Cutting Ply parts
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Cutting Ply parts
All,
After a long hiatus from scratching (or plan building if you prefer) I am settling in on a LARGE (Bill Effinger 130" Monocoupe) project and will need to cut many light ply parts.
Is there a better way to cut Light Ply than the old fashion Xacto Utility knife way?
I do use a band saw as well the knife but was curious if anyone is using a newer technique that may save some time and provide more accuracy. I Have considered farming it out to a laser cutter but would prefer to get things moving soon and not be at someone else's mercy..
Thanks !
After a long hiatus from scratching (or plan building if you prefer) I am settling in on a LARGE (Bill Effinger 130" Monocoupe) project and will need to cut many light ply parts.
Is there a better way to cut Light Ply than the old fashion Xacto Utility knife way?
I do use a band saw as well the knife but was curious if anyone is using a newer technique that may save some time and provide more accuracy. I Have considered farming it out to a laser cutter but would prefer to get things moving soon and not be at someone else's mercy..
Thanks !
#2
RE: Cutting Ply parts
In case you haven't seen one of these, it is made from a hand jigsaw. It cuts inside shapes like a scroll saw but you don't have to unattach/reattach the blade. It doesn't have the "arm" to work around like a band saw or scroll saw. Depending on the size of your blade, it can cut real tight radii or track smooth long cuts like a band saw. Combined with your band saw, it will serve you well. It is a little tricky to use because, although it is cutting on the down stroke, it tends to lift the work on the upstroke if you do not hold it securely.
Allan
Allan
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RE: Cutting Ply parts
Thanks Allan,
Great idea !
That looks like it would do perfectly !
A couple of questions if you don't mind,
How big did you make your table top/ deck and what blade have you had the best performance with ?
Also. have you tried this with a RotoZip buy chance ?
Great idea !
That looks like it would do perfectly !
A couple of questions if you don't mind,
How big did you make your table top/ deck and what blade have you had the best performance with ?
Also. have you tried this with a RotoZip buy chance ?
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RE: Cutting Ply parts
hey guy,,, clever idea,, hat's off to ya! would solve a lot of problems! hmmm,,just wonderin',, what would happen if you broke off the stock mount end,, and mounted the blade,, up-side-down,,to pull the work down ?? think you could keep the blade in the saw?? just thinking outloud,,
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RE: Cutting Ply parts
I just finished cutting out my yak fuse. I used a dremel with a roto zip blade and router base screwed on the end of the dremel. It works great. The screw on base keeps the blade square. You have to go slow on your first cut and leave about 1/16" before the line. The blade wants to pull around. On the next pass you can take off the rest with out fighting the bit. I checked my sizes aginst the prints I made. The parts were within .001" to .003" If you still have a little clean up to do I use a flex cable on my dremel with a small drum sander.
Brent
Brent
#7
RE: Cutting Ply parts
The box on my saw is 15x15x9.5. I bought a medium priced Makita jigsaw from Sears and put on the medium blade. I have not tried any others on this particular machine but it is a good general purpose blade. Never tried it with a rotozip. I do have a lamp with a magnifier lense in it that I use (from Staples) and, if I go slow, I can cut to within 1/32" The Makita can be slowed down. On ABS the faster speed heats up the blade and it tends to melt the plastic, almost welding it back together so I use a slower speed.
The fuselage parts in the pix are a perfect candidates for this kind of saw. I cut out this entire model in part of an afternoon.
Allan
The fuselage parts in the pix are a perfect candidates for this kind of saw. I cut out this entire model in part of an afternoon.
Allan
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RE: Cutting Ply parts
Thanks for the idea's gents, this is perfect.
I think I'll get a box thrown together and start out with a Jig saw since I have one kicking around already, But I want to give the roto a shot too. I can see both being a huge increase in speed, especially for those pesky inside cuts ! A couple hours to throw this table together will save many hours in the end I'm sure..
I think I'll get a box thrown together and start out with a Jig saw since I have one kicking around already, But I want to give the roto a shot too. I can see both being a huge increase in speed, especially for those pesky inside cuts ! A couple hours to throw this table together will save many hours in the end I'm sure..
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RE: Cutting Ply parts
Here are all the parts we cut out for my new Yak. All the lightning holes were done with a dremel and roto zip blade. Eccept the small parts that could be done on a scrowl saw.
Brent
Brent
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RE: Cutting Ply parts
Brent G what is a roto zip blade & router base, do you have a pic, I woul like to know what I'm asking for a Bunnings as they won't
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RE: Cutting Ply parts
I made a mistake. It is called a tile cutting base for the dremel. Here is a picture of it and the blade. You need a rotary saw blade for cutting wood.
Brent
Brent
#15
RE: Cutting Ply parts
Hello Allan
THis Jig Saw looks great, i am thinking to build one, well i wanted to ask you, while you cut your fuselage side, do you cut both the sides at a time one-on-one, or one side at a time. what is the size or total length of the blade, do they come in standard or universal size, and the attachment you have used to fit the jig saw in the box, dose it come with the saw it self.
Harry Supley.
THis Jig Saw looks great, i am thinking to build one, well i wanted to ask you, while you cut your fuselage side, do you cut both the sides at a time one-on-one, or one side at a time. what is the size or total length of the blade, do they come in standard or universal size, and the attachment you have used to fit the jig saw in the box, dose it come with the saw it self.
Harry Supley.
