Plastic Cutting

[phoenixgtr]

I have just bought a cheap double bubble screen off eBay and it arrived today and it is fugly!! I reckon though, that if you sliced an inch or two off the top of it it would look 100 times better. If I tried to do this I would make a horrible mess of it.

So, is there anyone in Chch who has the skills and tools to do it? Otherwise I might have to look at taking it to a professional

Cheers

[SixPackBack]

I have just bought a cheap double bubble screen off eBay and it arrived today and it is fugly!! I reckon though, that if you sliced an inch or two off the top of it it would look 100 times better. If I tried to do this I would make a horrible mess of it.

So, is there anyone in Chch who has the skills and tools to do it? Otherwise I might have to look at taking it to a professional

Cheers

This can be undertaken with a high degree of success by anyone with basic hand tool skills.
First you will need to tape the screen heavily with masking. Secondly, the outline of the material to be removed is drawn onto the masking. Third operation is to cut carefully with a fine jig saw blade [practicing on waste before hand is a good idea], the trick to this operation is holding the screen securely. Finally finish the edge off with a fine file then wet and dry, start with say 400 and work up to 1200 grit, a final polish with brasso and you should be ready to rock n roll.

[trumpy]

If you are using a jigsaw with variable speed set it to slow (setting 1 or 2) otherwise the blade gets hot and the material you have cut simply melts back together again.

[Disco Dan]

I would have thought a 'hot wire' approach would work also??

Used to do polystyrene cutting using a bit of wire tied to a couple of sticks attached to 12v powersource to heat the wire up...

[CookMySock]

if you go slow, the little angle grinder + narrow cutting disc does a good job of roughing it back to begin with. Don't cut so quickly that it gets hot and melty.. just buzz little bits off at a time and let it cool down.

Then go back to the sanding block etc.

DB

[Madness]

A local signwriter may have a vertical bandsaw with a fine blade, would be easier than using a jigsaw...

[Steve Gauge]

yeh fine band saw is the way , jigsaw will probaly shatter it

[AllanB]

Bunnings, Placemakers, Mitre 10 etc all sell cheap (under $50 a kit) hand held mini power tools (like a Dremel) - see picture below. I got mine for about $30 on special.

Anyway I cut down the screen on my previous GS1200ss by using a cutting tool on that machine. Masking tape on the screen, mark the line and use a very steady hand. As above a bit of wet & dry to clean it up, plus I went to Para Rubber and got some trim for the edge.

The tool has heaps of uses around the shed as well.

[phoenixgtr]

Cheers for the help guys. I might have to look into one of those Dremels

[Animal]

I bought my Dremel at George Henry's, next door to Casbolts on Manchester. They stock every shape and size of Dremel cutting disc and grinder there is.