cutting doors and piano hinges

[reddog414]

I was wandering how some of you cut your doors I tried to ways 1) with a exacto knife 2)dremel tool with a cut off wheel xacto knife takes forever and the cutoff wheels gougs and cuts crooked Then comes the hinges i tried those plastic hinges like they use on r/c plane models they work but the door doesnt open the whole way Next i tried recently making piano hinges with small steel tubing seems like it would work but having trouble getting the tubing to bond to the plastic just wondering if anyone else had these issues??

[brockway359]

I open the doors on all of my trucks. The best way I have found is to use an X-acto knife with a fresh blade. slowly and carefully dragging the back of the blade around the opening.(The back of the blade works much quicker than the front, believe it or not!).Don't be tempted to apply too much pressure, you'll slip out of the groove.On the Italeri kits, about six times around usually does it. Kits with thicker plastic, like AMT, usually take a bit more. Just BE PATIENT!! As for hinges, I like to make piano hinges from brass tube.Scuff the brass slightly ,the use super-glue(MAXI-CURE CYANOCRYLATE) You'll have to do a little filing where the pieces overlap, or you'll remove paint when you open the doors for the first time.Hope this helps! Good luck!
Steve

[reddog414]

method tried and worked well thanx for the tip

[jarrno88]

I am going to my first door cut out project on my next build which I will be starting in about 2 months as soon as I finish up the R model MACK that I am working on now. I am going to cut out and hinge the doors on a AMT PETERBUILT 359. I am going to try cutting out the doors with thread. Alot of people recomend to do it that way. I also purchaced photo-etched piano hinges from MODEL CAR GARAGE. They are supposed to work and look really nice. People that have used them say they are are tricky to work with so take your time with them and you will very happy with the results. JARRN088

[reddog414]

i hear dental floss works also havent tried it yet It also depends on the thickness of your plastic The backside of an exacto knife works just takes a little time

[kerr54]

I have been interested in doing the opening doors and want to try. Can you guys provide a picture of the hinges you talk about?. Thanks
Kerry

[brockway359]

Here's one of a Road Boss I'm working on.
Steve

[brockway359]

And a Transtar II.

[brockway359]

Interior requires a little work to create door jambs.
Steve

[brockway359]

[kerr54]

Hey that's pretty cool Steve, one thing I'm curious about and seeing these builds when finished will maybe satisfy that. But it seems to me that the hinge would look really weird sticking out like that, but as I said when it's finished I'll see.
Kerry

[reddog414]

those look pretty good