Advice sought

[Szyp]

I need help from the members of this forum again. I have the greatest difficulty cutting out the notches from a die cut former, for example, without breaking off a corner of the notch, or the whole space between notches no matter what I try- brand new Xactos, brand new razors, and I get frustrated because I try really hard to prevent this, even allowing for the grain of the wood. I want to build the Sopwith Camel as a static, and am hoping there is a trick I can use to cut the notches so they some out as well as laser cut. I h am open to anything that might work- I have not yet started, and am just researching the ins and outs of the Camel.

[Szyp]

Brilliant- yet so simple. I think I read somewhere on this forum about taping 2 hacksaw blades together to cut the notch- are you familiar with that? Oh, and a question- what grit sandpaper do you recommend- 220? 150?

[supercruiser]

What Mr. Duckett has shown works very well.
My notcher is "T" shaped.
It's hard to explain but is the same method. I take a piece of stringer stock and glue the sandpaper to one side of it. Then glue a 1/4 inch wide by 3 inch long piece of balsa sheet to the stringer on the side OPPOSITE the sandpaper.
That way when you sand the notch; the depth of the cut will stop when the
1/4x3 backstop reaches the edge of the former.
You can saw back and forth all you want and it won't cut any deeper.
It's sort of like training wheels to the version Dave pictured.

[Szyp]

Besides your store of knowledge what amazes me is the fact that I never (?) had this problem when I was 12, 13 years old and everything was die cut. I guess as a kid I just went ahead and built the darn model- now, as an adult, I think too much and create problems for myself. As always, thank you for your time and knowledge.

[Szyp]

In an amazing coincidence, or was it a cosmic phenomenon, as I was searching all my scraps, I found s pike of Popsicle sticks, and with a piece of 220 wrapped around the 2 wide and 1 narrow side, it was just a hair shy of 1/8 inch. Voila. Thank you all for the inspiration!!!

[wmikedavis]

[img][img]http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx341/wmikedavis/Nieuportbuild003.jpg[/img] I have been using this for a couple of years now and it works for me[/img] Just took a 32/tip blade broke it in half and CA'ed them together. On pieces with knotches that are almost certain to break off, I put a drop of CA on it and let it dry before using the blades.

[Szyp]

Excellent idea- comments are sought on this idea: how about I UHU a piece of tissue to the rear of the parts sheet before removing any individual part, then cut it out and notch it as per one of the suggestions- I have beau-coup tissue, and it might reinforce the notch corners enough that, with care, it will prevent that annoying breakage.

[flash52]

A standard size popcicle stick with fine sandpaper glued to the edge works great for 1/16 stringers