Hey gang,
Like the title asks, how do you cut hypo tubing without crushing it? I’m using it for gun barrels on a 1/48 mustang, if that gives you the idea of the diamter of the tube. I need to cut a few small sections (like 1/8" long), so I don’t think I can use a dremel with cutoff wheel.
So, does anyone have any suggestions for cutting tubing that small?
Thanks,
-Fred
place your #11 blade where you want the cut and start rolling back and forth it will cut through. Use this method on brass all the time.
That’ll work fine on copper or brass. On steel (which, I think, is what most hypodermic tubing is made of), knife blade will have trouble; if it does eventually cut the tubing, the blade will probably be rendered uselessly dull in the process.
I know of two other ways to tackle the problem. If the tubing isn’t too fine, you can shove a piece of appropriate-size piano wire through it. Then cut the tubing, and the wire inside, with a good, heavy pair of wire-cutting pliers. The pliers are highly unlikely to crush the wire; it should slide out of the cut tubing.
If the tubing’s too fine to push the wire through, try an abrasive disk in a fairly-fast-turning rotary tool. That should give you a nice, clean cut.
I’ve cut a fair amount of this stuff, some fine enough to make .30 cal. barrels and pitot tubes in 1/72. The best method I’ve found for cutting small lengths is to put the small length you want to cut off in the jaws of an appropriately sized pin vise. Then use a high speed abrasive wheel to cut the tubing and true the end. Clean out the hole with a pin, make a light pass on the edge with 320 grit, and you’re done.
Fred, why 1/8 inch long? I always make mine overlength and embed them within whatever I’m attaching them to.
If you must cut them that small, the above technique will work, but you will have to mount the pin vise in a larger device to keep from bending the tubing.
Locking it in a pin vise - that’s a good idea, Ross. They have to be that small because, unfortunately, that’s just about all the room I have to work. If they go anyfurther back, I’ll have to cut into the AM resin wheel wells. Life ain’t ever easy, is it?
-Fred
You can also tape the piece of tubing to the edge of a cutting mat and use a dremel abrasive wheel, it works fine. Just cut slow and it will cut pretty clean.
Simply score the tube edge of a file and snap it in 2. Just like glass tubing. Clean up the end with the file.
Well, here’s a stupid question - where does one get the hypo tubing?
Only stupid question is the one that isn’t asked - Check your local pharmacy, they usually stock them (you might want to check out the local regulations on buying hypodermic needles - some locations won’t allow buying them w/o a prescription). And if you need larger needles, check out a farm supply store - they’ve got some needles there that are 1/16" or larger.
Much easier and no questions about legality. They also have every size you could want. Small Parts
Buried somewhere in these forums is my chart of tubing sizes and equivalents for 1/72, 1/48, 1/32, and 1/35 scales. It apparently never got stickied.
I tried this method last night - works like a freakin’ charm. Great tip, Marc [tup].
I used the corner of a tri-file, sawed back and forth a few times and snapped it clean off. No deformation of the tube and any little spurs cleaned right up with the file.
-Fred
Cool! [8D]
FINALLY… something from 8th grade science class has some use in life[:)]
What? you mean you don’t capture test tubes of methane and then blow them up over a bunson burner on a daily basis? [(-D]
Don’t ask, I had a psychotic science teacher in 8th grade - but at least it made science dangerous …err, fun [(-D]
-Fred
I AM a test tube of methane.
Since it’s a “test” tube of methane, it’s something you pass? [8-]
As are we all, ultimately…
Methane? Like this? [(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]