Fretsaw for model making
Updated: 21 October 2026
Thin ply, balsa and plastic formers punish the wrong frame. Too coarse a bow snaps blades, while a powered saw with the wrong depth limit chews a fuselage side you already sanded true. Model makers usually choose between a hand fretsaw for one-off pierced parts and a compact powered saw when the same shape repeats at the bench. This page walks that choice for the four listings on the [fretsaw comparison](/hub/power-saws/fretsaw). Peter F. used amazon.co.uk listings, the MS20 manual and UK model notes. There was no lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Thin ply, balsa and plastic formers punish the wrong frame. Too coarse a bow snaps blades, while a powered saw with the wrong depth limit chews a fuselage side you already sanded true.
Thin ply, balsa and plastic formers punish the wrong frame. Too coarse a bow snaps blades, while a powered saw with the wrong depth limit chews a fuselage side you already sanded true. Model makers usually choose between a hand fretsaw for one-off pierced parts and a compact powered saw when the same shape repeats at the bench. This page walks that choice for the four listings on the fretsaw comparison. Peter F. used amazon.co.uk listings, the MS20 manual and UK model notes. There was no lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Stock | Depth | Blade end | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Dremel Dremel MS20 | Repeated light parts | 18 mm manual limit | Pin-end, about 4 in | 9.2 | about £99.95 | View offer |
 Pebaro Pebaro WPB705 | Small pierced craft | Throat not on Amazon | Stand and starter drill | 8.8 | about £15.87 | View offer | |
 Eclipse Eclipse 70-FS1R | Thin wood, bone, plastic | Throat not on Amazon | Plain-end | 8.8 | about £14.49 | View offer |
On this page
Thin parts, not a sheet of thick ply
Model stock in UK forums sits in a narrow band. RCM&E modellers discuss 4 mm ply for club aircraft, balsa ribs, and plastic sheet for details, not timber you would rip on a table saw. Build notes treat scroll or fretsaw work as inside cuts in formers with plain-end blades on hand frames, and they accept that fine blades snap and must be replaced.
If the part is thicker than the powered manual allows, a hand saw is not a clever workaround either. You change tool class or reduce the design. The Dremel MS20 UK manual caps cutting depth at 18 mm. That is the hard ceiling for the kept powered listing, regardless of cheerful marketplace bullets about various materials. General frame rules stay on the fretsaw buying guide.
Hand frames in this set
Three hand options remain in the table, and they split by reach and kit completeness rather than by star average. The Eclipse 70-FS1R names model makers in its amazon.co.uk bullets alongside thin wood, bone and plastics. At about £14.49 with 4.3 from 388 reviews, it is the fine-work hand frame when parts are small and the line is delicate. Reviewers also report blades that last minutes and clamps that need more than finger tight. Budget spare plain-end blades, and read how to use a fretsaw before you blame the kit.
The Pebaro WPB705 targets craft starters: about £15.87, 4.3 from 651 reviews, a stand on Amazon, and a named drill for inside template starts. GreatArt and Pebaro list a 12-piece kit with board, clamp and blades. Amazon's included line is thinner, so verify photos if you expect every trade accessory. One review mentions screws that will not stay tight, which matters when you tension frequently on balsa. Choose Pebaro when you want board support and the starter hole tool in one parcel, not when you need a published 300 mm throat.
The Bahco 302 is the outlier for large thin panels: 300 mm cutting depth stated, about £13.75, praised for reach but called top-heavy in reviews, with missing-blade arrivals noted. One buyer mentions wooden toys. Modellers cutting big pierced sides may prefer the reach, while small fuselage formers may fight the bulk. Forum threads sometimes recommend a coping saw for typical model ply. That is a different frame family, pin-end and shallower, and it stays on fretsaw vs coping saw.
