When I began building HO kits I brought with me a background of building balsa wood flying models. Several of my fingers were perpetually scarred from using double edged razor blades given me by my father, which I would snap in two. The blades cut through the soft balsa with ease, so fingers were at risk. I eventually saw an ad for a safety knife which sold for five cents. I bought one and still have a scar in my right index finger from the deep gash I received from it! Not long after I discovered X-Acto hobby knives. What a difference in cutting not only balsa, but also basswood which was increasingly popular with scratch and kit builders back then.
The basswood parts that came with the early kits often required tender loving care before being useful. One pioneer in this area was Jim Doyle, of Ballardvale, Massachusetts, who devised an ingenious machine that produced basswood strips of then unbelievable quality. He was followed by Campbell and others. Doyle produced thin strips which made modeling of fences, stairs and other intricate pieces feasible and fun, especially in HO.
The basswood parts that came with the early kits often required tender loving care before being useful. One pioneer in this area was Jim Doyle, of Ballardvale, Massachusetts, who devised an ingenious machine that produced basswood strips of then unbelievable quality. He was followed by Campbell and others. Doyle produced thin strips which made modeling of fences, stairs and other intricate pieces feasible and fun, especially in HO.
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