In need of tool advice... cutting piano wire

[Matt Bacon]

I've got to the point on my Finecast Rolls Royce when I need to start making the stays and braces for toolboxes and mudguards. The white metal ones are nicely cast, but even the instructions say that they will bend and sag under the weight of said tool boxes (essentially running boards 1/4" deep and 50% solid white metal, so they weigh... a lot) and mudguards. Finecast kindly includes a length of 20swg (0.9mm) piano wire with which to make tougher new stays. This will involve bending lots of right angles (and not-quite right angles) and cutting lengths precisely to match the cast white metal parts. I have done the first one, which has worked OK, but the wire is harder than my side cutters (fortunately, I have some older, more knackered ones that I can experiment with, so this is not ruining a good tool). Because of the precision of cut needed, I don't think I can use the sizeable lever-action metal shears I have, which will doubtless cut though, but I can't wield them to do it with 1mm accuracy.

So, does anyone have any recommendations for a pair of cutters that are tough enough for the job, but wieldy enough to use accurately? Or some other device for precision cutting tough steel wire? That doesn't cost £hundreds?

I assume that such things are used by piano menders and maybe for cutting guitar strings, so I hope I'm not on a fruitless quest...

best,

M.

[peteski]

Music (piano) wire is hard steel.  I have a pair of dikes (diagonal cutters)  with damaged jaws that sometimes use for cutting music wire.

The other 99% of the time (especially for the larger diameter wire) I use cut-off wheel in my Dremel tool.  That works really well and no tools are damaged in the process. Plus it leaves a nicely finished end., because after cutting I gently spin the end of the wire at an angle against the side of the cut-off disk to clean it up.

Doing it this way also allows for precision cuts. I don't run the Dremel at full speed - I run it at about 1/2 speed. And I use very gentle pressure to have best control.

Ad for those solid-metal toolboxes, you might be able to take a Dremel tool with a milling/grinding bit, and hollow them out from the invisible side to lighten them up.

Edited February 4, 2021 by peteski

[GeeBee]

Not cheap, but the proper tool is much better than side cutters 

https://www.axminstertools.com/bahco-wire-cutters-316548

[Bainford]

1 hour ago, peteski said:

 

The other 99% of the time (especially for the larger diameter wire) I use cut-off wheel in my Dremel tool.  That works really well and no tools are damaged in the process. Plus it leaves a nicely finished end., because after cutting I gently spin the end of the wire at an angle against the side of the cut-off disk to clean it up.

Ditto. I use a lot of guitar string in my scratchbuilding, and it's a bit much for my craft store type wire cutters. The cut-off wheel on the Dremel works a treat.

The Bahco cutters mentioned by Geebee look great, and Bahco make great hand tools. I think might need a set of those in the garage.

[Muncie]

Agree with the Dremel cutoff wheels - Dremel makes two different thicknesses - both work.  The 0.020 thick cut faster but are more fragile.  The .035 thick are more durable, but take longer to cut and generate heat in the wire - Heat isn't too much of  problem, but makes  the wire hard to hold onto.

[89AKurt]

I always use the Dremel cut-off disk.   Hold with locking forceps.  I finish the end with a quick and heavy push to create a little burr, for the superglue to grab too, and for an exposed end, a light pressure grind, using the side of the disk.