Anyone still using a balsa stripper?

[David perry 1]

Glass. Yes we use print as well. It's been churning out stuff for work for weeks full speed ahead, just started playing up. It's a prusa device. Normally excellent though

[Erfolg]

I do have a balsa stripper, yes, it is a SLEC. Mounted on a board as others.

In my case I have never really got on with it. I do not get perfect, nor near to good results with it. I found that the overhang of the blade a little excessive, which leads to slight waviness to the strip wen done by me.

More recently I purchased one of these from HK. Now this does work, cuts spruce sheet (1/8", balsa sheet, max so far cut 1/4". It is great, as for health and safety, hmm, there is no blade guard, requires a constant attention to your own safety when using. I guess I could fashion a guard, with a little thought, ingenuity and so, ah yes skill. The reality is that it cuts material really well and so accurate.

Like my Lidl sander, I wonder how I manged so long without it. My finishes are now approaching what skilled builders achieve in the mag photos.

 

Edited By Erfolg on 24/04/2020 12:07:35

[David perry 1]

Good grief. That cannot be legal in the UK!

Looks like it means business but I'm going to try to reduce my chinese purchases post corona. Going to try anyway.

[Erfolg]

It is the absence of a in use guard over the blade in use that is potentially contentious. Proxon produce a similar device, 240v, with a simple guard at a price of over a factor of 4 that I paid. I did not pay full price, it being discounted at the end of stock.

I have considered making a guard similar to that on the typical tile cutter, which from memory is all the German Proxon device has.

From a results perspective, far better than a conventional blade stripper, both in quality and speed of production.

[David perry 1]

I'm sure Erfolg.

I shall need something sooner rather than later the full.kit I just bought is not a full kit...no strip at all.

You get on okay with that chinese thing?

[Geoff S]

I use the SLEC stripper. I've had it for years and the aluminium channel is screwed to a piece of chip board (Contiboard?) It works well on balsa but some care is needed.

I've been hanging my nose over a Proxxon KS230 and it would probably be much better for ply/hardwood (ie it would actually work). Is the higher cost of the FET saw worth the extra? I know it has the advantage of being able to cut at an angle along the length but I doubt if I'd use that all that often.

Geoff

[SR 71]

Ihad the Proxxon saw, very good until i got the magic white smoke

[Ron Gray]

@Geoff - I’ve got the KS230 but have just had the FET 27070 delivered. The reason for getting the FET was for the deeper cutting, 22mm against 8mm and the angle cutting that you mention. I will still keep the KS as it’s a lovely machine but will only use it for light duty work.

[David perry 1]

Now heres the thing...like all good things, my enthusiasm ran away and i explored all possibilities. from asking a question about the SLEC stripper which i never got on with I have started looking at a Proxxon 230.

Then i asked myself the question, how much strip do i need to cut in order to actually warrant a proxxon, at 120 quid. I went onto the Balsacabin website and mocked up two orders - one, the strip for a 60 inch glider Super Sinbad and 2, the same order in sheet for me to cut my own strip. The difference was surprisingly little, maybe a tenner. I know the cost of strip is high compared to sheet but given the actual low costs involved...

is cutting ones own actually worth it in bulk or is a SLEC or similar simply something to keep in the drawer just in case the odd piece is needed? I always thought a strip cutter was well worth it...now I question that.

D

[Ron Gray]

But with the Proxxon cutting ply and thicker balsa etc becomes so much easier and neater!

[Erfolg]

Everything is a judgement, just crossing the road, requires you to make and then take decisions.

This is no different. In my case, I considered how many strips do I typically use, is it practical to send away for them, or perhaps go to a model shop. How much do they really cost in P&P. If I bought a saw, where and how would I store it. If it turned out to be junk, how upset would I be?

These sort of questions were then balanced against the cost of the device, at that time the Proxxon, mini saw table. One other very pertinent fact, I am old, I will not get a lifetimes use out of it, what ever it is.

When the HK thing became available, for me it was a no brainer. Just about £30 delivered to my door.

In actual use, I have found it is fantastic, it produces retail quality strips, of Balsa. I was really pleased in that it cuts 1/8" spruce with no trouble. Never tried it on ply. It is only about A4 sized, and fits in one of my IKEA Billy bookcases, used for my modeling stuffs.

In contrast my SLEC cutter, is always in the way, stacked up, in a corner. Now in my hands, it really is a waste of space. Although there is no saw dust produced.

Edited By Erfolg on 25/04/2020 17:57:09

Edited By Erfolg on 25/04/2020 17:58:28

[David perry 1]

All good points.

I'll.probably end up with a saw in the end. Depends whether I end up building stick framed vintage planes...which I probably will.

Thanks chaps