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So I was looking at ebay at some cheap british WW1 beasts and I wanted to convert this stuff into a 40K model by adding a rhino door into one of the sides. However I have only 2 hobby knifes, one is standard scalpel and the other one is typical hobby knife with a slider. I have a drilling machine, but I do not have any dremmel tool. can you guys give me some ideas how to neatly open a door with knifes and a drill without destroying the hull?

Just take it easy and youll be ok. Dont put too much pressure on. Applying light pressure and doing multiple passes with the exacto is far better than trying to force the exacto through the plastic.
On the bright side, in my experience, most models outside of 40K use alot thinner plastic, so it might be easier to cut through than a rhino.

Or model the door as closed

Clang wrote:Or model the door as closed

But the Idea is the door to be closed. I was planning to witch a portal and place the GW door in it, but now you give me idea to just dig the lines.

Jollydevil wrote:Just take it easy and youll be ok. Dont put too much pressure on. Applying light pressure and doing multiple passes with the exacto is far better than trying to force the exacto through the plastic.
On the bright side, in my experience, most models outside of 40K use alot thinner plastic, so it might be easier to cut through than a rhino.

I am a bit afraid to not break the plastic, because it's thinner than the GW plastic, but using your method it may work.

Just do lots of small grooves with a knife. Cut it a bit undersized and use a flat file to open it up to the size you want as it's going to be very hard to cut it perfect with the knife.

You could also try using a method similar to panel line scribing, where you use the back of a knife and repeatedly drag it over the line (you can use a ruler or piece of straight plastic as a guide). Just keep scribing until you pass all the way through the plastic. You will still have a rough bit at the end that needs cleaning up, but using the back of the knife against a guide it will be much easier to get a straight line.

Another idea that I've never tried for cutting all the way through, but sometimes when I want to make a straight line I use a #25 contour scalpel blade and rock it back and forth, it's easier to create a straight line than dragging a knife especially on surfaces that aren't entirely flat.

AllSeeingSkink wrote:
Just do lots of small grooves with a knife. Cut it a bit undersized and use a flat file to open it up to the size you want as it's going to be very hard to cut it perfect with the knife.

You could also try using a method similar to panel line scribing, where you use the back of a knife and repeatedly drag it over the line (you can use a ruler or piece of straight plastic as a guide). Just keep scribing until you pass all the way through the plastic. You will still have a rough bit at the end that needs cleaning up, but using the back of the knife against a guide it will be much easier to get a straight line.

Well I can always just glue the door to the hull, but it will be terribly unrealistic and lame.
Wish me luck thou...

Yeah I wouldn't just glue the door on.

I think I'd try the scribing method if you can get a guide in there.

AllSeeingSkink wrote:
Yeah I wouldn't just glue the door on.

I think I'd try the scribing method if you can get a guide in there.

The Gunpla method seem convincing. I will try that once I have the model. God I am so excited...

If you have a file.

You could cut it slightly smaller. And if you have a Ile you can make it larger by hand and get a perfect fit.