Cutting Circles in Thick Card

[elliott]

Working on a model where I've laminated paper to a cereal box backer. It has many circles of different sizes, all in the small range. Am having real difficulty cutting them out and am also burning through X-acto blades at an alarming rate. Have read through all the applicable threads I can find and am still somewhat in the dark. What do you use to cut out small circles in thick cardboard? Punches, lots of X-acto blades? Alien technology? (Still practicing circle cutting and blade sharpening. Not there yet but am learning)

[elliott]

Never mind....just answered my own question (slaps forehead)

Which blade for curves ?
Help: how to cut curves and circles on thick paper?

[whulsey]

I like the alien technology if we could find a source. Otherwise its back to the suggestions in the threads you referenced along with the lots of X-acto blades, sore fingers and occasional blood lose. Good luck with your cutting.

[Knife]

What, you mean the rest of you don't use laser scalpels? How primitive.

[ghshinn]

Originally Posted by Knife

What, you mean the rest of you don't use laser scalpels? How primitive.

I had to sell mine for gas money!

Garland

[MacSongLi]

I have found that large nail clippers help a lot.

Thanks,
Gary

[AEthridge]

I use a Hobbico circle cutter that I bought from Hobby Town. They also have them at Hobby Lobby. For smaller circles I use a hand punch from Micro Mark.

[jaffro]

Not sure which circles you are referring to but I've used a lot of thick card in making wheels for various models. For really small circles (holes etc) I use a rotating leather punch, for slightly larger ones I use a set of larger punches with a wooden block and a hammer.

For cutting large circles I use an Olfa circle cutter, I dont have it with me right now so can't recall the size range it can be adjusted to but it does a great job (it's a bit like a compass with a blade) and for the thicker stuff (3mm is about the thickest I've cut) I just do multiple passes until it goes through.

[OhioMike]

What beats paper in rock, paper, scissors??? I have no problem with scissors in cutting circles...I invested in some nice scissors including very small cuticle types. I have never had any luck with compass style cutters! Punches work great...if their the right size?
Mike

[airdave]

I too have three compass cutters, and they just make a mess for me.

Anything more than .5mm thick, and beyond about 1" diameter, I use Scissors.
I have a few different pairs, but I do like ones with serrated edges.
I don't mean like a breadknife...they just have liitle cuts and lines in them.

Anyway, I can easily cut 1.5mm thickness Formers, round shapes, circles, etc with my scissors
and I clean up with sand paper, emery boards and my hobby knife as necessary.

For thinner material and smaller objects, I will use also smaller scissors.

If they are all outside curves and easy shapes, the scissors can be pretty quick to use.

Straight edges, or complicated shapes, I switch to knives.