We use cookies to personalize content, interact with our analytics companies, advertising networks and cooperatives, and demographic companies, provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. Our social media, advertising and analytics partners may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. Learn more.
I am trying to carve a lot of parts out of a piece of 1/8" HDPE. I’m looking for some advice on how to hold down the HDPE 12"x12" sheet.
I have been using double sided carpet tape which works well, but if I want to cut through the piece it gets my bit really sticky.
Ive seen people use blue tape and CA glue, but I’m worried about big waste pieces getting dangerously launched around the room.
Currently I am using the double sided tape and I am leaving 0.07" of material so the bit doesnt touch the sticky tape. Then I come in with a knife which can be tiresome and innacurate with a lot of parts.
Is there a better method where I can safely cut all the way through?
I use the tape & super-glue method all the time with HDPE. It’s typically the small pieces that you have to worry about not getting held down, but copious squiggles of glue to get really good coverage normally suffices.
Are you setting your Z-Zero with the probe and setting the material thickness to that measured with a pair of calipers? Doing those two should help you to cut just through the material, but leaving a few thousandths would be fine (probably 0.002" to 0.005" should be enough).
Ok, I have found the best method that worked really well for me today. Spray adhesive. I spray the HDPE and a piece of MDF and the bit can go through the plastic 0.03" into the MDF without gumming up the bit and not going into the spoil board. The pieces pry out pretty easy and can be cleaned withe acetone or denatured alcohol.
