NWSL Chopper

[Joetrain59]

Hi,
  Does anyone have the Chopper? How good is it? I need to cut some small styrene strips for caboose window drip guards.
 Thanks,
 Joe D

[CRL]

Works good on thin material. Change blade frequently if cuts start drifting.

[wazzou]

I still have the original with the masoniite cutting surface and the newer aluminum one with the cutting mat surface.
I still use each of them frequently.

[jpwisc]

I have the Chopper II and it is nice when you are making a lot of the same length cuts. For one or two pieces of styrene, I’ll just use an Exacto on the cutting mat.

[wvgca]

i have one of the first ones [masonite], and it works well, easy to adjust  ... blades easy to change when needed

[Joetrain59]

Thanks. One review at Amazon, said it was not squared accurately. 90˚ wasn't 90˚. Has anyone checked theirs?
 Joe D

[peteski]

I used the older (Masonite) version in friend's workshop (when workign on his layout), but when I bought mine I splurged for the die cast model. 

Mine cuts at 90 deg. from what I  can see.  But when you start chopping thicker and wider pieces of styrene the thin single-edge razor blade can deflect and bend, so it will not be 90 degrees on the vertical surface of the cut.  That is to be expected (at least as I see it).

Micro Mark copied the design and now sells their own Masonite version, but I would still support NWSL.

[CRL]

Mine cuts 90 degrees. Be sure the flat side of the razor blade is against the finished side. As material gets thicker, cut maybe 1mm longer than your mark to relieve pressure on the blade for the final cut for the best accuracy.

[peteski]

Mine cuts 90 degrees. Be sure the flat side of the razor blade is against the finished side. As material gets thicker, cut maybe 1mm longer than your mark to relieve pressure on the blade for the final cut for the best accuracy.

All my single-edge razor blades have tapered edge on both sides.  Where can I find ones which are only sharpened on one surface?

[djconway]

I've had mine over 20 years, well worth the cost in time saved alone.
Be sure not to put side pressure on the cutting arm or you will end up not square.

[Bob]

Ditto to the above - really great for thin styrene, but razor blades are not that rigid so if you cut thicker pieces, the cut tends to be angled.

[Rasputen]

I re-check the squareness on my first generation chopper on a regular basis and reset it if necessary.  I recommend putting some loctite on the two screws that hold the pivot - this has a big influence on how long it will stay square, along with the above comments.  I also routed out the cutting area and epoxied in a glass microscope slide to provide a much harder cutting surface.  The blades may not last as long but this helps cut small stock.

[Lemosteam]

Somebody needs to redesign this to be used with a less flexible blade.  My vertical cuts aren't, and my 90 degree cuts aren't 90 degrees because the blade will wander as you lower the blade.

If the blade were not on a pivot this would not happen.

Any tubing, of any diameter larger than 3/32 OD, you can forget a perpendicular cut, say for making sleeves, etc.

The miter angles they provide are worthless as well, they allow the piece to slide in as the cutter comes down, and they slide themselves (see comment below).

One other thing to consider, is when the lever is up, that blade is completely exposed with no guard and I have bumped (read "sliced") my fingers on it many times just trying to adjust the material I am trying to cut.

Glad I got mine used and inexpensive as I don't feel bad that it sits collecting dust.

Sorry for the lack of glow but I find I can cut both conditions better by hand and eye, even if I have to shave thin slices till I get there. 

[Bob]

Lemosteam makes a good point about safety - I have not had mine very long, and have not cut myself yet, but it is just a question of time - when the lever is up the blade is entirely exposed, and if you are not careful you can easily cut yourself when positioning pieces of styrene on the cutting surface.

[Lemosteam]

Lemosteam makes a good point about safety - I have not had mine very long, and have not cut myself yet, but it is just a question of time - when the lever is up the blade is entirely exposed, and if you are not careful you can easily cut yourself when positioning pieces of styrene on the cutting surface.

In my defense, I have huge hands and thick fingers (and I'll get this out of the way straight away; TWSS).