Modelling equipment - saws in particular!

[Geordie088]

Good evening all, hope you are well.

I’m looking for some guidance or advice on what equipment you use for cutting smaller sections of wood for scenery or buildings etc. Do you have, for example, something that would cut wood so that I could use it for a homemade viaduct ? Is there an accurate electric tool or is it a case of doing it by hand with a coping saw or something similar.

Help or guidance would be appreciated

Many thanks.

[FatController]

I would recommend a hand tool and going slowly - something like an X-acto saw - or even a knife if it's really small. That, a metal ruler plus a good cutting mat. But others may come along with other ideas - I am not too old or too proud to learn!
Cheers!

[Dad-1]

I have a couple of X-acto saws, different depth blades.
Also I've used junior hacksaw blades hand held, a risky thing, but with care and used gently
with firmly held work can do the job. I fact I've used that method for cutting insulating gaps
in home made track when the piercing saw blade broke !!

Geoff T.

[centenary]

IMHO X Acto saws are only any good for cutting very soft wood such as balsa. Anything harder needs a proper minature saw or Japanese style saw. However, these are expensive if being used for a single job but, the blade will last longer than an X Acto one used to cut harder wood.

[Geordie088]

Thanks for the tips guys. I’ll check that kit out you recommend. Although never heard of the Japanese saw before.
I always thought something like a Fret saw was what you needed for the smaller stuff but I’ll have a look.
Thanks again

[GeraldH]

I have used hacksaws to make fine cuts in thin wood for modelling, sometimes in the form of a junior hacksaw and sometimes as a padsaw. I also have Exacto saws and the saw blades in a knife handle in the link below have also proved very useful.

https://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/ac ... ml#SID=189

[Geordie088]

Thanks Gerald. Much appreciated.

[Bufferstop]

All the saws are available at Amazon and don't cost a lot, I'd recommend getting a mitre box to go with them to help keep your cuts straight.
Junior Hacksaw

basic_.jpg (11.91 KiB) Viewed 1135 times

Better

better..jpg (6.1 KiB) Viewed 1135 times

Mitre Box and xActo saw.

mitrebox.jpg (4.48 KiB) Viewed 1135 times

The files all came from a quick browser search and all are available at Amazon, and other places. The simple bent frame one is very cheap but can be troublesome when fitting blades. Ideally you need to have a wooden surface other than the dining table on which to press down the tip of the saw to release the blade
Geoff I've done it myself but I really can't recommend using the blades without the frame, it makes your fingers sore and one slip can be a nasty cut.

[Bigmet]

For straight cuts through thin material, a 'razor saw' such as the X-Acto is ideal as the rigid back keeps the blade stable, the fine teeth make a clean cut in thin material.

Fret, Coping and Piercing saws are very useful, but it is matter of patience and practice in handling them, combined with a workpiece support with a V notch in the outside edge, clamped overhanging the edge of the workbench for thew target result. If doing a lot of this kind of work, a small bandsaw is a real boon

A cheap DIY tool that can be useful, take a junior hacksaw blade and make a handle from Milliput around half the length of the blade.

[Geordie088]

Thanks for all your thoughts and advice guys. Looks like I’ve got a busy weekend ahead of me!! Now, let’s log into Amazon….

[End2end]

I have both sizes of the X-acto saws.
I use a quite a bit of balsa and thin strip wood and they are ideal for both. The blades are very thin and make excellent cuts, much better than using a knife on the balsa wood.

Now, let’s log into Amazon….

Or support your local model shop.
Thanks
End2end

[Dad-1]

Hi Bufferstop,

A mixture of being lazy, and living on the edge makes using either a full Hacksaw,
or Junior version blade in the hand normal to me. Unlike Bigmet the best protection
I've used is a piece of rag, or a wrap of some masking tape !!

Living dangerously ? That's why people like me are often dead, or so I'm told. It's
amazing what survival skills you can learn.

Geoff T.

[Bufferstop]

Thnaks Geoff. Survival skills? You mean like replacing 13A sockets without turning the power off, and climbing on the wheelie bin to reposition the security lights 'cus the ladder is in the shed and I left the key on the hook in the kitchen!

Cheers

John W

[Dad-1]

John !!! Wheelie Bin ?????

There were no wheelie bins when I was doing stupid things.
I recall dangling my legs over the gable end of the house trying to locate the ladder
after having been of the roof to fix the TV do you remember those early stereo radio
aerials ?
Think it took until I was 58 to end up with a true broken limb, rather that the insignificant
cracks of earlier times. He, He, cycle racing, rally driving, would I do it all again ? YES !!

Geoff T.

[Bufferstop]

Keep an eye on the special offers in Lidl and Aldi, they aren't the most super tools but they are good enough for light use.