Useful for making Gunpla! This will make your desk and cutter immaculate!　4 recommended cutting mats!

Hello, this is Karyas! This is the 10th edition of "The Tool Way!" In this 10th issue of "The Tool Way!", we would like to introduce and review a recommended cutting mat!

What do you usually put on your desk when you are working on plastic models? Newspapers or empty plastic modeling boxes? Or, do you not put anything on your desk?

For those of you who do, we highly recommend the use of a cutting mat (cutter mat)!

There are four cutting mats introduced here. They come in a variety of sizes and designs, so choose the one that best suits your production environment!

Advantages of using a cutting mat

To begin with, is a cutting mat really necessary? Some may wonder, "Why do I need a cutting mat in the first place? Whether you use a design knife or a cutter, or even if you don't, it is definitely more convenient to have one when painting, gluing, or modifying your work. Below are the advantages!

1 Essential if you use knives

As the name suggests, a cutting mat is essential if you work with a cutter or design knife. Thanks to the elastic rubber and resin-based material, you can work comfortably without damaging the cutting edge. If you utilize the printed templates, it is very convenient to measure the length of parts without using a ruler, or to cut out masking tape or plastic plates cleanly!

2 Prevent stains

Many modelers use an empty plastic modeling box, instruction manual, or newspaper to prevent stains when working with adhesives and paints. However, while this may prevent some stains, it does not prevent unexpected happenings.

When I was a beginner, I used to work with the instructions laid out, but one day I let my guard down and knocked over a bottle of pouring adhesive.

The entire contents spilled out, and the desk was soaked with the glue that had seeped out of the thin paper instruction manual. I wiped it off with a tissue in a panic, but the surface of the desk peeled off, making it even more miserable. ...... This was the reason I bought a Tamiya cutting mat, which I will describe later, but every time I see these traces, I regret that I should have bought it earlier (tears).

3 Also recommended when using clay or epoxy putty

It can also be utilized when kneading clay used in dioramas or epoxy putty for modification (the type that becomes ticklish when it hardens)!

Now that you understand the advantages, let's take a look at the recommended cutting mats!

Four recommended cutting mats

1 Tamiya Cutting Mat (A3 size)

Size: 32 x 45 cm

Thickness: 2mm

Price: 1,760 yen (tax included)

This cutting mat is my favorite cutting mat and always appears in the videos in this series, and since it is larger than A3 paper, it is safe even when making large models. It has a good balance of flexibility and durability because it uses a three-layer structure with a hard material sandwiched between soft materials, and it also has a full range of templates!

Backside

Relatively thin and flexible, masking tape could be cut out easily. Although it has a distinctive rubbery smell, the large size and variety of templates make it ideal for those who want to create dioramas and the like!

Incidentally, Tamiya also sells other cutting mats in different sizes (A4, A5, A3 half-size) and in different colors (blue and beige), so if you are interested, please check the official website!

2 Wave Wave Mizo Cutting Mat

Size: 22 x 30 cm

Pocket size: large 4.5 x 4.5 cm / small 4 x 4 cm

Mizo width: 1cm

Thickness: 4mm
Price: 1,815 yen (tax included)

If you think that an ordinary cutting mat is not enough for your needs, we recommend this cutting mat! We recommend this one. It has a 10mm-wide channel to drop gate clippings, etc., and pockets to place paint dishes, square bottles, and other small parts that are easily lost. It is also designed to prevent damage to the blade by using a "sandwich construction" with a hard base sandwiched between soft matte surfaces.

There are three pockets of two types, large and small. Double-sided tape could be attached to hold bottles or other items in place!

Back side

Incidentally, Wave has also released "HG Weak Adhesion Cutting Mat A4," which allows you to stick parts or paper to the surface of the mat, so if you are interested, check out that one as well!

The material is quite hard and sturdy, but the surface is soft. The pockets and holes are very convenient, but the area that can be used as a cutting mat is not very large, so it will be useful when making relatively small models!

3 Showa Kyozai Craft Board (A)

Size: 26 x 32 cm

Thickness: 3mm

Price: ¥480 (tax included)

While rummaging through my warehouse at home, I happened to find a craft board that I used a quarter of a century ago, so I'm going to review this one as well! Showa Kyozai is a manufacturer of teaching materials for kindergartens and elementary schools, and I'm sure everyone has used this craft board at least once during arts and crafts class. If you don't need a template and want something simple and inexpensive, this is the one for you! We recommend this board for those who do not need a template and want something simple and inexpensive.

The back side of the board is glossy and is made of clay.

Incidentally, a slightly larger craft board B (size: 30 x 39 cm, price: 680 yen (tax included)) is also available on Amazon.

It is cheap, but it is completely comfortable to use. It is a great product for modelers who often use clay or putty!

4 God Hand Glass Cutter Mat

Size: 15.1 x 22.7 cm

Thickness: 4mm

Price: 1,980 yen (tax included)

And finally, a glass cutter mat now on sale from God Hand. All of the cutting mats introduced so far have been rubber or resin-based, but this one is made of heat-resistant tempered glass.

The advantage of glass is,

The blade does not bite into the material, so you can cut with a smooth, smooth feel.

No odor characteristic of rubber or resin.

Cleanable by wiping off dirt.

It can be used with heat tools such as heat pens and heat cutters.

It can be used with heat tools such as heat pens and heat cutters. However, please note that the cutter blades are more easily damaged than rubber or resin-based blades (blades need to be replaced more frequently).

Use the non-slip cushion attached to the back side by adhering it by yourself

I tried dripping enamel-type smudging paint on it as a test, but it could be easily wiped off with a tissue. The cutting feel is a little different from rubber or resin mats, but it can be used for cutting without any problems, and it has excellent heat resistance, so it can be used in a variety of ways!

How was it? Once you buy a cutting mat, you can use it forever, and it can be stored on a bookshelf when not in use, making it a very convenient tool. If you don't have one yet, buy one now!

Writer Information

Kariyasu

Entertainment and hobby writer. He loves models, dioramas, and figures, and is in charge of tool reviews and various interviews as well as examples of plastic models and miniatures. I think there should be more variation in the color of cutting mats. I'd like to see more variety in the colors of cutting mats.

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