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I am struggling to achieve nice neat clean cuts with Plasticard. I then had a brainwave, if i used thin Plasticard then I could use a Guillotine.

Has anyone got any experience in using a Guillotine with Thin Plasticard or any advice on the type to Use?

Are you talking about a shear?

A guillotine seems a bit overkill, plus it can be annoying trying to get the cut exactly on the line. And if you miss the line? Egh.

A good old fashioned stanley knife and ruler are just fine. Score the line, and snap it.

Yup, Content Josho is right. You can get a beautiful clean cut this way. I think a guillotine will actually cause warping due to the amount of pressure that is applied. Can't speak from experience, though.

Tried it. It works on the thinnest stuff BUT....

Plasticard will blunt the blade.

A blunt blade will cause bending of the card before it cuts through and give a horrible edge. They are not terribly sharp to begin with

Not all Guillotines are accurate, if you go ahead you may loose a lot of plasticard sections due to poor alignment.

I quickly reverted to the good old score and snap method or just cutting through using nowt but a metal ruler, a fresh blade in a scalpel and a bit of pressure.

I use a scrapbook tool designed to trim paper/photos. It is perfect for cutting plasticard and cheap...

This is the type I use. Local scrapbook and craft stores usually carry them.

http://store.scrapbook.com/f-01-005249.html?t2=tools&t12-13=fiskars&t3=cutters+and+trimmers

spireland wrote:I use a scrapbook tool designed to trim paper/photos. It is perfect for cutting plasticard and cheap...

This is the type I use. Local scrapbook and craft stores usually carry them.

http://store.scrapbook.com/f-01-005249.html?t2=tools&t12-13=fiskars&t3=cutters+and+trimmers

This is basically what I use too. I got mine on the cheap from an office supply store. Works beautifully. The one I bought will fit my whole sheets of plasticard in too, which makes things even more easy. Add in the built-in rulers all over the place, and it's a real winner.

Just score and snap.

razer blade then score and snap... or you can use a plexiglass cutting tool which works slightly better to score then snap. you aren't trying to cut all the way through .. if you do want to cut through though... try metal cutting sheers

No i was thinking one of these small office type Guillotines, not some giant industrial thing or something you use to take French Toff's heads off in a "Vive la France" style.

These were what I was thinking.



It should give nice neat lines on 1mm or 2mm Plasticard.

spireland wrote:I use a scrapbook tool designed to trim paper/photos. It is perfect for cutting plasticard and cheap...

This is the type I use. Local scrapbook and craft stores usually carry them.

http://store.scrapbook.com/f-01-005249.html?t2=tools&t12-13=fiskars&t3=cutters+and+trimmers

This. +1

I use scissors to cut thin card. It works fine on 0.25mm.

0.5mm and 1mm are best cut with steel ruler and hobby knife.

2mm takes a lot of cutting. The score and snap method is easiest.

Ah, a paper trimmer, not a guillotine.

Would be fine up to 0.25mm, will take a bit more force on 0.5mm and be impractical on anything thicker (go with a steel rule, sharp blade and the "score and snap" method there.)

I just use scissors on 0.25-0.5mm.
I take scissors apart and resharpen them when they need it (tool sharpening was something I learnt at school).

Steel ruler, Scalpel.
easy peasy lemon squeezy.

What is the issue with your cuts, currently? The worst I've come across using the score and snap method is a small raised lip and perhaps a slight roughness at the edge, but that can be removed in mere seconds by a quick scrape with the blade (as one might remove mold lines from a model).

Unless you're cutting a ton of thin plasticard into strips and rectangles, I really can't see the need for anything but a steel straightedge and a craft knife (which I'd probably still use for that, personally). The score and snap method works on anything thicker than that which can be cut cleanly through in a pass or two with the knife or with scissors.

I'm also going to disagree with GOOfySmiley on the potential usefulness of metal shears/tinsnips. Plastic is a lot more malleable than sheet metal (at least, the types we're commonly using), and will tend to deform significantly at the edges when tools for metal are used on them. I've tried using a sheet metal punch on plastic the results were quite telling.

Plus, the most common and affordable thin-gauge cutting tools are aviation shears, which usually have tooth-like serrations on one blade to help grip the metal (can't cut if it keeps squirting out when you apply pressure), which will terribly scar plastic (hell, they chew up ductwork pretty badly, too, it simply doesn't need a particularly clean edge).

mwnciboo wrote:No i was thinking one of these small office type Guillotines, not some giant industrial thing or something you use to take French Toff's heads off in a "Vive la France" style.

These were what I was thinking.



It should give nice neat lines on 1mm or 2mm Plasticard.

spireland wrote:I use a scrapbook tool designed to trim paper/photos. It is perfect for cutting plasticard and cheap...

This is the type I use. Local scrapbook and craft stores usually carry them.

http://store.scrapbook.com/f-01-005249.html?t2=tools&t12-13=fiskars&t3=cutters+and+trimmers

Same thing. They work like a charm, and have built-in guides that make trying to fiddle around with a straightedge to get it exactly where you want it unnecessary. A couple quick passes with the blade and you've got plenty of scoring to make for an easy snap.

My issue is exactly is that to get a professional look I think the pressure on the Plasticard can be uneven when using a knife and a steady hand. I am seeking to eliminate this, and furthermore find a quick safe and easy way of doing repeated cuts especially for numerous panels (for my in progress thunderhawk). Knife and Ruler does work, but I feel for £20 I might get a better finish, it will be quicker, neater and safer. Well I will give it a shot, as most Plasticard is solid perfectly square I can butress it up against the edge and I will know I will get a nice clean 90degree edge, so perfect corners and 45 degree joins will be possible.