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G'day all,

Now, obviously you can just cut it with a knife, but I'm finding it really difficult to cut in squarely or to a specific angle and to the correct length. I could halve the time it takes me to build things if I could figure how to quickly and efficiently cut them squarely.

At the moment I just measure it with a steel ruler and then cut it with a knife and then spend a while carefully whittling it to try and get it square or to the correct angle and hope by the time I get it correct I haven't accidentally made it too short.

Is there some cheap and effective tools that I could use to get this done better?

I've used a miter box, I found it a Train Supply store, had to buy a little hand saw to fit the miter box. You can also use a tube cutter here is a link to the one I use:

http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-Products-PST003-Junior-Cutter/dp/B000KKS732

The Tube cutter is good and will stay sharp as long as you only use it for plastic card. The Miter Box is good for cutting angles. I read on a forum to use tape to guide your blade but havn't tried it, I mainly play orks so perfection isn't really needed

Your best bet to get perfectly square, straight cuts is a mitre box and razor saw.

Something like this - http://www.amazon.com/Xacto-X75320-Small-Mitre-Box/dp/B0000DD1O4

Yes, mitre box.

A razor saw is a very useful modelling tool to have anyway.

I find with rod, a square cut is easiest by rolling the piece under the knife to get it aligned. Use very little pressure on the blade and it should work fine.

Anyone tried something like this?

http://www.hobbytools.com.au/the-dobson-miter-rite/

I might grab a mitre box anyway, but it would be nice to be able to cut angles other than 90/45/30. I'm building an Ork buggy at the moment and a lot of the cuts are odd angles.

Ah, I see.
The trick with building rod or tube frameworks is to do and glue ONE JOINT at a time - this means you can lay the frame down and have it flat - otherwise you'll never be cutting your mitres at the same angle. Also, draw the frame and lay out the parts on it as you go.

Do not attempt to cut each part first; cut as you build.

Strongly recommend a tube cutter for, um, cutting tubes - they won't distort the tube like a scalpel blade will, and always give a perfect 90 degree cut.

One more vote for mitre box and razor saw. Quick strait cuts, and most mitre boxes will also have 90 degree slots as well so you can make perfect right angle joins.

It's a cheap solution and as has been said, the razor saw is a super useful tool to have around.

Miter box and razor saw, as mentioned its great at making nice straight cuts.