Using water for cutting

7

7ED

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Hello, I have been having trouble trimming planks glued onto the frame. Especially where it’s been soaked in CA. I’m wondering if there are any downsides with wetting the planks to make them easier to cut. It would certainly make it easier to cut out the gun ports….

Also—I’ve noticed the occre Santisima doesn’t have a ship’s wheel. Does anyone know where one would normally go? Or why it was omitted?
 
I would not wet planks for cutting. It softens them, but if you don't use a very sharp razor knife, you will crush the fibers rather than slice them, like cutting spaghetti with a hammer. The cut ends will be frayed. For cutting to length, a razor chopping board is very good and you have leverage to chop through planks hardened by CA. I use this chopping tool, and it is strong and very precise. You can hand sand small sticks to adjust them to their final length if required.

Micro-Mark Chop-it $39.95

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Not much beats a new, sharp, no. 11 hobby blade for doing the cutting you need. Well, maybe a single edge razor blade comes close. Some patience in scoring through the wood will produce great results that should only need some filing or sanding to finish. Some find success with the hobby knife saw edged blades. They are thin and, again, with patience, will cut out a gunport. There are no real shortcuts to some aspects of ship modeling…cutting out gunports is one. Overall hull sanding is another. Tying thousands of ratline knots is yet another task that offers no easy shortcut. So, stock up on no. 11 blades and have patience. :)
 
What a nice tool that Micro-Mark Chop-it is. Unfortunately I can't find it in the Netherlands in stores, I have to look for it online. I have an Amati cutter myself, but this one looks a lot nicer. Got a little wiser today. Thanks for the lesson Darivs!!!
 
Alskabear said:
What a nice tool that Micro-Mark Chop-it is. Unfortunately I can't find it in the Netherlands in stores, I have to look for it online. I have an Amati cutter myself, but this one looks a lot nicer. Got a little wiser today. Thanks for the lesson Darivs!!!
Click to expand...
If you have some rectangular aluminum bar stock, a drill press, a board and some machine screws and wood screws, you make an even better one. I glued a board into the left side to make it a bit longer. Even though the chopping bar on the Micro-Mark is quite stiff, you still have to press straight down so cuts are precisely where you want them, especially for cutting hard walnut that is thicker than 5mm thick, of the cutting edge will deflect a tiny bit to the right. A bar supported on both sides will cut straighter. I'm talking about the smallest of improvements here. The Micro-Mark cutter is fantastic.
 
Als mijn huidige project klaar is (The Endurance) en voordat mijn nieuwe schip op de werktafel komt (The Amerigo Vespucci of The Warrior) zal ik proberen er een te bouwen. Ik ga je foto voor dat moment bewaren. Nogmaals bedankt.
 
When my current project is finished (The Endurance) and before my new ship comes on the work table (The Amerigo Vespucci or The Warrior) I will try to construct one. I'm going to save your photo for that moment. Thanks again.
 
DARIVS ARCHITECTVS said:
If you have some rectangular aluminum bar stock, a drill press, a board and some machine screws and wood screws, you make an even better one. I glued a board into the left side to make it a bit longer. Even though the chopping bar on the Micro-Mark is quite stiff, you still have to press straight down so cuts are precisely where you want them, especially for cutting hard walnut that is thicker than 5mm thick, of the cutting edge will deflect a tiny bit to the right. A bar supported on both sides will cut straighter. I'm talking about the smallest of improvements here. The Micro-Mark cutter is fantastic.
Click to expand...
I, for one, do not prefer chopping at all. I prefer using a razor saw with a miter box. Especially on thicker pieces.
 
DARIVS ARCHITECTVS said:
I would not wet planks for cutting. It softens them, but if you don't use a very sharp razor knife, you will crush the fibers rather than slice them, like cutting spaghetti with a hammer. The cut ends will be frayed. For cutting to length, a razor chopping board is very good and you have leverage to chop through planks hardened by CA. I use this chopping tool, and it is strong and very precise. You can hand sand small sticks to adjust them to their final length if required.

Micro-Mark Chop-it $39.95

View attachment 336024
Click to expand...
I've got one like this , but I built it myself, yes I'm guilty of 'plagiarism!' Much better than the all plastic, adjustable one I bought for £10.

IMG_5140.JPG

IMG_5139.JPG
 
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