clay lover Posted August 27, 2015 Report Share Posted August 27, 2015 Have you had any luck cutting extruder dies from salvaged plastic cutting boards? I have seen some used on You Tube, but my efforts to cut the ones I've been collecting aren't going anywhere. The plastic is melting back together behind the saw, yes, I have tried lube and cutting slower, didn't help. Other times I have had the materials crack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted August 27, 2015 Report Share Posted August 27, 2015 I have used a jig saw and a coping saw to cut this out. However, a decent dremel with speed adjustment will work with a zip saw type bit. You need to adjust it up or down a bit to find the right speed. I also like to set it up using drill holes at corners and mid points. It takes a rasp or file in the end to smooth thing up so leave an 1/8" clean up space to meet anything where tolerances are important. Final clean up can be done with any number of tools on a dremel. hope this helps, Best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denice Posted August 27, 2015 Report Share Posted August 27, 2015 I had the same problems and finally tried a cheap thin cutting board used in a kitchen. I used a hole saw to cut out the blanks, a drill press to hog out the pattern and then hand files to smooth, I had some of the curly edges scrap kind of melt but not enough to cause me any problems. I was mostly disappointed that I could use any of the plastic from the scrap yard, I like to reuse and recycle. Denice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clay lover Posted August 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 Pres, those are the tools I have been using, that are giving me melt- back- together cuts. What am I doing wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 nothing, it takes several cuts to convince the stuff that it is really cut through and give up! if i can do it, anyone can. if you start with a drill in a drill press it is easier to connect the holes and get a smooth cut with a scroll saw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugaboo Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 Oldlady. - I guess that means I'm going to have to finish assembling the little drill press I bought. Thanks for the tips. A question would it be better to use a zip saw, a Dremel or hand cut with a jewelers saw? Which gives the best cut? I need to cut circles for a hollow form, is it possible to use the cutout as the interior piece for the hollow form or should I plan on needing a separate cutout for this? I was thinking cut it out and use the inside piece as part of the extrusion but maybe not? T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 For round cuts use a hole saw (buy a good brand name as cheap ones are junk) like dewalt or Milwaukee-sets are prices best.The hole is always a tad larger in materials that are soft like plastics.Set it up in drill press for best results. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 slower speed with the dremel will keep it from heating up the plastic. I have a tendency to spray water on the plastic from time to time to help out. If you are going at a high speed then it will melt back together, lower the speed, use a courser cutting blade of any sort with less heat and it cuts. A jewelers saw even though slow, will cut it. However, the blades seem to gum up easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alabama Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 The bottom of a 99 cent aluminum sauce pan from the thrift store might be better than plastic! See ya Alabama Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mug Posted August 30, 2015 Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 The type of plastic you are cutting makes a big difference...A cutting board is probably HDPE, but you may not know what kind of plastic it is. I have never cracked HDPE and HDPE machines well high quality fly cutter will cut nice circles in plastic. They cut at 500 RPM or less A good hole saw... Lenox or Greenlee brand will work but you will need to keep the blades cool, they will heat up super quick. Cut a little then back off the drill press to clean out the cut. These hole saw blades need to be cleaned out often as you drill. A coping saw will work, use coarse teeth with a heavy set, cutting a perfect circle with a coping saw is pretty much impossible An orbital Jigsaw like the ones made by Bosch cut most types of plastic pretty well. A regular Jigsaw will melt the plastic in seconds...You need an orbiting blade jigsaw. A router with a circle jig will work but you will need carbide tipped cutters, a high speed steel bit will not work after 30 seconds Use carbide blades whenever its possible with plastic, carbide will keep the plastic from melting Pres always has the best advice, but I have to dissagree with him on the dremel, I would not use a Dremel or Foredom for cutting anything plastic, but they can polish plastic really really well...Dremel may have an overpriced Carbide cutter that might work, but I will still pass. Aluminum can be cut with most wood working tools...Carbide cutters work well. Some aluminum is gummy, use stearic acid, diesel fuel, kerosene, or WD-40 as a cutting fluid to keep your tools from gumming up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted August 30, 2015 Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 Mug has it spot on for plastic work-and the only jigsaw to buy ever is a Bosh (have two) as he said. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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