A question for those of you who make Banks.......

[Scrolling Steve]

I know that DW is a fan of making banks for kids and i am sure some others have experience with them...I am about to make my first one and i see that there are kits available so that i do not have to cut the plastic see thru side panels myself....I wonder if this is cost effective or not ? I have never cut plastic or acrylic before and don't even know what blade is best......I would appreciate your feedback on what you bank makers do.....Thanks in advance, Steve.

[WayneMahler]

Steve I made them for my grand kids a while back. I cut my own and I believe I used #5 blade. Keep the speed down on the saw so not to melt the sheet. And you have to predrill for the screws. I had 6 to make so I bought  sheet of 1/8" at the big box store and it was a lot better deal then ordering them online. 

[New Guy]

http://www.sloanswoodshop.com/acrylic%20sheets.htm

 

Go here they give good advice on blades and cutting it general.

[Bill WIlson]

I think in general, these kinds of materials cut best with a skip tooth style blade.  The skip teeth clear the kerf better than reverse teeth, thus keeping the heat down.  If the kerf gets hot, the acrylic/plexiglass, etc will fuse back together behind the blade and make life miserable.  I cut 100 snowflake ornaments out of 1/4" polycrylic this year and a #5 skip tooth blade worked very well.  I was even able to stack 2 layers together for a total thickness of 1/2", with no melting in the kerf.  I tried using a couple different reverse tooth blades and they did not work, no matter how slowly I cut.

[hawkeye10]

I know that DW is a fan of making banks for kids and i am sure some others have experience with them...I am about to make my first one and i see that there are kits available so that i do not have to cut the plastic see thru side panels myself....I wonder if this is cost effective or not ? I have never cut plastic or acrylic before and don't even know what blade is best......I would appreciate your feedback on what you bank makers do.....Thanks in advance, Steve.

Steve I cut mine on the band saw.

 

[Rolf]

For my first Bank I bought the kit from Meisel. It had all the plugs etc. Now I would cut my own. The FD polar blades cut very nicely.  

This design was published in an issue of SSWWC

[Rolf]

For my first Bank I bought the kit from Meisel. It had all the plugs etc. Now I would cut my own. The FD polar blades cut very nicely.  

[Sam777]

I think in general, these kinds of materials cut best with a skip tooth style blade. The skip teeth clear the kerf better than reverse teeth, thus keeping the heat down. If the kerf gets hot, the acrylic/plexiglass, etc will fuse back together behind the blade and make life miserable. I cut 100 snowflake ornaments out of 1/4" polycrylic this year and a #5 skip tooth blade worked very well. I was even able to stack 2 layers together for a total thickness of 1/2", with no melting in the kerf. I tried using a couple different reverse tooth blades and they did not work, no matter how slowly I cut.

If you don't min. Which brand is that skip tooth blade?

Thank you

Sam

[bandaideman]

I have not cut much acrylic but I would suggest visiting sloan's. I read their ways of cutting and it went great. I cut out small ornament size humming birds, and others just go slow and I used duck tape on the acrylic without taking the paper stuck to the acrylic off. Before reading the suggestions It was a much slower cut than after I could go faster. It has been years so the techniques may have changed.

[heppnerguy]

Steve I cut mine on the band saw.

 

 

What a nice example.  This little piggy is very cute...Have you taken any of these to the craft shows? They sure would attract the attention.

 

Dick

heppnerguy

[heppnerguy]

For my first Bank I bought the kit from Meisel. It had all the plugs etc. Now I would cut my own. The FD polar blades cut very nicely.  

 

I saw your post after I saw hawkeyes and your little engine bank is really cute too. I guess I am going tohave to make a couple of banks too and see what reaction I get from them

 

Dick

heppnerguy

[Gordster]

Steve,I got the thin acrylic at home Depot. Good price and it has protective paper on it.just glue your pattern right to it.I found it to cut well at slower speed.When I drilled for the screws,I placed drill bit where I wanted it and put drill in reverse for a second.That gives it a spot and keeps drill from wandering.

[amazingkevin]

Steve I cut mine on the band saw.

 

i love this onk onk

[Scrolling Steve]

Thanks for all the input folks !.....I knew I would get some helpful info !

[Bill WIlson]

Sam,

 

The skip tooth blade I used was an Olson.  I used it because that's what I had.  They worked fine.  Based on what I hear, I believe you would be just as happy with FD Polar blades as well.