Good method for cutting (slitting) whole rolls/logs of vinyl?

[Jumpshoutmedia]

As everyone else has alread pointed out, there appears to be shortages on different types of vinyl across the board! And as such, I had to resort to buying a 60" roll of some vinyl that I needed to complete an important job.

I bought a 60" roll with the intentions of cutting it in half and ending up with 2x 30" rolls.

Obviously I don't have a high-end, roll to roll slitting machine.. but I have seen people on youtube videos cut rolls of vinyl in half using a chop saw, and this is the method I was planning on using.

My question is, does anyone here have any recommendations to help give me the best chance of ending up with the cleanest cut possible? Like.. I know that the blade you use makes ALL the difference in the WORLD when it comes to cutting anything with a circular/chop saw, and I'm sure that someone here does this all the time, and probably knows some secret that works GREAT and cuts rolls perfectly.

and it's probably some type of blade that I never would have even thought of, like some sort of blade made specifically for aluminum, but mounted backwards or something goofy like that! lol.

So.. anyone have any top tips for sawing a roll of vinyl in half?!

Thanks in advance!

PS please don't suggest I send it out for conversion, I'm set on trying to figure out a good DIY method using a saw.. but thanks anyway!

 

[Boudica]

I swear there is another thread here asking this same question. I'll see if I can find it...

here is one of them: https://signs101.com/threads/cutting-down-a-roll-of-vinyl.61416/

 

[MitchelK]

If you have a table saw, I made a crosscut sled with rollers (skateboard bearings mounted upside down) that allows me to spin the vinyl rolls while I push it through the table saw. The cuts are super clean with a 10" 80 tooth table saw blade. Hard to describe so here is a video:

 

[ikarasu]

Putnam fee layers of masking tape on where you're cutting and make sure it's tight. In a pinch we use a sharp fine tooth blade... It works but it'll never be as good as a high end cutter. We try not to do it on printable media because it can sometimes leave a jagged edge, and last thing you want is to have it catch onto the media guard and cause a jam and potentially ruin a $2000 item to save a few bucks.

If it's material you have and you're in a pinch, a saw will work. Otherwise every single vendor we buy from will slit it down for us for free... One will charge $7.50 a cut, and even that's worth the time saved cutting it ourselves.

 

[Z SIGNS]

This comes up often here. Cut it with your chop saw that has the proper blade. A triple chip blade. Look it up. It's not a luxury tool it's something that should be in your tool arsenal anyway if you are in the business of fabricating signs.

 

[Tatonka]

I run ours through the laminator with as little pressure as possible and the slitting blades set at the width I want, and put the correct length tubes on the takeup reel. It works pretty well, and I don't get any gummy or frayed edges.