Nibbler for cutting window holes.

[Chris333]

Does any one know of a nibble like the Micromark tool, but with a smaller head?
http://www.micromark.com/nibbling-cutter,7761.html

The Micromark tool head is 1/4" (square I guess?), but for N scale something with a 1/16" or even 1/8" head would be much better.

Any ideas?

[Spades]

Chris it looks just like/identical the Nibbler sold by Radio Shack. Have you tried an angle punch?

[Chris333]

Yeah there are cheaper ones on ebay, but none with a smaller head.

[C855B]

Curious about it for my own projects, I looked around given your request and kept finding the same tool over and over (...and over...) from everybody, ranging in price from $7 to $24, before shipping. I eventually found another make/model, but it cut the same size hole. It was $50, albeit for something that looked like a more durable tool with a better grip action likely to be less fatiguing for long cuts.

The smallest cutter head I found was 2.7mm (~1/8"), but it was a pneumatic tool. I suspect that's not what we're after.

[John]

There is this one ..
https://www.amazon.com/Nickel-Plated-Nibbling-Tool-1/dp/B0002KRACO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483273659&sr=8-1&keywords=nibbling+cutter

[central.vermont]

Do you think it would be possible to take one apart and modify the head?

Jon

[thomasjmdavis]

Looking at the link in the OP, it looks like the base plate (not sure what the proper names of these parts are) with the square hole in it, is replaceable.  Assuming that the head is also replaceable, it would seen in the realm of possibility to grind down or replace the head with a smaller size, and have a new base fabricated to fit (the two parts have to fit together precisely, with some small clearance, in order to work properly).  I would expect that the thinner the cutter, the lower the the thickness capacity, but if you limit yourself to styrene or similar plastics, it might work ok.  Given that for the application, the OP was talking about reducing the head to as small as 1/16 square, you might need to have the head fabricated from a different material if you want to cut into brass or similar, because there would be a lot less material backing up the cutting "notch".

[thomasjmdavis]

I wonder if you could modify something like this to do what you need it to do....
https://www.etsy.com/listing/173577310/15mm-square-hole-punch-pliers-extra-pin?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=Square%20Metal%20Punch&ref=sr_gallery_1

The cutting tool is available separately from the plier, if you wanted to develop your own tool with more reach
https://www.etsy.com/listing/158517307/5pcs-eurotool-hole-punch-pliers?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=square%20hole%20punch&ref=sc_gallery_3&plkey=10577776ee799e5369494e8df0350bf4ebd1dd4b:158517307

[Bob Bufkin]

[narrowminded]

I've come up against the same thing.  It would be nice to have a small punch for these jobs.  That Etsy 1.5mm (.060") punch should work but the throat depth might be too limiting.  Maybe another thing I should make.  In some other lifetime.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Dammit Bob, you beat me to it!

Too bad he'd just swallow the whole work piece whole, and poop out some spaceship fuel.