The MS20 for repeats
When the same light part repeats, doll's house furniture, silhouettes, stacks of identical formers, the Dremel MS20 is the kept powered option. It is the top pick on the main comparison, 4.5 from 1,040 reviews at about £99.95, because buyers describe model boats, 1.5–6 mm ply, plastic sheet and guitar-shaped outlines, not construction lumber.
Treat the UK manual as the limit: 70 W, 220–240 V, a 250 mm throat, 1,500–2,250 strokes per minute, an 18 mm maximum cut, unplug before blade changes, and a dust port for harmful wood dust rather than metal. MS20 blades are pin-end and about four inches. Dremel's FAQ states they are not standard five-inch scroll blades. Amazon's 2.25 RPM line and a battery line are listing noise.
Reviews add practical limits: an awkward switch under the plate, a fiddly first blade fit, and pin-end holes that need a roughly 5 mm starter in at least one account. Weight on Amazon reads 1.75 kg while the manual cites 1.1 kg for the tool. Both figures are documented. Buy the MS20 when repetition and clamping justify mains cost and noise. Stick with a hand frame for one-off pierced parts, travel kits, or budgets under three figures.
Starting a hole in a former
Inside cuts share the same sequence on hand and powered paths. Drill in the waste, thread the blade, re-tension, cut on the pull for hand frames, or follow the manual feed for the MS20. Pebaro's named drill is the starter-set shortcut. Otherwise use a bit small enough to hide inside scrap but large enough to thread your blade pin or plain end.
Keep the work supported on a board so thin balsa does not flex. At corners, relief into waste prevents the snap that model forums attribute to cheap blades when tension was already wrong. Named picks across the four jobs, including the Bahco for a wide template, are on best fretsaw.
Common questions
Will a hand fretsaw cut 4 mm model ply?
Often yes for pierced work with fine blades and support, though some UK modellers prefer a coping saw for straight 4 mm cuts. Expect snaps and carry spares. That coping advice is a different frame family from the plain-end bows in this set.
When is the MS20 the better tool for a pile of the same parts?
When you can clamp each blank, accept the 18 mm depth, and use pin-end MS20 blades at the bench. It is a poor match for one small former in the kitchen, where a hand frame is quieter and cheaper.
What thickness does the MS20 manual allow?
18 mm maximum cutting depth on the UK manual, with material notes for wood, laminate, PVC and similar light stock. Marketplace lines about various materials do not raise that ceiling. Thicker formers need a different tool class.
Can I fit ordinary 130 mm plain-end blades in the MS20?
No. Dremel specifies MS20 pin-end blades about four inches long. They are not standard five-inch scroll blades, and they are not the plain-end packs you buy for the Eclipse or the Bahco.
Does the Pebaro set include a way to start an inside former?
Amazon names a drill for inside template starts and a stand. Trade lists add a board and a clamp. Confirm the seller photo matches the full kit you expect, because Amazon's included-components line is thinner than the 12-piece shop description.
Is the Bahco 302 too deep and heavy for small model parts?
It can feel top-heavy in reviews. Small parts may suit the Eclipse or the Pebaro better. Large pierced sides may need the 300 mm throat the Bahco bullets state. Match the bow to the size of the template, not to the word model in a title.
What do Amazon reviews of the MS20 actually cut?
Themes include model boats, doll's house furniture, 1.5–6 mm ply, silhouettes and plastic sheet. That is light craft, not structural timber. The review file is 4.5 from 1,040 on the stored amazon.co.uk listing.
Related pages
Sources
UK workshop guides, HSE and legislation.gov.uk, the Dremel MS20 manual, GreatArt's Pebaro set page, and the amazon.co.uk listings compared here. Listings captured on 20 October 2026.
- InterDIY: hand saws buyer's guide (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- UK Workshop: coping saw or fretsaw (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- Workshop Heaven: jeweller, coping and fret saws (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- HSE: wood dust (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- Dremel MS20 manual (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- GreatArt: Pebaro fretsaw starter set (retrieved 20 October 2026)