What materials do you use to cut styrene sheets? I've used a sharp scissior but it leaves the sides of the cut part frost. BTW, I'm using clear sheets.

A very sharp blade and a steel ruler

I cut it in two ways depending on the tickness of the sheet:
- up to .5 mm: a sharp knife and a metal ruler
- over .5 mm: I "scratch" the sheet with a sharp knife and a marking pencil (a pencil with a steel tip) and then I snap it and then I finish along the cut with sanding paper
Ciao

My method is score and snap.

USE A STEEL RULE when doing this or a steel straight egde and mind those finger tips! #:-)

When scoring it can leave a raised edge that will show up when painted. A quick once over with an edge of a blade or sand paper and it's history.

When it comes to cutting out a hole I use steel dividers with sharp ends and score the circle, then make a hole with a knife in the centre and score out to the edge. bend all the segments out and hey presto a hole.

When cutting a 'L' shape I score from the inside out. Some times if you go from the outside to the middle you may miss and score the surface you want to keep unblemished.

Try and cut away from your self as much as you can, I know I have ended up with a scalpel a quarter inch into my thigh and on other occasions I have just clipped the top off of my finger Red Plastic yuk!!! #:-)

Hope these tips help

Just a thought, when cutting out the desired part, don't cut edge to edge on the bigger piece. It's more stable that way and helps a more accurate cut.
Cheers
Peter
:-)

I use an adjustable carpenters sqauare and a very sharp blade. Score the lines and then snap them off. You might have to score some lines a few times to get a clean edge though depending on the thickness of the sytrene stock. HTH
cheers,
Bryan

I use an X-Acto knife, or any other blade, or just scisors if the lines don't have to be exact

Thanks all!

If you are going to get into some heavy scratch building I would suggest getting yourself a Dupli-Cutter. This will help you with multiple cuts and save your fingers from cuts. You can use a sharp exacto knife and the guide and make straight cuts very safely. Micro mark sells these nice tools and they are worth the weight in gold. http://www.micromark.com/ http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=81028

OMG! I want that but too bad I can't order online I don't have a credit card yet and my dad don't like buying online especially when we're down here in the Philippines.

Animal convinced me to get one.....I LOVE IT it makes cutting so much easier!!!!

Fresh blade and steel ruler and leave the expensive tools to the rich ones !!!!

I've had quite a few knicks & Scrapes...... and it's a pain to get multiple pcs the same size!!!! with just the ruler.

i agree on that but then again the postrates and the taxes on items make a simple tool cost 30$ end to my hands 70-80 so .....i dont waste them on maybe when i gaet to a shop on one trip i ll get it

I do use the scribe & ruler on sheets too large for the Duplicutter.

There's also the option of getting a rolling fabric cutter. It has a circular blade and would seem to work well (haven't tried it though).
Kyle

I got that tool with me and yes it does a good cut. THe problem is, if you don't use a steel ruler as a guide, it'll go in unwaterd curves . Also, it takes too much of your time considering I want to make a cube using a .1 styrene. It took me about an hour. I think I need to switch the plain round blade with a jagged round blade.

I use a kind of hobby paper cutter. It is used for cutting straight lines in arts and crafts projects. It has a small blade that runs in a channel that you hold down on top of the paper/styrene and swoosh, you have a straight cut.

Rob