Lexan Body Trimming - Scissors or Sharp Blade?

[GreenBar0n]

I've already cut out a Tamiya VW Bus body with scissors-only once, it took me a long time, and then sanding took a lot of time too.


Going to test the sharp blade method this evening on a new Bus body, to see the difference between methods again.

[Frankentruck]

I see a lot of spray paint cans there. We're going to need to see your ID to make sure you are 18 or older.

[TRX-1-3]

I see a lot of spray paint cans there. We're going to need to see your ID to make sure you are 18 or older.

Random side story...had a buddy that ran fuel/support truck for contract railway veg control helicopter.... at a rail yard one day he saw a guy darting around and being sneaky. Talking with the locals, he finds out this sneaky guy is the "Silver Fox". Nicknamed so because he only huffed one brand of silver spray paint and his mouth and nose were silver.

[GreenBar0n]

I see a lot of spray paint cans there. We're going to need to see your ID to make sure you are 18 or older.

Long term goals and plans are hatching over here for the future, plus I can't bring myself to throw away the cans that only have a few squirts left in them. Everything Tamiya makes is really great, I feel obligated to keep them if they can still provide some use.

Also, we have legal 40% THC herb out here, no need for dirty paint or glue huffing.

[Frankentruck]

I wasn't even thinking of the paint sniffing aspect. I always thought the age restriction is an attempt to combat graffiti.

[GreenBar0n]

Results are in, what I started with.


I started off using a #11 blade I had used on an earlier body, the results were not great, put on a new blade and it made all the difference, I will always use a new blade on every body, no exceptions.


No dust or scraps of splintered lexan laying around, just complete and whole sections removed.


After 35 minutes, no sanding or touch up in the places from the dull blade yet.


The scissors-only VW Bus body took me hours, maybe 3 or 4 hours with sanding, compared to this 35 minute job, with little to no sanding necessary. Stoked!

I also use an Optivisor with the LED light kit on it, which makes seeing the cut line in the lexan so much easier while scoring.

[1911Colt]

I also use an Optivisor with the LED light kit on it, which makes seeing the cut line in the lexan so much easier while scoring.

Whoa! Holy crap, you guys are serious! I didn't even know that Ultraviolet Lexan trimming headsets were a thing.

Compared to the rest of you, my RC bodies appear to have been trimmed with a 12 gage, which they basically were.

[GreenBar0n]

The Optivisor is essential for small projects, got that for building guitar amp clones, it is the most used tool in my toolbox. Bionic vision .

[1911Colt]

The Optivisor is essential for small projects, got that for building guitar amp clones, it is the most used tool in my toolbox. Bionic vision .

Some bionic eyes were prettier than others....

[juicedcoupe]

Some bionic eyes were prettier than others....

The new one is very "Bionic".

[1911Colt]

bionic....bi...bi as in 2.... or a pair....I feel as though there is a pair of something in that photo...

[GreenBar0n]

Bionic hearing is going to get us cancelled for talking about sweater puppets.



Make of this what you will.

[1911Colt]

talking about sweater puppets.

We did go off the rails pretty quickly. About 5 posts ago this was about trimming Lexan.

[GreenBar0n]

Testing for cancelled, in 2024:

...Testing completed. Pretty cool site here, no one locked the thread or reported us.

[TycoTamiya4eva]

TBG bodies are so thick to cut. I always buy an extra one because I now I will mess something up