The new IXS Enterprise card model

Rhaven Blaack

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You can get 110 lbs cardstock at Walmart, Staples, Office Depot, and OfficeMax.
I use 110 lbs cardstock for 90% of my builds (the other 10% depends on what I am building).
 

zathros

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Nice thing about 110 lb. stock is that it laminates into much stronger parts, and if you use a stiff hardening glue, it is suitable, when laminated, for formers, or bulkheads. :)
 
I've been using almost exclusively 65 lb paper. Gonna have to change up to the 110 lb paper then. And more blades! More blades!!
 

Rhaven Blaack

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65 lbs. paper is great for small projects (like Tirik's figuress), however, with larger projects like what you did, you really should use heavier cardstock.
You will gain better results and you will be happier with the final outcome. If you need help or advice, please let me know and I will do what I can to help you.
 
Hey, in reference to the "blades" thing...I just bought 100 blades through Amazon for about 11 bucks. And - they were actually X-acto blades! Talk about a deal! I thought they were just cheap knock-offs. I was pleasantly surprised. Usually, 40 blades are about 15-20 bucks. So, there you go. And yeah, from now on, I'm gonna buy 110 lb paper.
 

Rhaven Blaack

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@frontiernx01 I like to use these to keep my blades sharp and lasting longer. You can get them at Walmart or even your local "Dollar Store".

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Gandolf50

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Keep your x-acto for all those smaller delicate cuts. Get a decent snap-blade and a box of OLFA 9mm black diamond blades from Amazon they are ABB grade and cheap also! I use them for all my cuts just about and they will handle easily up to 1mm stock. Anything thicker will take multiple cuts. The handle I have is an old cheap plastic thing from ??? had it for years.
 

zathros

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I have a set of scissors, some have a nice radius, and I tend to use blades for very few parts as they stress paper, and scissors last much longer. Micheal's has a nice set, and they are not expensive. 110 lb. stock should be your standard for models such as this one. It will facilitate matching the seams up because the paper is much thicker, though it can form very tight tubing, if needed. It also retails the shape better. By using strips instead of tabs, you will find you can dry fit parts, bend to shape, get the exact fit, and end up with only a seam line, that is flush when felt. If you cut on the black lines, even those seams become less visible. ;)
 

Rhaven Blaack

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Since @zathros mentioned scissors, I wonder if he (or anyone else) can firm that cutting aluminium foil will actually sharpen scissors or not.
 

Gandolf50

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Since @zathros mentioned scissors, I wonder if he (or anyone else) can firm that cutting aluminum foil will actually sharpen scissors or not.
Yes, a bit... but it will also dull a good set if not careful! I have a paper shredder and it is recommended to run some through when dull, to sharpen up!
 

subnuke

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I have resisted responding to this because it might hurt some feelings, though I'm not implying Gandolf50's feelings will get hurt because I know he's one of the sharp knives in the drawer.

If you have some kind of burr on the scissors, the foil might knock it off and the scissors will appear to be sharper. I saw someone suggest that, if this works, cut some fine sandpaper and see what happens.

If the scissors have the proper shape, they are sharp. From here, honing may be in order or probably stropping. This is the process for any knife and it can't be avoided.

To "sharpen" or hone your scissors, you can use a fine stone, ceramic rod, or abrasive paper to refine the edge. Make the flat side flat and on the bevel side just restore the bevel. You will raise a burr if you do this right. You can get rid of that burr by cutting something with the scissors. Stropping on leather with some abrasive on it, I just use rubbing compound, will also clean up that edge.

Now, if you are using cheap scissors, and I consider Fiskars to be cheap, the edge isn't all that good to start with. You want to see some good scissors? Visit the sewing world. Dressmakers have great scissors. The embroidery world has some awesome scissors. They are steel and have good edges. You can clean up these scissors and they will last a lifetime. With embroidery scissors that don't fit your big hands, remember they are made to be used with the finger tips.

Surgical tools are not good knives or scissors. They have a metal that can be sterilized. They are disposable. If that is all you want, have at it.

I hone my scissors and knives all the time. If they aren't cutting beautifully, you are wasting your time. A few seconds honing or stropping and they are great again. If you notice a huge difference, you waited too long to hone or strop. It's easy and quick so do it often.

Hobby knives are disposable. My hobby knives last forever because I only use them for scoring metal. Again, they are disposable. When I get a hobby knife, I spend some time with the stone putting a proper edge on it. Oh, and they make good scrapers. They are also good for making custom edges, kinda like those Zathros toolmaker folks.

If you want an inexpensive knife that is pretty good, check out Morakniv. They make some hobby carving knives that are pretty good and low cost. They come wicked sharp. You may notice a pool of blood on your model. That came from unknowingly getting cut by those things. Guess how I know that. Amazon sells them.

Investing time in learning to properly sharpen, hone, and strop a blade is time well spent. It is not hard. You will fine you can eventually get great results without using a guide. You don't need a lot of fancy tools but you do need a leather for stropping and a fine stone, I use ceramic, for honing. If your edge gets ruined or you are trying to restore some old knife, you will need other grits to restore the edge or sharpen.

Knives are made so you can put on the edge you want. Their handles are made to be modified. Make them fit your hand. Put on a guard if necessary. You can use tape for that. A round handle rolls, so get rid of that roundness. When it is round you have plenty of material to make it fit a right or left hand. Don't just leave it like that. Make it yours.

Okay, I'm done. Sorry for the long post.
 

zathros

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Yes, a bit... but it will also dull a good set if not careful! I have a paper shredder and it is recommended to run some through when dull, to sharpen up!


It's an illusion, and eventually, your scissors will not cut well. The aluminum is softer than steel and fills in the rough edge of the steel, making for a finer cut, but eventually will start tearing the paper. When I used to cut the Titanium Hinge plates for CH53 Tail boom hinge, I used a 3 in. by 8" two flute High Speed Steel end mill diameter, running at around 250 rpm.. I will rub a[piece of Brass along the leading edge to prevent any metal from welding to the leading edge, an old machinist trick.

Metal cutting metal will only dull one of the pieces sooner than the other, and it's easy to see that hardened scissors will last longer, I have not found that cutting aluminum makes them cut better, not when newly sharpened, anyways. The aluminum is welding into the edges of the paper shredder, making it have a sharper edge. It is not sharpening the edge though.
 

Jadriancz

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65 lbs. paper is great for small projects (like Tirik's figuress), however, with larger projects like what you did, you really should use heavier cardstock.
You will gain better results and you will be happier with the final outcome. If you need help or advice, please let me know and I will do what I can to help you.

I like to do a test prebuild on 65 lb just to see how everything goes together, see what issues I have, etc. Once that is done then I will go up to 110.
 
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