A stacking cutting question.

[hawkeye10]

What method should I use to hold the pieces together while cutting?

[jjwitter]

I use blue painters tape when I stack cut.

 

[MrsN]

There are a lot of methods that you can use. It depends a bit on the type of pattern you are cutting and your personal preference.

 

I personally, usually, wrap all of the edges in blue painters tape. It is relatively simple and quick. 

 

Other methods include:

Hot gluing the edges of the boards - I have never personally done this, but some people love it.

brad nails in waste areas - great for when boards have a little warp to them, it holds everything nice and tight. Also great if you are cutting ornaments and have lots of waste area

[Scrolling Steve]

MrsN just about covered it...the only thing i have tried different is a layer of scrollers tape between the wood ( tape is 81/2 inches wide and double sided stick...I am cutting an old mill now and will report on how this worked when i finish. 

[Fish]

I've done it a few times and wrapped it in packing tape.

[munzieb]

I've used Scroller's 2 sided 8 1/2" tape and it works great but it is expensive an I only use it for complicated patterns. I have also had good success with spraying contact cement on 2 sides of regular copy paper. Both come off easy with mineral spirits, OFF or a heat gun.

[amazingkevin]

What method should I use to hold the pieces together while cutting?

I just did 4 baby birth crosses stacked and wish i would have done 8 at one time.i used drywall screws (11) and flipe it over and ground off the ones sticking thru.I wanted to use my pin nailer but to much trouble to set it up.I've never tryed hot glue in the corners and just did 4-3"ankhs blue taped together which worked well.I have done lots of things spray glueded together that i soaked in straight mineral spirits in a can ,small pieces and when i finished cutting all of them i just wiped them clean.Lots of ways to skina cat.

[Rolf]

I use a pin nailer on an anvil. Then hit them all with a small hammer on the anvil so there are no points to scratch my table and or snag my fingers. takes me a few seconds per stack.

[hawkeye10]

There are a lot of methods that you can use. It depends a bit on the type of pattern you are cutting and your personal preference.

 

I personally, usually, wrap all of the edges in blue painters tape. It is relatively simple and quick. 

 

Other methods include:

Hot gluing the edges of the boards - I have never personally done this, but some people love it.

brad nails in waste areas - great for when boards have a little warp to them, it holds everything nice and tight. Also great if you are cutting ornaments and have lots of waste area

I like the idea of painters tape.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I use one of two methods and they work equally well. The first is the hot glue on the edges. Simple and fast. The other is blue tape on the wood and then sandwich a piece of white copy paper with spray adhesive on both sides. A lot has to do with the fact if i have a lot of cutting to do on the outside edges of the pattern. The more I have to spin the wood the wood the more I will lean to using the sandwich method. If it is a simple cut on the edges then hot glue is fine. Happy scrolling.

[Sparkey]

I wrap the top and two sides with clear packaging tape then stick my pattern to the tape.

[stoney]

I have used just about every method that has been already mentioned.   What I have been using quite a bit lately is small pieces of good quality double faced tape.   For an example on a 8"x10" portrait I place a 1/2" x 3/4" piece in all four corners and one in the middle.   That is usually sufficient.   When done cutting I use a thin putty knife to separate the stack and then remove the tape.   I then remove any residue from the tape by sanding or wiping with acetone.   Works well for me.   

Edited November 2, 2016 by stoney

[lawson56]

I use regular masking tape.I have used it for several yrs,Works Great.

[ike]

I use a stapler.

IKE

[Clayton717]

I use hot glue on the edges. I clamp all the pieces together then put several spots of hot glue on each edge. When done cutting I just cut off the hot glue and they come apart pretty easy.

[WayneMahler]

I use regular masking tape around the edges of the packs. If it is too tall I trim it flush with a razor blade. Seems to hold better then the blue for me.

[Lucky2]

I like to use the hot glue method, I stack about 4 pieces of 1/8" BB and clamp them together. After clamping them with spring clamps, I hot glue around the exterior of the stack. I'm usually cutting ornaments when I stack cut, so when I'm done cutting the stack I just throw the waste away. I don't have to remove any of the glue, because it was on the exterior and not near the edge of the ornament.

Len

[Sam777]

I have used hot glue a few time and I like it. But there is some preparation before you glue:

1. paste/glue your pattern to the top piece,

2. stack as many as you are planning on cutting,

3. drill holes around the pattern or inside it on regions which will  NOT cut completely,

4. start from the top (or bottom piece) apply drops of that hot glue on these holes (between the layers) and press them together with the hole aligned.

I don't think I explained this properly.

Sorry if I confused the procedure.

I this was a LITTLE helpful.

Sam

[CharleyL]

This is what I mostly use for stack cutting. http://www.ptreeusa.com/rtr_jigs_double_sided_tape.htm. I've tried many other methods and brands of tape and have not been happy with the results. A few small pieces of this tape placed carefully in the areas that will not receive tiny intricate cuts, works fine for me. My next best alternative is to use a pneumatic pin nailer and an anvil like Rolf does. Cutting from the center out toward the edges, and placing the tape or pins near the edges is what I prefer to do. If you should get tape in the actual pattern area, but near the edges, the layers held together with this tape can be easily separated using a thin putty knife after you have completed the cutting. The tape mentioned above, almost always comes off without leaving any residue, but MS removes any that does remain. 

 

Charley

[scrollerpete]

I used glue gun, green or blue tape, brad nailers all seems to work for me.

[RangerJay]

Regardless the method of holding the stack together it is also important - particularly with mulitple and larger pieces of hardwood that might be prone to a bit of warping - to ensure the stack is solid and flat - you do not want even a hint of "slop" between the pieces and you do not want any "cups" facing each other creating the potential for voids in the middle of your stack.

 

Jay

Edited November 5, 2016 by RangerJay