discussion Cutting white metal

[PaulinKendal]

I need to cut a plank off this white metal 'deck' - it's the base for a 75mm miniature. It's 2mm thick. I don't need to keep what I cut off.
What's the best way to do this neatly? I have knives, razor saw, dremel etc. Sorry for the basic question, but I've never worked with white metal before.

 

[Guest]

A small hacksaw. You could use a modeller’s razor saw (that’s not one of those razor blade shapes with teeth cut in!) but that will be more laborious and may blunt the saw faster than you’d like.

 

[Airborne01]

Dremel with a cutting wheel. lowest speed, and no undue pressure - let the cutting wheel cut without trying to hasten the result mate. Slowly, slowly catchee monkey! (Several passes over the same line may be necessary)
Steve

 

[KarlW]

You can actually score it with a heavy knife and snap it off then clean with a file.

 

[PaulinKendal]

Thanks for the suggestions, gents. Because I don't need to keep what I remove, I think I'll try all three methods, back from the true edge, to see which I like.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Me, I’d use a razor saw if it’s a straight cut. One of the larger Xacto types though, not one designed for a knife blade. You could also cut off the excess with a pair of side cutters and clean up afterwards with wet and dry on a hard backing, or use a jeweller’s piercing saw with a fairly coarse blade. Don’t use good files on white metal though. It will clog them up and ruin them.

 

[Ian M]

White metal will clog the saw and make the cut difficult. Score it with a heavy blade or scriber and snap it of. Carefully of course.

 

[PaulinKendal]

Well, I've clogged my razor saw blade, but that, combined with carefully deployed side cutters, has done the trick. Thanks again, everybody. I'm really enjoying working with white metal - very obliging stuff it is.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Well, I've clogged my razor saw blade, but that, combined with carefully deployed side cutters, has done the trick. Thanks again, everybody. I'm really enjoying working with white metal - very obliging stuff it is.

Never had white metal clog a razor saw before, but then I have several and just use the coarsest one for that sort of work. I’ve actually once used that one to cut a six inch chipboard shelf to size when I was too lazy to go to the garage and get a proper saw…...
You can unclog the saw by dragging the blade sideways along the grain of a scrap of softwood several times. If it is really badly clogged, use a brass wire suede brush rubbed sideways across the teeth first.