I just had to make a quick post. Awhile ago, I read on here about using a mirror as a cutting board to cut monokote, ultrakote, etc. If my memory is correct, I think it was an RCKen tip. Sorry if I got the wrong person. Anyway, I asked my wife to pick me up a cheap mirror next time she was at Wally Mart. Well, she came home with a nice $25.00 mirror. A little more than what she needed to spend, but it sure works good. It is sooooo much easier to cut the covering on a mirror, as opposed to the melamine countertop that I was using.
So, BIG THANK YOU for posting the tip!

Yep, it was me. That's what I use for cutting covering on. They do work great!!!!

Ken

I have a glass top table that works very well also.

I went to the local thrift /Salvation Army/ store and bought the ugliest, framed and covered with glass picture I ever saw. I think it was $4.00 Works great. I don't look at the picture much, though. Ha ha Rich

I just used scissors on my ultracote, it cuts very easily with a good pair of scissors.

The biggest problem with using scissors is that it's next to impossible to cut a true straight line. I have two long 48" straight edges that let me cut most any trim in a nice straight line.

Ken

Thats a really cool idea. I am always struggling to cut nice and striaght when I am making a new trim piece or repairing some damaged monokote. What type of cutting tool are you guys using with the mirror? All I have right now is the xacto with a #11 blade. Works ok but not always.

That's all you should need the e-axto #11 but once in a while put in new one. Amazing thing is cutting on glass really don't seem to dull them rapidly. Been using glass for many years. Best is a pc of plate glass nice and thick will not break.

I haven't tried to cut a true straight line yet really. I trim the excess off the plane and using the fuse or wing as a guide get a very straight line, unless I forget to put a new blade in.[:@]

When cutting covering with a straightedge I actually prefer to cut with a single edge razor blade. I feel I have better control over the blade than I do with the X-Acto blade. In fact, when I'm working with covering I do about 95% of cutting with razor blades. Here's a tip. Buy them 100 at a time, they are cheaper that way. You can pick them up at Lowe's/Home Depot/Menard's or the like. When you are cutting as soon as you feel that blade start to "snag" throw it out and break out a fresh blade. A sharp blade is probably your best friend when working with covering.

Here's another pointer that I like to put out, and it deals with disposing of razor blades. I used to just throw the blades away until one day I was putting out the trash and I noticed a blade that I had thrown away cut the trash bag (or course spilling everything out). I started to think that could have been my hand picking up the bag, a neighborhood pet, or even the guys that pick up the trash. So I came up with a better way of disposing of them. I took an old sour cream container and washed it. I slit the lid to put the blades in through and then sealed the container up with tape. Now when I change blades I simply put them in the container, and then throw that away when it's full. It lasts about 3-4 years for me before it's full. And yes, I change blades that often. I have 4 X-Acto handles that I use and I put fresh blades in all of them when I start a new plane. I also change out razor blades pretty often. On a 60 sized plane I would say that I use 10-15 blades during the covering job for that plane.

Hope this helps

Ken

I too cut on glass and use a lot of #11 blades. But I also bought a couple of scalpel handles and 100 scalpel blades online for under $20.00. They were actually cheaper than Xacto blades. The scalpel blades are numbered the same as hobby blades and are much, much sharper. The only problem I have is that the scalpel handles are flat and do not feel as comfortable as the round hobby handles.

I also use a piece of plate glass to cut on. It used to be a table top in my 5th wheel that I had special cut while we were on the road. If you have access to old car windows, some of them work real well. Some of the old pickups had flat rear windows and they also work well. The car / pickup windows work well because they don't break easy and in most cases don't shatter if you mess up.

Another cheap hint : with most X acto knives the handle is round and that makes it easy to roll off your table. Take a small piece of tape and wrap it around the handle leaving a small tape tab sticking out the side. The tab will keep the knife from rolling. If you want to spend some money, you can buy a small foam sleeve at Wally world that fits over a pencil and sort of does the same thing. I'm cheap and use the tape.
ENJOY !!! RED