On it's way from Albion Alloys. Placed the order a couple of days ago. Just being dispatched now with a 3 / 4 day delivery notification. I suppose in current circumstances it's acceptable. At least it is being processed. I'm intending to use this 10 thou sheet to scratch build some partitioning for a two compartment all brake third coach conversion. I'm interested to see how difficult it will be to cut and shape this thickness of brass. Toto
Tin snips, careful as one side may curl Scoring with a craft knife - gentle multiple cuts, can also provide the line for the snips to follow. Checked the Albion models site, I can only find listings for tube Paul
A way to part slightly thicker brass sheet is to score it a few times with a sharp blade as you might with a pane of glass and then "snap" it over a guide making a clean break. That's what I did when making the bridge diorama.
Type in brass sheet on the bay ....... it'll take you there. I prefer the multiple score system as tinsnips are rough. If it's a long cut, ragged edges are practically unavoidable. Cheers Toto
Get your self an Olfa Cutter, they are the best things going for scoring and snapping brass/nickel sheet. - Around a tenner on ebay
I have just used one of mine (I have a couple) for cutting out the door on the Slaters brake van. I find them so much more controllable in some situations than a scalpel or other blade.
Extremely useful tool, just make sure you get spare blades. Brass bu$$ers them up in no time!! They're great with plasticard and as Rob says for removing doors, panels etc on plastic kits as well as adding internal planking to wagon kits for greater detail. Scratch building would be much harder without them too. Pete.
I must be doing something right with mine Pete, my experience has been just the opposite. I bought spare blades but I have never had to change one and I am still on the original blade in my first one which I have had for approx 10 years (I only bought the second cutter when we got the other house and I had dedicated modelling space to save carting them backwards and forwards).
Just got one myself albeit the heavier duty one. Had concerns that it may be to big and not as versatile but we'll see. The only way I could get the pc-s version was direct and the minimum quantity was 10. Anyway ...... I'll try this one out. Cheers Toto
One for the trivia fans ....... I know this tool as a scrawker..... dont know if that's maybe just a trade term but tilers I know use a similar tool for marking cuts on tiles. Maybe I should just shut up.
It's a scrawker to me too but not everyone knows the term I have the heavier duty one too but went with the first photo I found.
I have two, the first one I bought was made by Tamiya and is the smaller version. I've had it for a good 12/15 years. I used the last spare blade around 4 years ago and I couldn't find any spare blades for sale so bought a second but larger version from Olfa. Around the same time, while looking for spare blades for my compass cutter, I found blades for my Tamiya scrawker online . Anyway I have bought 2 packs of each. Hopefully they will last me out . Cheers, Pete.
I bought an Olfa cutter after seeing Rob's post off ethief, it works a treat. Thaks for the recommendation. Mossy
I used mine when I cut out the opening for the coal hatch on my J69 build, hardest part was keeping my straight edge steady. Pete.
