I am putting names of "historical figures" on the sides of my passenger cars. These are old Tyco/Mantua streamliners, with fluted sides, so I need to make nameplates for the decals. The cars are aluminum, and the best materal for the nameplates is aluminum. I've got some aluminum flashing from the hardware store for this.
I can cut it easily with snips, but that gives me a jagged edge and the sides roll over a bit, too. I'd like to get a nice clean, square edge. What's a good way to do this? I've thought of sacrificing a few utility knife blades, since aluminum is probably soft enough, but is there another way?
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
You could try a paper cutter. One of the type that has a table and a knife that you pull down. Lacking that several passes with a new utility blade along a steel straightedge should work. You will probably still have to finish the cut edges with some sanding or filing.
Joe
Thanks, but wouldn't that do a number on the paper cutter's blade? My wife wouldn't like that.
For starters, I'd say your aluminum flashing is way too thick to look right. Scaled down to model proportions, it should be extremely thin material.
If you are adamant about using actual aluminum (tough to decal on though), go to your local print shop and see if they have any used printing press plates - they are thin aluminum about .015" thick. I would suggest getting some 0.10" styrene and painting it a bright silver / aluminum color. Much easier to cut into small sizes and the painted surface will take decals much better.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
I also think styrene would be good to work with but you could also try the aluminum from cans that soda or beer comes in. The soda cans in particular are very thin aluminum these days, easily cut with a sissors. If handled with care it can be made to be flat.
By the way I learned that the brushed aluminum look on the outside of a can of Diet Coke (which I thought would be perfect for a project of mine) is in fact painted on even though it looks like bare metal. I ended up using a wire brush in a Dremel tool to remove the paint.
Dave Nelson
(Used) Tin -- No longer needed by a newspaper publisher should be a tad bit thinner than roof-flashing tin. Then tin snippers easily cut the "Tribune-Tin" and "curled/needy edges" and can be gently tamped by a hammer (or flatened with pliers) and lightly filed for final finishing. Another way to finish an edge -- Clamp the cut tin between two small pieces of plywood with a clamp -- So only the slight bit of the edge to be filed is exposed to end up with a final straight edge.
Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956
MisterBeasley Thanks, but wouldn't that do a number on the paper cutter's blade? My wife wouldn't like that.
No, aluminum flashing is soft enough that it won't harm the cutter's steel blade.
I actually tried painted styrene, but the real aluminum had a much better look. I might try using a silver spray paint instead of the brush-painted acrylic, though.
But, since I've got the flashing and my wife is out of town, I'll give the paper cutter a try.
I have also used throw away baking sheets from Wal Mart that are made of very thin aluminum and cut with a utility knife. I have used them for making corrugated metal for roofs by scribing them on top of old computer ribbon connectors with a kabob skewer. The aluminum should work for your application also.
MisterBeasley I might try using a silver spray paint instead of the brush-painted acrylic, though.
Mr. B.
The Rustoleum Bright Coat Aluminum 7715 spray can provides an excellent, shiny new aluminum finish if you want to go that route. The Rustoleum Metallic Silver Metallic 7271 provides a slightly less shiny, lightly weathered aluminum look.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
How about aluminum foil from the kitchen?
..... Bob
Beam me up, Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here. (Captain Kirk)
I reject your reality and substitute my own. (Adam Savage)
Resistance is not futile--it is voltage divided by current.
Gidday Mr. B, as part of my trade I was taught to cut proud of the line, then file back to the line. I also use tin snips, not those awful so called "aviation snips" with those terrible serrated jaws.
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Stainless steel sugical scissors will trim that "step" flashing perfecly.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Mister Beasley
You want to use a nibbler to cut thin sheet metal without distortion. This tool (available at Harbor Freight Tools and other hardware and tools stores) uses a three jaw cutter (two outside stationary jaws and a moving center jaw) to cut a thin band of material out of the sheet metal. The two cutting edges eliminate any twist in the cut as well as any distortion of the finished piece. There are both power and hand nibblers available. The hand nibblers cut a little slow as each cut length is only about 3/16" per squeaze of the handles. Power nibbles cut faster but may be difficult to control on such tiny pieces. If you cut wide of your marked lines, you will have to file the excess as the nibbler can't make trim cuts, at least not without the same kind of distortion caused by tin snips.
Hornblower
Use a utility knife and straightedge to do the lay-out work as required, then re-scribe along those lines several times, depending on the thickness of the material. Flex the sheet along the lines and it will quickly fatigue and the individual pieces break free. Use a file to touch-up the edges as necessary.
These photos show a similar process for making moulds in which to cast lead car weights:
Because the moulds don't need to be too precise, it's not necessary to file the edges, but for a visible detail part like this, a pass or two with a file will improve the appearance and remove any overly-sharp edges. If you're going to decal the car and the nameplates, a prior coating of clear gloss will improve the adhesion and the appearance of the decals.
The aluminum shown is .017" thick and very easy with which to work - the few passes needed with the knife will have little effect on the blade.
Wayne
I bought some thin aluminum and copper sheet at Hobby Lobby that is about .005" thick and comes in a roll. I cut it with a pair of regular scissors and get a nice clean cut. Also there is an aluminum duct tape that has adhesive on it and is quite thin and cuts with scissors as well. I don't know if the adhesive is too thick but it sticks like 'heck'. The sheet stock is very easy to work with. I even formed automobile hoods with it by pressing it over a model car using some balsa wood to burnish it.
-Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
Mr.B,
I would check out K&S Precision Metals, they have Aluminum shapes and flat stock in all widths and thickness that you would require, you would just have to cut the length you need:
http://www.ksmetals.com/
Frank
Thank you one and all. I'd never have guessed that there were so many techniques and materials.
In the end, I went with Doctor Wayne, whose simple "just use your utility knife with a straightedge" suggestion worked perfectly. I'll retire this blade, having served me well in its last task.
The nameplates for Governor William J. Le Petomane and Alferd G. Packer (yes, Alferd, not Alfred) are now proudly displayed on my observation and dining cars, respectively. I'll give the cars a final coat of satin spray tomorrow, and then put them back together and turn my attention to the other cars, coaches C. Montgomery Burns and Hillary Rodham Manson.
Of course we will expect photos of the finished products.
Joe demanded: Of course we will expect photos of the finished products.
But of course. I reserve the right to put the cars back together first, and display them on the layout.
Here' the first of the cars to leave the shop. These were originally plain aluminum cars. I added the burgundy stripe, number decal and nameplate.
FYI, Alferd (not Alfred) Packer was the only American ever convicted of cannibalism. This is a dining car.
Very nice Mr. B. I'm glad I demanded a photo followup. I'm sure that they will give you a lot of enjoyment. Glad you avoided divorce proceedings by not using your wife's paper cutter.
Joe almost gave it away!: Glad you avoided divorce proceedings by not using your wife's paper cutter.
Glad you avoided divorce proceedings by not using your wife's paper cutter.
Shhhhh. I used it for the decals.
Very nice Mr. B