Cutting, filing, etc.

[Katana_Angel]

This will probably sound quite newbie-esque, but, well.. I am one. lol

Moving onward, my questions have to deal mostly with metal figurines, and trying to \'cut off\' extra metal.

Firstly, mold lines. When I first read, \"Always clean mold lines\", I thought they meant literal mold growing on a mini! *blush* For a guess, I assume metal files would be the best way to remove those. Any pointers for doing this?

Secondly, I\'ve been curious to attempt some dynamic bases for my miniatures-- something with a lot of rock, and so forth. But to do that, I have to cut off the \'metal bar\' that usually spans between a miniature\'s legs. I have an Exacto knife, but that\'s it-- and I\'m pretty sure that won\'t \'cut\' it (Ba-dum ching). In fact, one mini I\'ve been working on (Ringwraith) has a bar, and the display base doesn\'t have a slot! You see my dilema.

So, anyone have some suggestions they could wing my way? It\'d be appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[Ritual]

When it comes to the metal tab I use a contour saw (is this correct? ??? I translated the Swedish word for it...). The same saw can be handy when you convert minis and want to remove a limb or something, since it cuts very fine and you don\'t have to saw along a straigt line.

Mold lines are best removed with needle files on accessible areas and with a sharp modelling knife where it is tricky to reach. Sometimes I scrape the knife along the mold lines with the blade perpendicular to the lines in order to carefully wear them down. So, basically, what you need is a sharp modelling knife and a couple of different needle files (a round, a flat and one with a sharp edge to reach narrow nooks).

Hope this was helpful.

/Anders

 

[Jas]

Mouldy Minis

So cutting and filing eh?

The metal files for filing mould lines should be the best you can afford, get a few different ones. Always file in the same direction, keep it light and smooth otherwise you could take chunks out of the mini... Use the X-Acto knife VERY carefully as they can cut through just about anything, keep your fingers well out the way and gently apply presure to the area you wish to cut. A Jewelers Saw may be better for large cutting but may be expensive. I prefer to file mould lines and some people prefer to use an X-Acto knife but I find it too easy to slip off course!

Hope this was some help!

 

[t_haye2]

just get a paitr of flat edge clippers for cutting metal bits off minis, including tags. it\'s easier and quicker than a saw.

 

[Jkaen]

I use wire cutters to take large areas off and then clean the resulting mess with the above tools

 

[Grumbold Ironbrow]

That\'s no fun...

Originally posted by Jas
Use the X-Acto knife VERY carefully as they can cut through just about anything, keep your fingers well out the way

You\'re not a real mini painter until you\'ve bled on at least a few of your minis...

Seriously though, X-Acto also makes a very fine toothed blade that is meant for cutting balsa wood, but works very well for removing bases from mini\'s, cutting off tabs, etc. They are easier to find than a jewlers saw, you can pick one up in almost any craft store.

The needle files are essential. As others have said.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Grumb

 

[Katana_Angel]

X-actos are always fun. Mine are left over from scratchboard assignments in art... good times.

Back on track, thank you everyone for your very useful (and very quick!) responses. The wire cutters/flat edge clippers might be the most readily available items near me, so I\'ll have to check it out.

 

[Ritual]

Originally posted by Grumbold Ironbrow
You\'re not a real mini painter until you\'ve bled on at least a few of your minis...

Then I\'m as real as a mini painter can get. I cut the entire tip of my left index completely off once.:~(
I was going to cut a plastic part off of its sprue and I had my finger underneath for support. How clever was that!?!

/Anders

 

[Dragonsreach]

Ok so everybody else has made virtually the same comments. (Great minds and all that!)

I\'d add that a small piece of 800 Wet & Dry emery paper used in Automotive repair wrapped around the point of a file can make a very effective means of removing the scratch marks when you\'ve used an X-Acto knife to scrape off the molding line. You can also use 400 grit wet & dry as a finer sanding agent as well.

One thing I\'ve found recently is a Fibre glass brush which is normally used for cleaning up soldering points. This makes for quite a good burnishing tool when you\'re removed the molding line. It\'s just like a propelling pencil , just don\'t use too much of a tip as the fibres will break and then you\'ve got a couple of days digging \"Itching powder\" off your hands.

Edit: here\'s the link :
http://www.shesto.co.uk/acatalog/Shesto_Catalogue_SCRATCH_BRUSHES_4.html

Hope that this helps.

 

[Katana_Angel]

So much help for lil\' ol me. I\'ll be a pro before I know it! Maybe. Err... right. Moving onward.

Dragonsreach- I will check the link out after work. For one reason or another, it just doesn\'t want to go for me (could very well be our ISP- it\'s been acting up lately).

