Best Method of removing parts from sprue

[tinytuco]

Hi all..

As some of you know iv just started out on my journey into modelling - everything i know (very very little) has been learned literally over the last couple of months on line..

The first thing i want to ask about is sprue cutters - Do you reckon a good pair is essential? - do you cut parts of with anything else? If so what are the tried and tested methods of removing parts from the sprue..??

I have a revell set of sprue cutters - but tens to cut badly - leaving big lumps of styrene or "whitening" the styrene below the cut - leaving a damaging mark..

I then spend 15 minutes a part i take off, trying to make things all nice and smooth..... 15 minutes a part x 100 parts = A HELL OF A LONG TIME SANDING (plus ALL the other sanding that takes place) - at this rate it will take me years to finish a model..

What is the best way to get parts off a sprue in order to minimise this extortionate time i spend sanding and preparing these parts????

Thanks in advance

Tiny

[Silver Fox]

I use a sharp scaplel on small parts or if the moulding allows close acces. I use side cutters on larger spure gates but cut so that a little srue remains attached.Then I use the scapel to clean up the cut.

[T-Tango]

I use a scalpel on small or awkwardly placed parts and sidecutters or micro-saw on larger parts with large sprue attachment points.

[CliffB]

Use a scalpel, but always support the part so that you're cutting onto a firm surface. A small cube of wood (say 1 cm cube), is ideal for providing this support under the sprue when cutting.

Hope this helps

Cliff

[little-cars]

There are two tools I recommend, firstly a good quality spru cutter like the Xuron side cutter (about £14).

But if you want very little clean up, people are now using the JLC saw for this purpose.

This has a rasor blade sized saw blade mounted on a wooden handle, is very thin and very fine cutting.

I ought them originally for cutting resin, then realised that they put no stress on the plastic, so are great for cutting clear pieces and small details from the spru with very little clean up (from £12.50).

[thx6667]

Side cutters for the most past, good old Stanley knive for smaller parts, scalpel with smallest blade for really delicate stuff, it all depends.

[mideast-mover]

what them's said.

The JLC saw is really great, I bought one from Paul and it's hard to see how I managed without it. It just makes life easier, especially with cutting resin.

The main thing that I've learned is it's just as important to get a good cut from off the sprue as it is to dry-fit before you glue. Especially when it comes to wings! I'll admit causing myself extra work by having an untidy cut from the sprue leaving a crater in my wing joint.

[Paul-H]

Hi

Sprue cutters for me as well

Although I do have the expensive Xuron cutters in my tool box along with quite a few others, the best by far for me are the ones by Trumpeter, they have a the cutting edge ground to a very shallow angle and the can make a very clean cut that needs vertualy no cleaning, they also cut clear parts like canopies without any damage, and the best news of all they only cost about £8.

Paul

[spitfire]

I tend to use cutters to cut the sprue only, this leaves a stub of sprue attached to the part, I can then use this as a handle for painting, then I use a scalpel to remove the part.

Cheers

Den

[Abacus]

Cutters here too. For small parts, leave a nub and then trim.

[Vulcanicity]

I have never used dedicated sprue cutters, instead I have an old pair of ordinary wire clippers that do the job perfectly well. Once the part is off the sprue, I clean up with a scalpel, and occasionally a touch or two with a file or wet and dry paper

[tinytuco]

Thanks for the advice and input guys..

Time to start changing my tools and technique i think......

Practice practice practice

Tiny

[dj prest]

i would not be without these ................nail clippers i cut the part off the sprue with clippers then use the above along with a hobby knife and file to remove the rest

[Max Headroom]

If using a scalpel be aware that if you exert too much pressure the blade can snap and has a tendency to fly into somewhere fleshy and hurty.

Trevor

[jimbuna]

I always used a scalpel or sprue cutters.

[cheeley]

I try to do everything on the cheap

I got some toe nail pliers (sounds horrible doesn't it?) Like these

Got when I spied them whilst out shopping with the missus (For those in NZ, I think it was in Postie Plus). They were about NZD$5 which is about £2.50 - much cheaper than things like tamiya branded ones, which cost about NZD$50. I clip off leaving a little tag of sprue, then whittle that off with a stanley blade or scalpel. The blade is slightly curved, but that generally isn't a problem.

[CockneyCol]

I used to use a scalpel and side cutters, however every now and then I had issues with larger sprue gates especially on clear parts, so I've now swapped to using one of the very fine razor saws normally used for resin etc. It does take longer to do but I can cut closer to the part reducing clean up etc. Also removes the risk of stabbing yourself with a knife and of the plastic "tearing" and wrecking the part.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers

Col'

[bruce3371]

Use a scalpel, but always support the part so that you're cutting onto a firm surface. A small cube of wood (say 1 cm cube), is ideal for providing this support under the sprue when cutting.

Hope this helps

Cliff

I use this exact same method! I read a lot of hints and tips that involve buying various (often quite expensive) tools or accessories, but really, the simplest methods are often the best.

I really don't believe that you need to spend a lot of money on tools and accessories, to get good results with your model making.

[Tedfellows]

Sidecutters and sanding stick to remove the sprue residue from the part.

Scalpel or knife to remove parts from sprue and clean up? See below

Adam

[bruce3371]

Sidecutters and sanding stick to remove the sprue residue from the part.

Scalpel or knife to remove parts from sprue and clean up? See below

Adam

And yet it works perfectly well...