Which "chopper" to get?

[Ray Dunakin]

I'm getting really tired of trying to cut multiple styrene strips to exact length by hand, so I want to get some sort of precision cutting tool. Which would you recommend? One of the NWSL choppers? Another brand? Something different?

[darrylhuffman]

Ray,

The NWSL Choppers cut at an angle across the corner of the wood or styrene so I does not lend itself to "scoring and snapping".

Plus it with give an unwanted angle to the cut as it slices through.

But if you like bloody fingers and have lots of razor blades then you may like it.

Personally, I like to use an old Shay Wood Miter to score the styrene and then snap it.

This is quick and accurate enough for most things.


Since moving to O scale I needed something stronger so I bought a cheap miniature "chop saw" from Harbor Tools and bolted it to a board and built up the surfaces surrounding it so that my wood or styrene lays flat while the motorized chop saw makes quick order of my wood.

The styrene is easy to but you have to be careful not to let it heat up the plastic to avoid melting.
 

[finescalerr]

As Darryl says, or use a disc sander to achieve the final angle. Doug Heitkamp and Richard Christ once told me the disc sander would be my most indispensable tool. They were correct. Any questions? Phone me. -- Russ

[Malachi Constant]

But if you like bloody fingers and have lots of razor blades then you may like it.

And now for a very different opinion ...  

First ... anyone who gets bloody fingers while using a Chopper is doing something terribly, terribly wrong ...

I've had the Chopper III from NWSL for many years.  It'll do fine for thin styrene strip -- up to .030" thick no problems, .040" thick is about the limit for what you'd want to cut with this.  Eventually, the blade wears a groove in the masonite ... fill that in & keep going.  It's an inexpensive tool that can be very handy.  Mine paid for itself long ago.  

For thicker stock, or more precise cuts, go with the other suggestions.  Darryl has a beautiful custom-built cutter made by a friend of his -- an enviable tool!    There are/were others out there offering similar tools -- generally $200 & up for those ... so, if it's the thin strips, IMO you'll get a lot of mileage out of a Chopper.  I'd go with the NWSL just on the basis that the M-M version is a knock-off ... but if you need other stuff from M-M, it would be reasonable to weigh that in (ie, save some shipping). 

Cheers,
Dallas

[lab-dad]

I use a 10" table saw.
For small stuff the 12" bandsaw.
And then the disc sander.

Seriously though, I have no problems with my chopper, but anything thick needs to be sanded.
On the thick stuff i just score both sides and snap.

-mj

[Seattle Dave]

Well, I've never been disappointed in this one, even though it is pretty inexpensive...

http://www.harborfreight.com/bench-top-cut-off-saw-42307.html

[darrylhuffman]

Dave,

That is the one I used.

I mounted it to a board and built up the surround area with wood so that long strips of stripwood would lie flat.

I built it so that I could use a small clamp to set the length.

My set-up is ugly but very functional.

[lab-dad]

Here is my modified version;
Someday I'd like to add the dial caliper to it..............
-Marty

[Ray Dunakin]

Looks like I could use both the Chopper, for small stuff like window muntins; and the cut-off saw, for larger stock.

[W.P. Rayner]

Ray:

I gave up on the Chopper years ago. I had one of the earlier versions and the blade would always flex & twist no matter how thin the material I was "chopping" and I could never get a fully square cut. It looks like the newer version is much more robust and rigid, so perhaps they have corrected that issue. I use my Preac saw for all cutting needs. If I need to make a lot of pieces the same length, I use the sled on the table with a stop set along the bottom fence to set my length.



There is a thread about the sled construction here: http://www.finescalerr.com/smf/index.php?topic=608.msg9749#msg9749. I patterned the sled after the full-size versions we used to use in the furniture shop.

Paul

[Scott Groff]

I use the newer version of the Chopper.  For thicker material, make four cuts:  the first is a marker and made gently.  Rotate the piece to the next side, and again a gentle cut.  Proceed until all four sides have been marked.  On the last, apply a little more pressure and you should get a nearly perfectly square cut.  If not, use the True Sander and a couple of swipes with the sanding block and you have a good cut.

Having said all this, the Harbor Freight chop saw would certainly be a less expensive tool and faster.  I tend not to trust anything HF sells.  It appears everything is made in China with concomitant poor quality.

Scott Groff

[Carlo]

Paul -
The link to your SBS is not working.
All I get is "The topic or board you are looking for appears to be either missing or off limits to you."
Any other place I could see it?
Carlo

[Old Goat]

Try using heavy duty, .012", single edge blades in the NWSL Choppers.  Local paint stores usually stock them...I purchased a box via eBay.

Matt

[compressor man]

I made my own version of the chopper. To avoid weak and flexing blades you can buy the Irwin Blue blades. These are fantastic blades that last a very long time and are much sharper than "normal" razor blades. Yes, they do give a little bit of a bevel to the cut since each side of the blade is sharpened (like a knife). I have looked all over for some type of blade that is only sharpened on one side (like a chisel) but have been unable to find anything. This type of blade would give a square cut on one side of your material.

[eTraxx]

Frustrated with razor-blade choppers for anything more then thing stripwood and plastics I modified one of those cheepo Harbor Freight chop saws. It is WAY under powered - cutting poplar for example requires actually a 'chopping motion' as the blade bogs. For basswood and plastic though it works great. I use a small C-Clamp to make a stop along the angle for multiple pieces. Not perfect but works until I can drop the bucks on something like the Proxxon chop saw.