Hey guys and gals, After reading frenzy_rumble's thread about Rampage Easy Elbow fix, I remembered seeing a tool that could do this better. http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/radic...39571-rotf-rampage-easy-elbow-tutorial-3.html At Michael's craft store I remember seeing tools for wood burning. Basically it is a soldering iron with different detachable tips. Sure enough there is one with an xacto blade tip!!! Designed For Her™ Creative HotKnife Tool™ 26035, CREATIVE HOTKNIFE If you wait you can find a coupon usually, for 40%-50% off a single regular priced item. Then you can get this hot knife for $8-$10.
I'll have to look for this next week at Hobby Lobby, that will be a 40% off week for those that like to shop there. I don't mind going there for quick stuff, but I prefer my real hobby shop where the ratio of men to old ladies is much higher.
So you rather hang around a sausage fest of nerds buying modeling supplies than go shop where all the milfs go to buy craft items? haha j/k who cares where it is sold. As long as it is cheap it could be pink for all I care. its all about the function and not the form, for me.
I used to use my hot knife 20-some odd years ago customizing model cars. It's a nice asset to have in the ol' tool box, as I pointed out to Mike yesterday. The nice one is the Dremel brand model that I linked him to, and you can even buy a potentiometer for it that varies the heat output.
Oh I agree, its just that for scratchbuilding supplies, nice paints, models, etc... you can't beat a good hobby shop, but every once in a while, Hobby Lobby can pull through for me.
I mentioned the woodburner/X-acto in the Jetfire knuckle thread awhile back. It's a good tool, but it's essential to have a fresh blade nearly every time. I ran into the issue of plastic burning itself onto the blade, making it dull quite fast. On a side note, the tips the woodburner comes with are excellent for making scorch marks, bullet holes and for melting pink insulation foam for either rock formations or fine detailing.
Ceramic works better to sharpen X-actos. Sandpaper has the potential to leave tiny nicks and doesn't easily allow for even sharpening. I use a surgical V-sharpener (used for scalpels) for my X-actos and cutting implements. More often than not, I usually just buy a pack of 50 or so and make them last.
Just wanted to say thanks for this heads up Solscud007! I walked on into my local Michael's last night with the 50% off coupon and walked out with one of these hot knife tools at half price. Also 50% off is my male ego at having to purchase a tool "Just for Her" (tm).
