angelo7 Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 (edited) Anybody uses dental picks to cut styrene plastic? Do they really work? If not, what do you use for cutting? Edited April 12, 2015 by angelo7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I have a dental pick I bought as a panel scriber. It has worked very well for many years. It just handles better than all the various other scribers I've purchased over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpier Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 i've had just the opposite results, but maybe didn't get the right set o' picks. best i've used is the back edge of a #11 xacto blade for straight, and for curves the round / double ended tool shown here. the ends can be replaced as well as sharpened to different profiles. use dymo-label tape for curved plane surfaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 If I'm just cutting sheet styrene, I use an Xacto knife. For scribing and cutting out doors and trunks, I use these... The dental pick has become my favorite tool to scribe with. I modified the tip of it like so... It actually cuts a finer line than anything else I have. I was concerned that the tip would break off easily. But, over a year later, it's still just like it was when I modified it. It cuts whether I push or pull it and follows the panel lines perfectly. It won't jump out of the line or wander like an Xacto blade will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blunc Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I have acquired dental pick from salvage/discarded hardware businesses (locally: Apache Reclamation) but you can also get dental picks from electronics tool suppliers like Tech-Tool, Newark, Digikey and Mouser. THey are commonly listed in the soldering tools sections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelo7 Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 (edited) Great answers. Thank you much for the video and photos. I just got a set of picks from Hobby Lobby. Never used them before and was wondering. Thank you guys! Edited April 12, 2015 by angelo7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1930fordpickup Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 As always grab a scrap body and try it out. Tools are like women, they are an eye (or in this case )hand of the beholder. If you have a good grinder at home you can sharpen the picks to your liking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10thumbs Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 I like using dental instruments too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramfins59 Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 The last time I was at my Dentist's office for an adjustment on my new dentures, I asked the Dentist if he had any old, discarded dental picks that he could part with.... I explained what I would be using them for... He very nicely gave me a bunch of cleaned, sanitized, packaged picks... I've got plenty now that I can use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelo7 Posted April 14, 2015 Author Share Posted April 14, 2015 Started working with them last night and they really work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpier Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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