I am scratch building a grain elevator from 0.080" thick styrene sheets. I am concerned about cutting out the windows so that they are square and straight. I am using Grandt Line windows , doors and vents with a minimum dimension of about 0.30" and a maximum dimension of about 0.45"; I need some suggestions on the best way to cut out the openings for these. I thought about using just a new utility knife blade to score and then punching out with a 1/4" wood chisel, sharpened. Any way that might be easier or more precise would be helpful.
Thanks
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=81652
Don't know if this will help.
The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open. www.stremy.net
Try this:
http://www.micromark.com/
Good luck,
Doc
e-l man tom, I got my knife from the Treasure Chest Hobby shop in Missoula, but I think you guys have a woodcarving hobby shop down there in Boise. Flexcut should be online too. I'll poke around and see what I can find. Flexcut has a whole line of very good, relatively inexpensive carving tools.By the way I use BRADPOINT BITS for drilling styrene as they cut very cleanly with little tear out.
P.S. I found em. Go to the Woodcraft store in the Boise area for FlexCut tools
I agree with Reklein's suggestion-- "For a lot of windows,score and snap out every thing thats not a window and glue them back together again after the opening peices have been removed." I have not built my new elevator yet, but that is what I plan to do. I have used the technique before for several buildings. For a house made of strene sheet in a slapboard siding pattern, I first scribe horizontally along the groove in the clapboard at what I intend to be the top and bottom of the window opening, and snap off what would be the section withbthe window. Then I scribe the piece I have cut out of the middle vertically where I want the window opening to be. Then glue the pieces back together with the window piece left out. I have done this on a number of N scale buildings.
Most recently, I did it for the office located on the loading dock of this ice plant, as yet unfinished.
The scribe-and-snap processi is the only one I would consider using for my port terminal export grain elevator on my new "Island Seaport" layout. I think the splices in the styrene would resemble mold marks on concrete, and there would be little need to hide them. For this model, I disagree somewhat with Reklein's comment that "A grain elevator doesn't have that many windows."
There is a tool called a Nibbler
It's great for cutting out windows
You drill a hole first the insert it
it cuts about 1/4 inch at a time
it's easy to square up a window because it cuts square
http://www.directron.com/nibbletool.html
TerryinTexas
See my Web Site Here
http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/
Micro-Mark sells the same tool; I have one and that is what I would suggest fror your windows. It will handle the thick plastic; just nibble over a waste basket or have the shop vac handy. It makes a lot of small pieces of whatever you are cutting.
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=81477
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
loathar wrote: http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=81652Don't know if this will help.
I like Loathar's suggestion the best!! Maybe use a Nibbler along with it... looks like you may get very accurate window openings.
Pennsy
A Model Railroader's Credo: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
R. T. POTEET wrote:Drill a hole and start filing. Piece of cake!!!Attention Ivanhen: I'm sorry for my snotty sarcasm but some answers just go that way!!!Attention riogrande5761: that's an HO Scale hole and an HO Scale file and an HO Scale piece of cake: then again it might be an N Scale hole and an N Scale file and an N Scale piece of cake!!!
RT
Filing is ok depending on your age
If he wants to finish all those holes before he's 70
he should get a nibbler
Drill a hole and start filing. Piece of cake!!!RT Filing is ok depending on your age If he wants to finish all those holes before he's 70he should get a nibbler
Drill a hole and start filing. Piece of cake!!!
Whatever!