Sprue cutters

I used to think that sprue cutters were an affectation, until I got a pair. Now I'm a convert.

Track cutters are for cutting track, sprue cutters are for cutting sprue. 'Nuff said!

Sprue Brothers has them in stock PN XUR90036.

I myself uses Tamiya Sharp Pointed Side Cutter. They are great for cutting small parts and you can use them for cutting big PE parts.

It has served me for 3 years now and it still stay sharp. Worth every penny.

Part of the problem with typical sprue cutters is just that...they pinch, pull and tear before they actually start to cut. The design I am working on eliminates a great deal of that.

If you could purchase a premium sprue cutting tool, what would be a price point you'd be willing to pay?

A. Under $20

B. Under $30

C. Under $40

D. Under $50

Remember we're talking a tool that would be designed to last you a lifetime and be warranteed for as long. 

Hi,

I would personally be willing to spend between $30-40 for a premium sprue cutting tool.

Look forward to your progress on this tool.

Cheers, Rick

Hi

I am not in a position to catagorically state what would be an acceptable price as I have never owned a Sprue cutter and hence I am not fully conversant with the current purchase price across the range of what is available. However having bought both "cheap" tools and "premium" tools over the years, I still have most of the "premium" tools. To use an old saying, "Cheap is dear in the end".

Therefore, like Rick, I would be willing to pay $30-40 or at a pinch even more if it came with a lifetime warranty, depending on how the warranty was worded of course as some warranties are not worth the paper they are written on.

Good luck on your endeavour.

David

Depends on features but I'm guessing that since a modeler helped design them they should have all the right stuff. Sharp, stay sharp, small tips to get into the seemingly smaller areas the molds leave us to cut in, sharp, nice ergos with a small angle on the cutting head, sharp, comfy rubberized handles, nice finish with maybe a gun blue, sharp, spring opened, and sharp.

I paid $20+ for my Tamiya cutters.

I'd pay up to $40 for a good set, regardless of warranty.

I use the red-handled sprue cutter from Micromark and very very happy with it, but it's not the best for cutting small parts.  It's a somewhat expensive tool but will give a decent flush cut on medium to larger parts.  Any better tools I might be willing to try.  Please keep us posted Hawkeye.

Dave 

A side note for those thinking about getting a sprue cutter:  Sometimes they can send a part flying when cutting so it's not a bad idea to cut under plastic wrap or in a ziplock bag.

Dave 

Guys! Now is your chance to input your thoughts into what you want to see in a new cutter...before the design is finalized. All involved parties are reading your comments especially me. The sprue cutter design I suggested has reach, comfort, stability and cuts flush and cleanly without tearing or ripping.

Sprue cutters that shoot parts general do so because they apply a pinching pressure throughout the cutting process...not good when it sends that part out into the ding toolies of your workroom never to be seen again. Fodder for the carpet monster. 

Gerald,

I know several aircraft mechanics and a few electronics techs that use standard sidecutters (dykes) the have the side that the part being removed lies filled with rubber.  The rubber grips the part and prevents it being ejected.  Perhaps instead of hard rubber, you could attach some type of foam or other soft rubber to protect the part as well as keeping it from being ejected. 

I'd recommend that a cutter have as narrow a blade as possible so the tip can fit into tight corners where the small parts tend to lie.

Dave 

qmiester wrote:

Gerald, I know several aircraft mechanics and a few electronics techs that use standard sidecutters (dykes) the have the side that the part being removed lies filled with rubber.  The rubber grips the part and prevents it being ejected.  Perhaps instead of hard rubber, you could attach some type of foam or other soft rubber to protect the part as well as keeping it from being ejected.

In theory that idea has merit. In reality because of the soft nature of many of the parts we remove that "membrane" will crush the part...and if you allow more space for the part, a small part that has the trajectory of a howitzer will contine to fire across the bench or room.

