Modelling Tool Info Appeal

[Wayne R.]

I recently watched one of Adam Savage's One Day Builds, the one with Aaron Douglas making BSG model kits. He's a busy guy so I thought it best to open this enquiry up to a bigger audience.
Could someone please point me in the right direction to find a pair of these sidecutters?



I've tried every word I can think of to describe these things, and Google's not been able to locate their like.

 

[Robiwon]

Micro Mark use to sell these, but a check of their current catalog does not show them. They were called Cam Action Sprue Cutters. Good luck finding a pair. Wouldn't mind some myself.

 

[Wayne R.]

Wow, direct hit. After about an hour looking for retro, medical and industrial sidecutters, clippers, snippers and cutters it turns out I should have looked for what it was actually made for.
Live & learn.
It's not exactly the same, though. Either the sides have been replaced with custom ones or there was a smoothed silver version at some point in time.

 

[Albertese]

It's been a while since I watched that particular episode, but I think he said he made that particular one himself didn't he? My recollection is that he saw someone else at ILM have a pair of those, and decided to put together his own version. But I could well be mis-remembering.

--Alex

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

I would personally go with Xuron tools: http://www.micromark.com/search?keywords=Xuron The one I use to cut parts of the sprue is this one: http://www.micromark.com/Xuron-Micro-Shear

 

[Robiwon]

I think the cam action action cutter was a new design that just didn't catch on. That's why you dont see them more. I use the Xuron cutters as well. The closest you will probably get to those are squizzers.

 

[Antsnest]

+1 for the Xuron. I hesitated for years because they are far more expensive than other types, but in the end you get what you pay for and they are worth every penny!

 

[Wayne R.]

Thanks guys, it was more about the aesthetic and design appeal than any practical considerations. If they're a design dead-end, that just makes them more desirable (to me).
Great though the Xurons may be, they look like sprue cutters.
I have a pair of short scissors made in the same sort of way as squizzers. Awful things.

 

[division 6]

You know you could have just asked Adam directly since he does visit this forum.

 

[Bouq]

Excuse my rookie question but what is the advantage of this particular tool please ?

 

[Wayne R.]

You know you could have just asked Adam directly since he does visit this forum.

Like I said, he's a busy guy so I thought it best to open this enquiry up to a bigger audience.

And Philbouq, I have no idea if there's an advantage in reality other than possibly ergonomics. Looking at the way it works, the combined leverage might make cutting as easy as it would be if the lower arm was longer.

 

[robn1]

Excuse my rookie question but what is the advantage of this particular tool please ?

The cutting head is small and thin so they can reach close to parts while on the sprue, and they make a cleaner cut than average side cutters.

 

[Jun Austria]

The cutting head is small and thin so they can reach close to parts while on the sprue, and they make a cleaner cut than average side cutters.

For that nothing can beat this....

https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product...sfl_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1AZZ9KBKEABAV

It's the thinnest side cutter I ever use.

 

[Bouq]

Thanks to the three of you

 

[TMBountyHunter]

For that nothing can beat this....

https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product...sfl_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1AZZ9KBKEABAV

It's the thinnest side cutter I ever use.

While God Hands are a fantastically made, quality tool, they are a bit expensive. If you want really nice, single edge nippers like the God Hand, the Wave Nippers will get you 99% there for 1/3 the price! I've used both for a while now and both are marvelous.

Wave Nippers: https://hlj.com/product/WAVHT-389



For those that never heard of them before, these are not general purpose nippers. They are for soft plastics only (PS, ABS, PE, PP) and on the box say up to 3mm. They have extremely thin blades and actually cut through plastic like butter. All the more traditional nippers while they may be sharp they always end up turning into wedges once actually in the plastic and push and tear the plastic instead of cutting it. The single blade nippers reduce the amount of cleanup needed for gates on plastic kits by reducing the stress marks and tearing. They're really quite wonderful. Though I think Wave does has a more appropriate name for theirs: Fine Nippers for Gate Cutting, immediately tells you what they're good at so you shouldn't go overusing them. God Hand's ULTIMATE NIPPERS might oversell them a bit given all the warnings listed on them what not to do so you don't break the really fine blade: http://www.godhandtool.com/product/spn-120

 

[Jun Austria]

While God Hands are a fantastically made, quality tool, they are a bit expensive. If you want really nice, single edge nippers like the God Hand, the Wave Nippers will get you 99% there for 1/3 the price! I've used both for a while now and both are marvelous.

Wave Nippers: https://hlj.com/product/WAVHT-389

Wow. Good find. I ordered 2. Thanks for sharing.

 

[station]

Gundam planet nippers are also a good alternative to the god hand. They cut very clean and parts don't require much if any cleanup afterward