What is your method to folding your pepakura?

[Motion26]

Hello, Once I'm finished my current project, and then re strapping my Stormtrooper armor I'm considering doing a scratch build on a Soldier Halo 4 helmet. I've been watching many peoples projects progress and have been amazed with the crispness and speed in which many of you complete your Pepakura phase. From my own experience experimenting with Pepakura my best results were with a ruler and pen scoring the lines, but it still was not as neat, precise and free on ink as what I'm seeing!

So my question is, what is your preferred method of folding, scoring and cutting your Pepakura? (razor scoring,pen scoring, cutting printer, or other..feel free to discuss!)

 

[Carpathia]

See my method for yourself (skip to about 1:38 for the scoring portion)...

I use a slightly dulled xacto knife. It's also worth noting that I score the mountain folds on the lines, but flip the piece over and score the valley folds on the other side (opposite side of the page from the line).

 

[Fuzzy]

i use a fine ball point pen, so it scores the paper a bit when you press. go over it a few times fold, then use something like the edge of the ruler to crease the fold. press down hard and go down the fold.

 

[Fireryne]

A dullish razer blade (i have used the same one the whole time), I also free hand score 90% of the time. it comes out pretty clean and sharp.

Here is a look

 

[Motion26]

So one for the pen method two for the razor method so far! When I originally looked into Pepakura it was reccomended using the dull side of the razor, but you guys use the cutting edge - do you ever have any issues where it cuts too deep?

 

[Carpathia]

That's why we use a dulled blade, it's more difficult to accidentally cut through the paper with a dulled blade. However, if you do cut too deep (it's happened to me a few times), just add a small sliver of tape to the back side of the score.

 

[Fireryne]

I havent cut through, since the very beginning. Im on my 3rd helmet now as i type this. I use 4 different knives 1 for cutting, 1 for scoring, 1 for gluing, and 1 general purpose. I also use tweezers to fold on scores. slid em right to the line and start folding. I do it bit by bit and try not to fold the whole thing at once.

 

[Fuzzy]

usually if you use one of those safety razor blades, they dont really have a point,
if you use the cutting edge for scoring usung any blade, do so very very gently. light enough to not go through but enough to make a mark.

as with any blade please be careful, if you choose to flip the blade and use teh back edge for scoring DONT put your finger on the blade to press down.

if your not sure id do trials of 1 piece each way. do teh same exact piece and try different ways. what you find works for yuo may not work for others.

i like the pen and flatening the edge because i have nerve damage in my hand and trying to score something when you cant feel it isnt really an option lol.

watch the vids if your stuck, theyve helped me so far. carpathiavh99 is like a walking encyclopedia on where to go.

 

[Motion26]

This may be a dumb question - But when you guys say dulled blade, are you referring to using an older well used blade to begin with, or is there a process you go through to dull a blade to your particular preference?

 

[Carpathia]

I just use a blade that has been dulled over time (usually one I used to cut out pep pieces with). If I don't have one on hand, I'll use the same blade I cut out the pieces with until it's sufficiently dulled, then I'll use that for scoring and get a fresh blade on a different handle for cutting.

 

[Motion26]

I just use a blade that has been dulled over time (usually one I used to cut out pep pieces with). If I don't have one on hand, I'll use the same blade I cut out the pieces with until it's sufficiently dulled, then I'll use that for scoring and get a fresh blade on a different handle for cutting.

Good to know, and very nice BR btw.

Do many members on the 405th go the printer route? Like on a Cameo or some other cutting printer?

 

[Swatze]

I use these puny scissors to get the cuts to be perfectly accurate and use my hands for the folds, I end up having more control and can go as fast as I choose.

 

[Carpathia]

There are a few people who use a Silhouette, aka Craftrobo (a cutting printer); but most cut out by hand.

 

[Vadavaro]

I got into the bad habit of turning my x-acto upside down and scoring with the back of the blade. Maybe not the best way to do it as I think it dulls my blades faster. Seems to work though.

 

[Carpathia]

It works as well. I feel that I have a little more control if I use the sharp side of the blade, but it's all personal preference and what works best for you.

 

[andrewjd1124]

I do the same thing when I score. At first i used a ruler but you know that gets kinda tedious trying to make the right angle. I then moved to just using the side of a piece of card stock which really i like that way out of the two, but most of the time i just free hand it and it comes out good. Keep up the good work!

This is of my Halo Energy Sword I've been working on and really it came out great!

 

[andrewjd1124]

Sorry abut that saw that my pic didn't go through.

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There you go.

 

[Mastur Grunt]

I personally like and use the ball point pen to pep my pieces, but I am a newbie...
:confused

 

[Ragnar]

I use a fresh xacto with just resting the blade in the paper and following the lines by hand using a ruler was vary timely and it duled my blades quickly and to cut true peaces out I use a sharp pair of scissors to cut out the long lines then use a blade to get all the small details

 

[Demogorgon]

I personally use the back of an Xacto blade. I have one for scoring and one for cutting. I'm really not worried about dulling a blade as they are pretty cheap to replace (in my opinion). This way I can pretty much press down really hard to get a clean score without much worry of it cutting through. 95% of the scores I do freehand but for really long fold lines I'll whip out my ruler and use that. I will be looking into that cutting printer though as the only part I don't care for is all the cutting haha, plus I imagine it takes a lot of the time out of the build which would be awesome. I was going to see if I couldn't set my laser engraver on a low setting and do it that way but it didn't work very well (Lasers and paper don't play nice). Check out my build if you want to see the pep work In the end though it just comes down to what feels comfortable to you.