How do i make smooth cuts on body

I have painted several pro line bodies however i always have a problem when trimming them around the wheel wells. I have the curved body scissiors but you cant really get a good cut on them to make them perfectly round with the radius and smooth.
Ive played around with the dremel but dont like the results?

Anyone have a good way to do this?

[jayjay283]

I use the dremel, 3/32nd diamond tip to cut around the main outlines, then use the larger sanding drum sander to square it all up. Only takes 20 minutes, but you get plastic shreddings everywhere.I never could use the body scissors, always cut too far and ruined the body

[mistercrash]

If you have a steady hand with a hobby knife, put a new blade in, and score along the line of the wheel well of the body, or the lines you draw with a sharpie. You want to score the Lexan deep enough so that it will cleanly snap off when you bend it at the score. That's how I've been doing it for years. In my on road days, I used an OLFA circle cutter as the wheel wells for on road cars are mostly perfectly round like the wheel itself. I still use my OLFA circle cutter to make vent holes.

That is just another way of doing it.

[sleebus.jones]

Originally Posted by jayjay283

then use the larger sanding drum sander to square it all up.

+1

I rough it out as close as I can, and then use the large sanding drum. The radius gives you nice even corners, and it looks great. I've used it to fix other people's bodies that were a little rough. Probably want to do this outside though, as it is pretty messy.

[RCShocker]

ummm, nevermind

Originally Posted by mistercrash

If you have a steady hand with a hobby knife, put a new blade in, and score along the line of the wheel well of the body, or the lines you draw with a sharpie. You want to score the Lexan deep enough so that it will cleanly snap off when you bend it at the score. That's how I've been doing it for years. In my on road days, I used an OLFA circle cutter as the wheel wells for on road cars are mostly perfectly round like the wheel itself. I still use my OLFA circle cutter to make vent holes.

That is just another way of doing it.

Is the sanding drum the one with a bunch of small squares attached to the center and its in the shape of a circle maybe 1"-2" diameter?

[sleebus.jones]

A sanding drum looks like...a sanding drum:



You are describing (i think) a flap wheel sander:

[bdebde]

I do a close cut with scissors and use the sanding drum as well to get the edges smooth/even.

[RUSTY XL-5]

Originally Posted by bdebde

I do a close cut with scissors and use the sanding drum as well to get the edges smooth/even.

That's what I do.

[wallot]

scissors then dremel to clean everything

[crazyjr]

I use a #11 xacto knife and Beeeeeeeee careful

I also use the dremel to bevel the edges of the chassis, just to give it a smoother feel all the way around. I know, it's knida weird, but that way everything has the same feel and look to it.