GraemeVW
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Does anyone have any experience with die cutting?
I operated some 100 year old presses die cutting wood when I was a teenager, but other than that, I don't know much.
I know we used alot of pressure, but probably didn't need to. I know we set the machines up to cut through the work and JUST kiss a plastic backing sheet, which was replaced every few days.
I used to risk life and limb running these machines at full speed!
Anyway, I need to cut discs, around 280mm in diameter from sheet rubber 2mm, 3mm and 4mm thick. I also need to cut felt, 1mm, 2mm and 3mm thick.
I don't need to cut many really, maybe 50 a month, maybe more. So buying machinery isn't a current option (I would die cut maybe 80 pieces a minute when i was young!)
My plan is to just buy a length of blade, make a wooden form to hold the blade, and make a steel backer. I guess I just need to make it really stiff so am picturing a 2" steel box frame with supports running to the center.
I was then thinking of testing this in a simple home made bottle Jack press, or a small cheap hydraulic press.
It will be slow and tedious but spending 1 day a month cutting them out is ok.
I can automate it more at a later date if needed, or maybe look at getting them cut for me.
For now though, I need/want to do it myself.
I'm not sure how much pressure it will need but can't imagine it would be too high, not with a sharp blade. Cut through the material into something soft enough not to dull the blades too quick.
As I have no experience of die cutting this material, or items this large, I'm struggling to convince myself that I have a reasonable understanding of what's involved.
Don't really want to set all this up and then realise it takes alot more force to cut a 12" disc out of 4mm rubber.
The blades are sharp, surely a cheap 6T press would do it?
It feels like my main concern will be stopping the cutter plate deforming as the force is all on the center. But shouldn't be too hard to just completely over engineer that.
Any thoughts/advice?
Thanks
I operated some 100 year old presses die cutting wood when I was a teenager, but other than that, I don't know much.
I know we used alot of pressure, but probably didn't need to. I know we set the machines up to cut through the work and JUST kiss a plastic backing sheet, which was replaced every few days.
I used to risk life and limb running these machines at full speed!
Anyway, I need to cut discs, around 280mm in diameter from sheet rubber 2mm, 3mm and 4mm thick. I also need to cut felt, 1mm, 2mm and 3mm thick.
I don't need to cut many really, maybe 50 a month, maybe more. So buying machinery isn't a current option (I would die cut maybe 80 pieces a minute when i was young!)
My plan is to just buy a length of blade, make a wooden form to hold the blade, and make a steel backer. I guess I just need to make it really stiff so am picturing a 2" steel box frame with supports running to the center.
I was then thinking of testing this in a simple home made bottle Jack press, or a small cheap hydraulic press.
It will be slow and tedious but spending 1 day a month cutting them out is ok.
I can automate it more at a later date if needed, or maybe look at getting them cut for me.
For now though, I need/want to do it myself.
I'm not sure how much pressure it will need but can't imagine it would be too high, not with a sharp blade. Cut through the material into something soft enough not to dull the blades too quick.
As I have no experience of die cutting this material, or items this large, I'm struggling to convince myself that I have a reasonable understanding of what's involved.
Don't really want to set all this up and then realise it takes alot more force to cut a 12" disc out of 4mm rubber.
The blades are sharp, surely a cheap 6T press would do it?
It feels like my main concern will be stopping the cutter plate deforming as the force is all on the center. But shouldn't be too hard to just completely over engineer that.
Any thoughts/advice?
Thanks