Xurons.

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by Ian Morgan
re-loaded images

[Michael Edge]

Have 2 , junk tool , soft cutting edge , snaps it’s jaw off at a moments notice , which flies across the room

 

It's an excellent tool for what it's intended for and used in the vertical plane as suggested. One use on hard wire completely ruins it - I have a collection of such tools used once by a customer to cut Tortoise point operating wires. All the Xuron tools are excellent but the hard wire cutter doesn't cut very close - I use a grinding disc for this anyway.

[Pacific231G]

Only use Xuron rail cutters on hard wire if you never want to use them to cut rails again. Ask me how I know

[kevinlms]

Only use Xuron rail cutters on hard wire if you never want to use them to cut rails again. Ask me how I know

I used a brand new similar tool once to cut some plated 8BA brass screws. The first 19 were fine (a beautiful clean cut too), but the 20th and last wasn't plated brass, but a steel one!

 

Result a lovely pair of notches, so make sure the material is correct for the tool.

[scruffyduck]

These are the Xuron cutters you need:

 

https://xuron.com/index.php/main/consumer_products/3/17

 

or

 

https://xuron.com/index.php/main/consumer_products/3/19

 

Why use piano wire ? which is high tensile steel and difficult to cut/work with,  think Peco etc supply a softer wire that's far easier to use/cut....

 

 

 

 

Sadly I have that one and it is a shear cutter so it will not get close to the turnout and leaves a couple of mm behind

[jpendle]

DO NOT USE a Dremel with a cutting disk, or anything similar. I tried this on an N Gauge point and I had melted the tie bar before I had cut through the piano wire.

 

Regards,

 

John P

[Michael Edge]

Maybe not but the tiebars I use are all PCB so no heat damage. If the wire gets too hot just do a bit at a time to let it cool.

[Paul80]

For cutting Piano Wire I use and can highly recommend these from Exon Tools

 

https://www.expotools.com/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?WD=cutter&PN=Hard-Wire-Cutters-75580%2ehtml#SID=97

 

Never failed to cut and never been damaged by piano wire.

 

Paul

[ejstubbs]

I use a pair of Knipex cutters rated for piano wire up to 2mm diameter:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0011252K4/

 

They can't cut completely flush, though.  I think Enterprisingwestern is probably right that there are metallurgical reasons why this can't be achieved while still having a hard enough edge to cut hard material like piano wire.  I think they work as much by crushing as by actual penetrative cutting.

 

However, with a bit of light pressure (but not too much, you don't want to snap the tie bar or the adjacent sleepers) the Knipex cutters will leave less than 1mm standing proud.  (If that's still not good enough for you then I'd hazard a guess that it might be possible to take the worst of the rest off with a Dremel using one of the precision grinding bits -but going carefully and taking lots of breaks to let the workpiece cool down.)

 

Alternatively, I suppose you could remove and re-mount the point motor with a shim of the appropriate thickness between it and the baseboard so as to draw the excess down to an acceptable height while still being able to operate the turnout.  (You couldn't do that with point motors that clip on to the point itself, though, like the Peco PL-10.)

Edited September 7, 2018 by ejstubbs