cutting matt questions

OdysseySlipways · Post by **OdysseySlipways** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:29 am

i amlooking to get a cutting matt but am wondering just how sturdy the surface is?

i mean, if i put a strip of say .030 x .250 plastic on the matt and start to cut a piece out of it (and i don't mean scoring it to snap and break), will the matt allow the strip to sink into itself or will it hold solid as if cutting on a table top?

i just wonder as i'll be cutting out more large sheets of plastic for ship hulls in the coming weeks.

oh and how does it do for holding plastic in place while you cut the plastic? does the plastic hold snuggly in place (like on a rubber surface) or does it tend to slip around a bit (like on a slick surface)?

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 12:03 pm

Self-healing cutting mats, like this one from Tamiya enbale you to cut into the mat and remain smooth. The only thing you can do to kill them is to hack a chunk out of them. They're also somewhat non-slip and, as you can see on the above, come with handy markings for scratching.

Joseph Osborn · Post by **Joseph Osborn** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 2:00 pm

Chris, I suppose the amount of deflection on the cutting mat's surface depends upon how much pressure you use with the blade. If you're used to making many, many light passes to cut through something thick like .030" sheet stock, then you probably wouldn't have a problem. If you are just scoring to snap, then there's no problem. Press down really hard and the surface will deflect under the pressure and you could end up with an uneven cut. Personally, I use three cutting mats. A really big one that I use for cutting cardboard and paper, a medium-size that I use for paper, and a small one that I use as a mouse pad

When I cut styrene sheets and strips, I normally use a good old piece of tempered glass. It can be tough on blades, but I find the glass to be much more stable for making critical cuts. Also, my glass covers my desktop, so it's a matter of convenience as well. Of the mats I have, the slickest one is a Fiskars. The others are made by Helix and Loew-Cornell; both are similar in surface and fairly non-slip.

OdysseySlipways · Post by **OdysseySlipways** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 2:08 pm

thanks for the reply's. this helps me out with deciding what to do.

right now i have a piece of partical board that has some white finish to it (like that white shelving you can get) that I tape down a piece of blue posted board to (pretty cut up now and chunks missing) and am thinking of what i should do.

i am just on this side of getting one, but with the SD hulls I am working on, i know the table top is good and flat and i can push down on the hull if need be and know the bench top will stay flat, but then i can just move the mat from the bench top too........... guess i'll have to break down and get one...........

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 2:55 pm

I've got 3 self healing cutting mats (of various sizes) and a sheet of class (with the edges rounded). I use the glass for fine work, cutting tape shapes and thin sheet stock. Anything involving a lot of pressure goes on the cutting mat.

OdysseySlipways · Post by **OdysseySlipways** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 4:15 pm

Kylwell said:

Anything involving a lot of pressure goes on the cutting mat

fingers, hands .............

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 4:49 pm

OdysseySlipways wrote:Kylwell said:
Anything involving a lot of pressure goes on the cutting mat
fingers, hands .............

Yup.

Then straight into the ice and off to the hoppital.

Chacal · Post by **Chacal** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 8:05 pm

Kylwell wrote:
OdysseySlipways wrote:Kylwell said:
Anything involving a lot of pressure goes on the cutting mat
fingers, hands .............
Yup.

Then straight into the ice and off to the hoppital.

Cutting off the toes?

Stu Pidasso · Post by **Stu Pidasso** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 1:57 am

Geez, I just buy kitchen cutting boards at the dollar store. Once they get beat up enough, I just buy another for a dollar. Been through 3 in the last 10 years...

Antenociti · Post by **Antenociti** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:00 pm

you do have a problem if you try cutting off photo-etch on a cutting mat as the etch will dig into the mat before the cut happens, so i always trim that off on a piece of metal (on top of the mat).

I use about 3 A2 mats, about £7.00 each, they tend to last me a year or so before they get consigned to the painting desk... couldn't see any advantages in buying more expensive ones, tried a couple, couldn't see any difference between the 7 quid one and the 35 quid one.