Neat Small Shop PE Gizmo

I found cutting parts with a #11 blade was quite hard on the tip. I put in one of those blades with a 45 degree angle, and it cuts fine and stands up to the PE cutting much easier. I save that handle and blade just for cutting PE and for seam scraping.

That's an interesting bit of equipment, Eric. Thanks for sharing.

Not quite understanding how this setup eliminates burrs after cutting. Would be interested to know if it is explainable with words.

I've been using a #16 blade for PE for going on two years now. Keep a honing stone and oil handy, and the flat 45 degree mini-chisel tip has honed out to a curve which allows the helpful rocking motion you mention. I'm cheap and this works for me.

I should have noted that in picture the PE bending device sits on top of the cut out kit - so eliminate the knob and the gray stuff from the equation. All that's involved is the clear plastic gadget and the black plexiglass. You place the clear piece - which is angled to allow the blade to be very close to the fret if it's oriented correctly - on top of the piece you want to cut with the PE attachment points to the fret just under it. As noted because the shinny black surface makes PE stand out so well, you can get this very close to the part itself and cut the attachment point at the part not at the fret, thus making burrs either very small or gone altogether. The clear piece acts as a guide to the cutting blade, but it's also on top of the PE part which means the part will not be flying anywhere when removed from the fret. And once cut, even very small pieces are easily seen which is a big help. Now how one gets the really tiny bits onto the model without having them stick to fingers or tweezers is another art that I haven't completely mastered.

If I may, I'd like to take issue with both of you concerning blades. If you look around you can find either Xacto or equivalent blades available in bulk for a huge discount per blade over the normal five pack. I buy #11 blades made by the US company Excel for $13 per 100. The same amount of #10 are about the same. Blick sells #16 Xacto for $20/100. (Might add that if you're close to a Blick store - such as the two in the Twin Cities - you can buy Excel hobby knives which are made to Xacto specs but have a better feel in my opinion, for under $2. I've got about ten of them mounting several different blades and razor saws Blick's web site will charge shipping but I buy so much stuff there that I keep a list and send in an order every six months.) Anyway, we're talking really cheap items here. I've got a good stone and oil on my desk and still use it sometimes on #16s or 17s. But rarely now. Perhaps if you have superior shop skills it will work for you, but I find a new blade to be much better than a sharpened old one. And it doesn't take long for these blades to dull when working with PE. Considering how easy it is to damage a PE part, and how expensive PE is, I find using a new blade to be an economy - PE pieces just clip off, and trimming plastic is likewise improved.

Eric  

Thanks for that great description, Eric. I understand how the product works now. Quite clever.

Of course you can take issue with my blade procedure. If new blades work for you, go for it, mate!

The Xuron trimmer works great at getting rid of burs. Yes the blades go quick when cutting pe so I sharpen them just enough to make them usable again but not quite the same as a fresh one. I leave the stub on and trim with the Xuron. Works every time.