#16
RE: Cutting Ply parts
Harry,
I took a close look at the blade I have in there now and it looks like a hacksaw type blade, a little thicker than the wood blades but only 5mm wide so it can cut metal and take fairly tight corners. You still have to "work it" for the corners, going back and forth. This ain't a coping saw. The blade is about 75mm long from the bolt tightening hole to its end. Because of the wood thickness on the box you lose some blade length. This blade sticks up 9 to 26mms above the table surface. Not for thick wood. I have used it for 1/4 AC ply.
The little parts on Brent's Yak would be tricky to do with this saw (because of difficulty holding them down tightly), unless you made them on the end of a bigger piece for most of the cutting, then cut them off on the last cut.
If I had a bandsaw and a scroll saw, I would use them too. Each saw has its best applications. Frankly, I am about to order one of those little MicroMart (?) saws for use where I want to rip small sections with absolutely parallel sides. I can clamp a board onto my box saw as a rip guide and it isn't too bad, just not as good as the little circular table saws.
Nice to hear from India, by the way. Post some pix of your planes.
Allan
I took a close look at the blade I have in there now and it looks like a hacksaw type blade, a little thicker than the wood blades but only 5mm wide so it can cut metal and take fairly tight corners. You still have to "work it" for the corners, going back and forth. This ain't a coping saw. The blade is about 75mm long from the bolt tightening hole to its end. Because of the wood thickness on the box you lose some blade length. This blade sticks up 9 to 26mms above the table surface. Not for thick wood. I have used it for 1/4 AC ply.
The little parts on Brent's Yak would be tricky to do with this saw (because of difficulty holding them down tightly), unless you made them on the end of a bigger piece for most of the cutting, then cut them off on the last cut.
If I had a bandsaw and a scroll saw, I would use them too. Each saw has its best applications. Frankly, I am about to order one of those little MicroMart (?) saws for use where I want to rip small sections with absolutely parallel sides. I can clamp a board onto my box saw as a rip guide and it isn't too bad, just not as good as the little circular table saws.
Nice to hear from India, by the way. Post some pix of your planes.
Allan
#17
RE: Cutting Ply parts
Hello
Well about me, belive it or not, i do it all the scratch way, i mean no power tools, all cutting is by hand fret saw, i am thinking to build more models so i cant go this way, my dad laughs at me saying there are so many modern tools you can use to simplify the work but you dont use it,
So for my Extra 50CC i am thinking to go for the power tools i mean the power saw, wings will be foam, fuselage sides will be ply, Thanks for your suggestions, my site is under construction www.masteraerotech.com
Harry Supley
Well about me, belive it or not, i do it all the scratch way, i mean no power tools, all cutting is by hand fret saw, i am thinking to build more models so i cant go this way, my dad laughs at me saying there are so many modern tools you can use to simplify the work but you dont use it,
So for my Extra 50CC i am thinking to go for the power tools i mean the power saw, wings will be foam, fuselage sides will be ply, Thanks for your suggestions, my site is under construction www.masteraerotech.com
Harry Supley
#18
RE: Cutting Ply parts
hello Allan
I went thuorgh some of the shops & i found the Back & Decker
portable Jig Saw 500W , but i need to drill holes to fit the machine up side down verticle to make it fit inside the box,well looking at the blades i think i will need more fine blades that the standard ones.Which blade do you use, i have not yet purchased the machine. Will this machine do a good job.
Regards
Harry Supley.
I went thuorgh some of the shops & i found the Back & Decker
portable Jig Saw 500W , but i need to drill holes to fit the machine up side down verticle to make it fit inside the box,well looking at the blades i think i will need more fine blades that the standard ones.Which blade do you use, i have not yet purchased the machine. Will this machine do a good job.
Regards
Harry Supley.
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RE: Cutting Ply parts
Man o man!
This little table is buy far one of the best bangs for the buck out there.
Everything I needed to put it together (minus a speed controll ) was cluttering up the garage so it took me about an hour to have this thing from table saw to screw and glue..
I have started out with the jig saw deck first and have already cut my production time by about 50% ! I'm going to cut a deck for the Roto Zip as well and will route two half inch channel's down each side for a T square to travel on. I think the pieces will want to wonder a bit more with the Roto than the jig saw so the square will help to keep everything on track.
Thanks again Allan, All.
This little table is buy far one of the best bangs for the buck out there.
Everything I needed to put it together (minus a speed controll ) was cluttering up the garage so it took me about an hour to have this thing from table saw to screw and glue..
I have started out with the jig saw deck first and have already cut my production time by about 50% ! I'm going to cut a deck for the Roto Zip as well and will route two half inch channel's down each side for a T square to travel on. I think the pieces will want to wonder a bit more with the Roto than the jig saw so the square will help to keep everything on track.
Thanks again Allan, All.
#21
RE: Cutting Ply parts
Hello
Can any one show me the pis of how is the JIG SAW attached is attached inverted in the box, most of the jig saw dont have the holes for attachment so how to modify it.
Thanks
Highfly3d.
Can any one show me the pis of how is the JIG SAW attached is attached inverted in the box, most of the jig saw dont have the holes for attachment so how to modify it.
Thanks
Highfly3d.
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RE: Cutting Ply parts
ORIGINAL: kdheath
A Roto-Zip saw mounted in the same fashion has the advantage of not bouncing the work around, probably cuts cleaner.
A Roto-Zip saw mounted in the same fashion has the advantage of not bouncing the work around, probably cuts cleaner.
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RE: Cutting Ply parts
I can't imagine trying to cut light l=ply with an exacto knife. That's like woodworking with a pocket knife.
I use band saw, table saw, belt/disc sander and scroll saw. Actually sold my scroll saw and in the market for a better one.
I use band saw, table saw, belt/disc sander and scroll saw. Actually sold my scroll saw and in the market for a better one.