 

[finn17]

Oh damn....too late...

I can add a few extra bits though.

1) Needle files are essential. I have about 100 but only ever use the one. \'Daddies little favourite\' One side is flat, the other round and it comes to a sharp point at the tip. Does everything I ever want a needle file to do.

2) Flat edged clippers are a must. If you look at ordinary clippers, they have an angle on both sides of the edge: V shaped. The ones you want only have an angle on the inner side more of a |/ shape. It\'s not essential, but it allows you to cut closer and saves time filing. GW sell them, but the best ones are available from Heresy miniatures, http://www.heresyminiatures.com/
They are 11 quid but well worth it.

3) The boring bit. Most older minis have a high lead content. Filing them creates lead dust. Obviously you should wash your hands etc before eating, but also thing about your pets. My doggy always likes to sit at my feet so I have to be cruel to be kind, and shut him out when I am filing.
This is also over the top possibly, but I keep a small rechargeable vucuum next to my desk and hoover the space round my chair regularly. But if you haven\'t got a dog that likes to sit at your feet and chew bones, this will probably not be a problem

*EDIT*DR I have stoped using those damn fibreglass thingies. It was after impregnating the crotch of my Levis with small fibreglass shards. :wow:

 

[Dragonsreach]

Finn17

*EDIT*DR I have stoped using those damn fibreglass thingies. It was after impregnating the crotch of my Levis with small fibreglass shards.

No! You\'re supposed to polish the miniature figurines................... lollollol

 

[minimaker]

Ok, just to add some more tips. Sometimes there are mold lines that are hard to reach. You can make miniature files by glueing bits of sandpaper on tootpick, plastic sprue, etc. Plastic sprue can be filed into shape first. If you use metal you can bend it to fit into a particular place.

Something else that can be handy are dentist grinders. This are basicly miniature grinding bits that fit in a motor tool. Very fine, so they can reach tight spots ok. You do have to keep the tool under control to keep it from \"jumping\" and damaging other areas.

 

[Dragonsreach]

@minimaker: Great tip I\'ll have to try that out. Thanks

 

[finn17]

Mr Reach...

Wot yoo ned is a set of Riffler fils.

Yoo can fidn thm her:

http://www.proopsbrothers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Files_39.html

Very cheap too!!! Proops is a great source of tools for the modeller. Their site takes a bit of getting used to though..

 

[vincegamer]

A Dremel!

No. I joke. You would end up taking the mini\'s leg off (and possibly your own).

 

[finn17]

Dremel\'s are not for the faint hearted...

..or weak of wrist....

I have had literally dozens of blades/discs shatter on me and boy! Do they go

Safety goggles are a MUST with any Dremel work....

Beware of those flexi extensions as well. I have had one come apart on me:wow: The tool hit me in the chest, ruining a shirt and drawing blood whilst the business end of the extension bounced off a couple of walls...

I hasten to add, before I am sued, it wasn\'t a proper \'Dremel\' (tm)

The flexi extension I have for my \'Dremel\' (tm) is perfectly safe, because it doesn\'t bloody work at all:flip:

 

[Itchy]

metal worker\'s tip

Toothed blades and files only cut on the forward stroke, when you feel resistance... that\'s because the teeth are chatching the metal, and forcing the chip off the part. If you rub them backwards all you\'ll do is dull the file/blade.

@DR: What\'s wrong with \"Itching powder\"

 

[finn17]

Very true..

Originally posted by Itchy
If you rub them backwards all you\'ll do is dull the file/blade.

This can be useful however...My favourite needle file has become slightly blunted, and this is what makes it my favourite. It doesn\'t suddenly rip lumps out of my mini

 

[Itchy]

Yeah... but being a machinist i really hate to hurt my tools. If i need a softer tool i\'ll grab some gummed up sand paper (pewter\'s GREAT for gumming up sand paper, cutting wheels, grinding wheels etc). Now that i think about it... that\'s probably what\'s happening to you guys who brake a lot of cutting wheels with your dremels. You\'re getting pewter built up on the wheel, the chunks spin and hit the workpiece and instead of getting a smooth continuous cut you\'ve got one chunk of pewter repeatly slaming into your mini so it stresses the wheel and it breaks. Try looking for wheels that are ment for aluminum rather than steel. Steel\'s a ferous material (contains iron... give you those red hot sparks) while aluminum and pewter aren\'t. So you\'ll need a different wheel to grind/cut on them. i bought a \"Dremel Pro\" pack and it had a big ONE wheel for non-ferous materials... it\'s all i use for when i chop off a limb or weapon on a mini.

Plastic\'s are another story