TIP: To prevent small parts from going ballistic, simply take a little piece of masking tape, attach it to the part before cutting. This will act as a drag chute should it get launched and a locator flag if it does. I like to use a piece of colored tape such as Tamiya or Chart-Pak. Doesn't take much and a small piece is reusable several times. Kinda like a Remove Before Flight streamer. LOL

i have two pairs of xuron cutters the one for sprue and the other is for pe both are great and would never go back to using an exacto knife or side cutters again . the cut with xuron is flawless and extremely close usually no clean up is necessary .

as for the price of the new xuron cutters goes if they are warranteed for life and i know they are damaged by working with them and not because i did something stupid lol i would pay between 30 and 40 bucks for them

I am getting very curious about your cutter Gerald!  I have used several different tools for cutting sprue and they almost all have the same problem, launching parts.  I really don't need any help loosing parts, I have become quite accomplished in this area.   If I were to actually go out and buy tools (most of mine are AF turn ins through DRMO) I would be willing to pay $10-$20 easily for a good tool.  For more than $20, I would need an iron clad lifetime guarantee.  For a good quality tool, I will occasionally pry open my wallet for something other than models and paint.

Two of the preproduction units arrived today...I am going to give them a workout to see what "tweaks" if any need to be made...but they are LOOKING GOOD!

Here I thought I had a three day weekend to relax and enjoy myself...well at least I'll get to do so for part of it.

I carry the Xuron line in my store. I have never tried using them as I am still using an old pair of my wifes cuticle cutters.

I would have to vote for a new sprue cutter to fall in the $20 to $30 price range regardless of warranty. It would be best (easier to sell) if they were under $20, at least from my store.

I'm surprise that no one mentioned this one. It cost below $15 at Micro-Mark.

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=82393

I use electronic-type sidecutters (dykes).  They're available at any electronics store for about 7-10 dollars, cut right at the tip if you need 'em to, (they're designed to flush-cut metal leads on components like diodes and resistors soldered to pc boards), and I mean they cut close... You can cut a wire lead with the first .5mm of the tip, they're angled at about 35 degrees, and they have a small notch for stripping wire... Cutting styrene isn't any problem for 'em..  I've had them for about 30 years, and never once did I consider getting anything to replace them from a hobby shop... Too many tools in hobby shops are actualy designed for other uses, but a manufacturer changes the label to include the word "Modeling" on it, and they can tack another 15 bucks onto the MSRP... Phooey...  If you damage them, then you're using the wrong tool for the job at hand, and likely fall into the category of those that'll use a pliers to drive in a nail... If you have a problem with "launching parts", you ain't usin' em right, you're cuttin' to far into the jaws... Use the first milimeter of the tip...

A tool as basic as a sprue cutter for modeling shouldn't cost more than a couple cans of spray paint...  Ever...

While I used to use scalpels to cut sprue, I also have been using electronic-type dykes lately and seem to work OK, as I think any tool that one might develop still is going to need some filing and sanding after de-sprueing(sp?). So I would not pay much for a specialized tool, got enough of them already! 

I must say I agree with the assessment that modelling tools are drastically overpriced.  Evidence of this can be found in Hawkeye's survey earlier, which had as its *lowest* price-point "under $20".  Nuts. 

Until recently I used a small pair of electronic side-cutters and they worked splendidly for years; since the spring mechanism on them broke I got a cheap pair of Squadron cutters for well under ten bucks.  Warranty or not (I'm quite sure the warranty would be worthless anyway--remember Testors/Aztek's "lifetime" warranty on those cheap plastic airbrushes?)--I'm NOT paying that kind of money for tools that work well for years at a fraction of the price.  

Make me something that absolutely EVERYBODY just LOVES to bits and can't live without, actually improves modeling in irreplaceable ways and costs "under $20"--I'll *consider* the offer.  Try to sell me a little boutique-ie overpriced tool that does a 5% better job than my present device?  Forget about it.