Cutting Mat for Models (B5)

Madworks cutting mat for modelers in B5 format

A double-sided cutting mat from the Taiwanese brand Madworks in the small B5 format, that is roughly 182 x 257 mm. The surface is self-healing: the cut closes once the knife is withdrawn, the mat does not get cut through into deep grooves, and the edge stays sharp longer than on a hard top. One side is printed with examples of panel lines as a pattern for scribing, the other carries a square grid with a 10 mm pitch for measuring, aligning and cutting at a right angle.

Use

• Cutting parts from the sprue, cleaning up gates and leveling mating faces
• Cutting plastic profiles and sheet to size against the grid
• Scribing panel lines, where a small mat can be turned as you work
• As a working surface laid on a larger mat in A3 or A2 format

Who the cutting mat is for

For anyone who builds on a table that serves other purposes too and needs to clear the working surface easily. The B5 format fits even on a small table, in a case or on the lap. It also serves as a second, rotating mat for detail work next to a large fixed surface: when scribing lines it is more comfortable to turn the mat than to work your hand around the model.

Cut so that the knife runs perpendicular and without excessive pressure; an oblique pull scores the surface more than the depth of the cut itself. Do not expose the mat to heat, do not use it as a rest for a soldering iron, and do not use it as a surface for cutting with a rotary tool. Wipe solvents and glues off it before they dry.