Square hole nibbling

[FJ and G]

It's been a while since I acquired a tool that made me this happy: a $12 nibbler from Radio Shack, used by hobbyists to cut windows out of styrene for scratchbuilding structures and such.

Having never seen, much less held a nibbler, I spent much of this morning nibbling stuff to get the hang of it. While waiting in line for a meatball sub at Potbelly, I completely nibbled through the plastic that the nibbler came in, then nibbled away at the cardboard backing as curious customers in line watched.

I would have nibbled away at the meatball sub but was too hungry and gulped it down so I could resume my nibbling.

I was surprised to find out that the nibbler even can nibble brass and 18 gauge steel.

The question I have (if you've gotten this far), is, how does the nibbler hold its sharp edge after all the nibbling? Hopefully it will keep on nibbling for years to come. I've always wanted to make a square hole and now I can.

Dave Vergun

[spankybird]

Dave,

It doesn’t hold its edge. It is basically a chisel. If you know how to sharpen drills and cutting tools, it can be sharpened, but for $12.00, you might be better off just buying a new one.

You just keep testing my tool and die maker skills and knowledge.

tom

[FJ and G]

Tom,

I just amazed my friends at work by cutting out a window in my Coke can.

I might stay away from steel and brass unless I really need to as it might dull the tool. I will certainly be looking for more things to nibble away at. My houses will now have plenty of windows in them.

[spankybird]

Many years ago, when I was actually building dies, and this was before Wire EDM, when you need a sq hole, that is how it was done. Sometimes it would have to be finished with a file. Of course this was done in tool steel, which is much harder material than you are using.

tom

[wrmcclellan]

Tom,

What is Wire EDM?

Roy

[wiz1500]

Your nibbler is nothing more than a little shear. When it comes time to sharpen it all you have to do is dress the to plains of the tool that pass each other. This can be done with a dremmal tool. when you sharpen it think in terms of flat not point, because you have to flat plains that move past eachother if you look realy close and operate the tool you see what I mean

[spankybird]

EDM = Electrical Discharge Machine. I is a CNC controlled machine for cutting shapes and holes in Hardened Tool Steel. It’s kind a like a computer controlled band saw.