I'm new to using the tool, but it's working successfully. Luckily I had a nice thick piece of glass on hand, about 12" by 18". This has a lot to do with good cuts because it's very hard, very flat, and also fairly cold, which means the plastic cools quickly after the hot tip cuts thru, so if you're moving the tip at a constant not-too-fast speed, it works well. There is a tendency for the melted plastic to stick to the glass, but a gentle tug releases it. You could also slide a single-edge razor under the plastic, if necessary, to release the bond. Right now I'm using these clear sheets: Grafix Clear Craft Plastic .007 Thickness 12-Inch by 12-Inch, Pack of 25, bought here at Amazon. Notice these are pretty good sized, there are other ones available about the size of printer paper. I have a drawing underneath the glass, so I can easily cut the design with the hot tool, following my own artwork.
The tool comes with two tips. One of them is cone shaped, and straight, and the other one is hooked. So far I have only used the straight one, and I hold it perpendicular to the plastic sheet, not on an angle. The instructions on the package say hold it like a pencil, but I suggest some experiments before you find out which way gives you the results you want. If you hold it on an angle, it will melt a slightly wider swath, and this may give you blobs and messy edges. Keep an X-Acto knife handy to make tiny cuts where the design isn't separating from the sheet due to the melted cut re-sealing. This happens rarely, in my experience.
The directions suggest using either a glass surface or anodized aluminum. Keep in mind that the glass allows a pattern to be traced, whereas you cannot see thru the aluminum. If you don't have a piece of glass, stop everything and go to the hardware store first, and buy this important item. If the edges are not ground, tape them so you don't get any cuts on your fingers. The piece I'm using I found at the dump -- in fact, a whole pile of them -- and it's about twice the thickness of window glass. Don't worry about the heat from the tip touching the glass, nothing bad will happen. Just don't rest the hot tool on the glass for extended periods of time, there is a little stand to set it on. The tool is very hot.
One reviewer said the tool is not suitable for professional artists. I guess it depends on what you're going to do with it. I'm cutting stencils for use in my artwork, and it suits my purposes quite well. The price is great, too. The only thing that didn't work out, kind of funny really, is it comes with a little plastic cap, totally bad idea, so throw that away immediately because if you don't, you'll forget about it when you plug the tool in, and it gets very hot, very fast, and will melt that cap into a black stinking mess in about two seconds. Trust me on this, throw it out.
There were a couple of different plastics for sale at Amazon, and I bought two of them. The one I mentioned up above, and another one that is medium weight with a matte finish. The reason I got the matte finish is that later on I may wish to draw on the plastic, as opposed to looking at a drawing that I've positioned under my piece of glass. For my work I needed some stiffness, and next purchase will probably be for the heavy-weight which (I assume) flexes less.
And finally, melting plastic stinks and may be a little toxic. Since your face is pretty close to the work you're doing, setting up a small fan with gentle breeze will blow the vapors away, which is a good idea, regardless of whether you're doing this in the house or out in the garage. It's something that you do sitting down, generally, because you need some control of your arms and hands.
| Manufacturer | Wall Lenk |
|---|---|
| Part Number | L12SCK |
| Item Weight | 7.2 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 11.56 x 3.38 x 1.38 inches |
| Item model number | L12SCK |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | Small |
| Color | Yellow |
| Material | Stainless Steel, plastic |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Included Components | Wall Lenk L12SCK Cutlass Stencil Cutting Kit |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
| Warranty Description | Limited 5 year Warranty to be free from defective materials and workmanship for five years from date of original purchase. |
