steel rule Base die cutter?

[a.badner]

Has anyone thought of making a strong steel rule die to cut bases?

i.e like this one for making stickers.



it seems like a pretty simple thing to make. any feed back on how you guys think it would owrk?

[twizzstyle]

Are you talking just for making shapes? Or for cutting the entire base out?

If you've got a press, sure why not, but you're going to be hand shaping the die so if you want any kind of accuracy, forget it.

[a.badner]

two things.

what do you mean uctting shapes out?
i thought it could cut the base shape out of the a roll of the material.

and on a side note. you make steel rule die with a scroll saw and plywood.
it would be just as precise as your template.\ for routing out bases

[OnDeck]

I've not made my own, but i can confirm that a steel rule die will work well.

[twizzstyle]

what do you mean uctting shapes out?

I mean if you were doing a bunch of smaller shapes, in different colors (think the public enemies from a few years back with the die cut bases and top sheets). It just seems like that's a huge die to make for doing the entire base.

[OnDeck]

I've not made my own, but i can confirm that a steel rule die will work well.

Oops, i shoudl learn to read. i thought it worked well for smaller shapes.

i bet you could get an accurate cut, but it seems like the long way around, unless you were cranking out a lot of bases.

[a.badner]

well, it would be a long cut, but i think it would be well worth the effort.
i suck using a router.
and
i have already,planned on how to make one.

first.

get half inch thick plywood

2.

print template of ski, from snow cadx or whatever.

3.

paste it onto the plywood.

4.

using band saw or scrollsaw ( rather scrollsaw because it rums slower and has a thinner blade for better movement.

5.
keep both pieces of the plywood. the outside piece of the template and the inside ( shape of ski is the inside and the square with a ski cut out is the outside)

get steel rule ( steel strips at perimeter of ski shape, im fortunate enough for my dad to have a lot at his work that i can use.)

6.

lay in steel band, keeping as close to the inside edge of the outer of the plywood . no major bending needed, bennds are never smaller than 90'

7.

lay in inside piece of template/ plywood.

8.

use some kind of foaming glue ( i.e gorrila glue ) to decrease as much space as possible in between the wood and steel.

9.

find a material that can take alot of hits with a hammer. ( thats the press i will be using to cut bases) and lay it over the top side of the die.

10.

using a grinder, stone sharpener or tool of choice, sharpen the steel band

11.

test it. use it


my dad and i have came up with the idea to use steel rule die to cut bases because are both horrible with the router. (maybe its just the router?) and at his work the se a steel rul die to cut out 1'' thick rubber for some alternator gaskets.

[MontuckyMadman]

but every time you want to make a new shape or new length of ski you have to make a new die.
PITA.
Just cut your template, strap your base down on it and get the right router bit with a bearing and cut them like everyone including bigger factories does. No need to reinvent the wheel here I don't think.

If you were doing a line of 50 pairs of skis at the same size and shape, yeah a die would be sweet.

Its wayyyyy more work than need be for 1 step of 100.

I guess if you have trussed your press front and back it shouldn't deflect depends on your bolt/pin setup for the loading area however.

[falls]

I'd like to see you do this......
but I agree with Montucky that the router is the way to go for smaller production runs.
I had never used a router before starting this project and didn't find that the base material cutting was very difficult. The material is so thin it cuts really easily.

[webboy]

Would be pretty sweet if they were easy to make. Personally, I'd rather put the effort into a vacuum clamping system and just use a router.