Production Table Top

[chris.aceofsigns]

Ok I have about had it with our production table. Its just plywood and I'm sick of getting sawdust and wood shavings under my vinyl. We have a cutting mat on a table in the back but its buried and my boss says it sucks because masking tape wont stick to it....haven't tried it so i don't know. At a sign shop I worked at before we had a piece of what was like a giant cutting board.It was 4' x 8' and about 1/4" thick. Does anyone know what this material is called, and perhaps where you would get some?

 

[idsignsil]

We just use the back of old flat acrylic sign faces

 

[StarSign]

We use sheets of HDPE works great

 

[letterman7]

Used to work at a place that had 1/4" glass for a work surface. Was great until someone dropped a hammer on it...

At my place now I use the largest self-healing mat I can find (which is 5' x 4'); anything larger I use a piece of 1/4" pvc.

 

[d fleming]

I have galvanized metal table tops broke into panfaces to cover edges of 3/4" particle board tops., you can cut, paint, saw, drill whatever. Magnets are a breeze on it. Have had them for years.

 

[Signed Out]

They are called self healing cutting mats and are basically over sized cutting boards that are real thin... Grimco sells them up to 5' x 10' or 12' can't remember.

 

[g&eprinting]

Use the largest plexi you can find or fit so you can put a light under it.
you can also drill holes make a box frame and attach a vacuum for vacuum table.

 

[chris.aceofsigns]

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23751 im thinking this is what im thinking of.....

We use sheets of HDPE works great

this is what you use?

 

[StarSign]

Yep we just use the 1/8" I can get from my materials supplier. It's the same stuff we make traffic stencils out of.

 

[chris.aceofsigns]

How much do you pay for a 4' x 8' sheet?

 

[StarSign]

Around $40

 

[lexsigns]

i use old leaxan faces

 

[mnapuran]

We just build our table out of 2x4's topped with 3/4" plywood. Then we topped the main table with a 5'x8' cutting mat such as : http://www.speedpress.com/categories/2/25

 

[2B]

PVC board, cheap easy to replace and does not scar too bad when cutting

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

Used to work at a place that had 1/4" glass for a work surface. Was great until someone dropped a hammer on it...

At my place now I use the largest self-healing mat I can find (which is 5' x 4'); anything larger I use a piece of 1/4" pvc.

Grimco will cut mats to whatever size you want. We have two 4' by 5' tables butted up to each other. With a 4' X 10' self healing mat over them. Works good for awhile until your knife starts to stick in the already cut channels and throw your cuts off little. Then we flip it over and use the other side until chunks start coming off and then it's time to get a new one. Before that we used 4'x5' pieces of aluminum. Works really well but doesn't last as long as the healing mats and it also tears the tip of your blades down really fast.

 

[brush1]

+1 for PVC. Using for years.

 

[tsgstl]

there is nothing better than the self healing cutting mats. They are worth every penny. Once you use one you will never think of using anything else ever again.

I have a weird "cutting on surface" ocd type problem, hard to explain but similar to walking on dry snow. Cutting on self healing cutting mats is awesome, replace it every 2-3 years.

 

[royster13]

www.sign-mart.com has 4 x 8 x .182 for under 100.00 shipped....

 

[ScottyAdams]

self healing mat 5' x 10' or cut to whatever size you want. We have a large 5' x 10' and a smaller 30" x 60" table both with self healing cutting mats. They work awesome and tape sticks to it just enough. run you about 160 or so for the 5 x 10

 

[gabagoo]

I use uhmw which is a form of polyethelene, I believe. I buy 1/4" thick 4 x 8's and they are self healing. they last a long time and after a few years you can flip them over and use the other side.