S\Help sawing rolls of lam and adhesive in half

[plui]

Hi, anyone have tips on saw /cutting cold-roll overlaminate and PSA adhesive rolls in half? Will it cause damage to the roll or cause feed problems along the cut edge at all?

Thanks,
plui

 

[Jack Knight1979]

I've wondered about this. Most suppliers have a slitter they use.
I wanted to give it a shot with a bandsaw and a fine blade.

 

[d fleming]

I've often wondered if a deli slicer blade would do the trick.

 

[J Hill Designs]

I've done it with a bandsaw...just taped it at the cut really tight...messed up the edge a bit, but I cant cut or print to the edge anyway...might be hell to send through the laminator though...I dont have one so I dont know about that.

 

[rushworks graphics]

if your going to try it with a band saw, make sure you get a real fine tooth blade or i would imagine the edges would be frayed and may cause your media holder(the flat metal piece) to move up and down on the egde and may cause a head strike.

 

[sfr table hockey]

I have only cut canvas rolls on a band saw and yes the blade will chew the edges a bit. It's not bad as an outside edge but the inside edge will catch the heads and cause issues.

I found the best thing to do is make the first cut on a band saw through the cardboard tube and then use a sharp utility knife (blade extended more than normal) and start rolling the media with the blade just cutting off 1/4 inch or so. The blade will clean up the edge and with only 1/4 inch cut off you can just keep pushing the blade deeper as you rotate the roll. On vinyl or laminate it would cut a lot easier than canvas. Also does not take as much time as you would think it might (few min).

The edge may not be real straight but it will lay flat.

 

[njsigns]

I've had to cut down rolls of vinyl and laminate in a pinch and actually used an x-acto blade. I know it doesn't sound ideal but it worked really well - I measured my distance, put a strip of masking tape around the roll, made a mark with a pencil going around the roll on the masking tape and used a NEW thin flat "chisel blade" and plunged it straight down through the roll and the core, pull the blade back out and keep plunging straight down following the line around the roll. If I had more than 2 rolls to do at a time I'd find another method or a supplier that had a slitter - but like I said this was in a pinch - I know it sounds ghetto, but it worked for me.. The edges came out clean and I had no problems with my media feed. These were 10yd rolls - not so sure the blade would be long enough for 50yd rolls.

Gene

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

If you use the bandsaw, please take heed to the heat generated by the blade. It will gum up the works

 

[CentralSigns]

I used a fine plywood blade on the table saw. Went slow worked good. I've cut down photo paper and banner rolls

 

[natedawg9640]

i've cut down a roll of 8518 on a 12" power miter box a few time. dont plan on using the blade for anything but that though... it gets a bit gummed up.

 

[jfiscus]

Your local suppliers may have a slitter in-house. Call them & see if they do; a supplier here slits for around $20 IIRC. It's a fine blade like a deli/meat saw or a rotary razor blade like those roller blade knives if that helps anyone... Also, the vinyl has to be VERY tightly wound for a good slit; so rolls you have already used or loosened do not work well if at all.

 

[Bill43mx]

We regularly cut down rolls of lam with a power miter saw using the standard carbide blade. Wrap the roll tightly with masking tape at the cut line and plunge the saw slowly.

 

[laserman70]

We used to use our laminator.
Put the roll on and have it turn.
We made a jig that we held against the edge of the laminator and applied pressure with a razor knife.
Never had a problem.
Home made slitter... Lol

 

[TyrantDesigner]

When I saw my laminate down ... I do it the old fashion way and get out my japanese saw and spend a few more minutes cutting it. just tape well so the teeth don't break or ragged the lam or adhesive and you're golden ... only one I won't cut is canvas ... no way of making that decent. picked up a roll of photo paper the other day from a kid who was no longer taking photography at school ... cut that 54" roll down to 24" rolls with a 6" roll left over with my nice sharp sawblade.

That being said .. I used to put mine through my mitre saw ... I just made sure to get a REALLY REALLY fine tooth blade for that thing.

 

[Gene@mpls]

We regularly cut down rolls of lam with a power miter saw using the standard carbide blade. Wrap the roll tightly with masking tape at the cut line and plunge the saw slowly.

+1- no sweat

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

I had great results using a chain saw

 

[Tim]

Agree with Laserman70. We have used our transfer tape rollers and set a blade on the reel and just unwind the roll. works perfect, and there is no edge to deal with.
best of luck!

 

[ddubia]

We regularly cut down rolls of lam with a power miter saw using the standard carbide blade. Wrap the roll tightly with masking tape at the cut line and plunge the saw slowly.

We do the same thing with the same tool and blade.

I cut 1" off our laminate rolls so when laminating I have 1/2" on each side to play with so if it skews a bit I don't get adhesive on my roller nor does it stick to the back table.

Initially I was concerned with gumming up the edge of the roll but it doesn't. We just cut it and blow the dust off with air. Gotta get all that dust!

 

[bob]

Is there a product opportunity here? Note that saws, at least all saws with toothed blades, cut by chipping the material away, not by slicing through it.

How about a tool like a large tubing or pipe cutter with a utility knife blade rather than a cutting wheel?

Just mark where you want to cut and spin the cutter around the roll a few times for a perfectly clean and accurate cut.

The tool would not have to be large, heavy, and overpowering, it's not cutting steel, just a bit of vinyl. A prototype could probably be fashioned from wood, some casters, a length of threaded rod, and this and that.

Maybe I'll spend my otherwise lazy Sunday afternoon whomping up something.

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

Horizontal meat slicer for roll goods

Is there a product opportunity here? Note that saws, at least all saws with toothed blades, cut by chipping the material away, not by slicing through it.

How about a tool like a large tubing or pipe cutter with a utility knife blade rather than a cutting wheel?

Just mark where you want to cut and spin the cutter around the roll a few times for a perfectly clean and accurate cut.

The tool would not have to be large, heavy, and overpowering, it's not cutting steel, just a bit of vinyl. A prototype could probably be fashioned from wood, some casters, a length of threaded rod, and this and that.

Maybe I'll spend my otherwise lazy Sunday afternoon whomping up something.

From ten years of personal experience, the best roll convertor includes the spinning blade that looks like the spinning blade on a meat slicer