Razor wheel--- is there such a thing?

TB6088

Member since
September 2005

Razor wheel--- is there such a thing?

Posted by TB6088 on Thursday, October 26, 2006 7:31 PM

Awhile back I learned how to rescribe raised panel lines with a razor knife, using a "rolling" motion across the plastic (for instance, across the seam line on the top side of an aircraft fuselage). Unfortunately, this technique is much less effective when the line to be rescribed is long or on a flat surface. There I end up having to draw the knive and it doesn't create the same effect. Then I realized that what I need for these circumstances is some sort of razor sharp wheel cutter. I immediately thought of my wife's fabric wheel cutters but they don't have a fine enough edge. I envision something with a 1/2 inch or so diameter circular blade with a razor edge that is wheeled across the plastic surface. That would take care of long lines and flat or concave surfaces. Anybody seen such a thing? Thanks,

TomB

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Phil_H

Member since
August 2005
From: Sydney, Australia

Posted by Phil_H on Thursday, October 26, 2006 7:42 PM

Something like this perhaps?

http://www.olfa.com/rotary/Products.asp?C=3&P=72

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TB6088

Member since
September 2005

Posted by TB6088 on Saturday, October 28, 2006 8:34 PM

Phil,

Thanks. I didn't realize they made small cutters like the ones my wife uses for sewing. The one you identified (28mm) is a lot smaller than hers, but I managed to find one even smaller (18mm) that should work pretty well for my purposes. Hope Micromark doesn't find out about these or we'll see them in a future catalog as a raised panel line scriber for 3 times the price. Thanks for steering me in the right direction.

TomB

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MikeV

Member since
April 2003
From: Hayward, CA

Posted by MikeV on Monday, November 13, 2006 11:53 PM

Why not use a flexible ruler or Dynamo tape and a scriber?

Works much better in my opinion.

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon

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TB6088

Member since
September 2005

Posted by TB6088 on Thursday, November 16, 2006 2:04 AM

Mike,

I use a scriber to make recessed panel lines, but the "rolling" blade technique actually creates a raised line that looks close enough to pass for the real thing. The small rotary cutter allows you to do very long single cuts over compound surfaces--- something that just isn't possible with a fixed blade of any length or shape. By sheer chance I built many models before I ran across one with raised panel lines, and now every other kit I buy seems to have them. I got a tip to use an Exacto blade to "cut" raised panel lines, but it only worked really well in certain circumstances, like across the top of a fuselage. I needed something for those compound curves and long lines and the rotary cutter is the best tool I've found so far. I just wish they made one even smaller!

TomB