Hypodermic needles...........

[Army of One]

............anyone know how to cut them...or what with,so they dont crimp...? I want them to replicate some gun barrels in 1/72....cut with snips or pliers n they crimp....only got so many.....friendly/sympathetic nurse....(not for use...told her re hobby!!!)....don't wanna use my small stash trying to find out how to do it so they stay circular n not crimp.....many thanks.......H      

[dragon]

There is a tool called a "Tube cutter".  Mine is made by K&S.  You have seen the bigger brother version in the opening scene of "Cool Hand Luke".

[JayBee]

If you have a DREMEL or similar small electric drill you can use the cutting wheel, use the fine one.

JimB

[Army of One]

Many thanks re the tube cutter.....I got a small tool....I'll dig it out n give it a go....doh!! Dunno why I didn't think of using it.......

[Ed S]

If you are careful, you can roll the needle under a knife blade to score it and then it will snap off. I hold both ends of the needle with pliers so that the small pieces don't go flying off. WEAR EYE PROTECTION!!!  A quick rub against a sharpening stone will smooth the edge

Ed

[Army of One]

Ed.....many thanks.....I'll give that a go as well...ta

[sequoiaranger]

>If you have a DREMEL or similar small electric drill you can use the cutting wheel, use the fine one.<

The "cutting wheels", if I am thinking of the same thing, are called "Cut-off wheels", are "rust"-colored corundum discs about an inch (3 cm) in diameter and a few mm's in thickness, with a small hole in the center. You have to have a....can't think of the word for them....stem with a small flange and screw in the top to mount and hold down the discs. The combination fits in the chuck of a drill or Dremel device. The discs are extremely brittle, and will shatter and fly apart (always use eye protection!!) if pressure is exerted off the axis of rotation. The cut sometimes leaves a little "flash", and may be at a slightly-other-than-90-degree angle, but that can be taken off using the side of the wheel VERY CAREFULLY near the center of rotation. Be prepared to lose sections, as the speed of the rotating wheel sometimes FLINGS the sections across the room just as the cut breaks through! Also, hold on to the tubing with a long-nose pliers or something--the HEAT from the friction of cutting may burn your fingers otherwise as it conducts away from the cutting site!

Despite what might seem like a hassle, I have very successfully cut stainless-steel tubing of all sorts (especially small stuff for realistic gun barrels). You can pick up individual cut-off discs, and the stem thingy (I will edit this if I *EVER* remember the word for it) at most American hardware stores.

[jcf]

Hi Craig, the word you are looking for is 'mandrel'. 

Re-usable carbide, diamond and  'EZ-lock' quick change cut-off wheels are also available.

http://www.dremel.com/en-us/AttachmentsAndAccessories/Pages/CategoryProducts.aspx?catid=58&catname=Cut-Off+Wheels

[Army of One]

Just seen this update....Craig n JCF.....many many thanks for the advice....it is well appreciated......H