non wood materials to cut

[mikesscrollsaw]

I was asked by a cake maker to see if I could use plastic (or some type of similar material) to make designs that she could use as a template when she makes cakes. the idea would be she'd lay the design on top of the cake to use as a template to trace from then pull it off and leaving the icing behind. or she could lay the plastic template on top of the cake and dust sugar on top of it and when she pulls the template off only the design would be left.

 

I told her i'd never tried anything else but to give me a few days of trial and error and i'm sure I could find something.

 

my question is has anyone on here every used other materials other than wood to cut with a scroll saw. I'm going to play with some plexiglass and lexan i have in the garage but if somone has cracked this nut before I'd like to hear about it.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Oges]

I have cut plexiglass/perspex, tagua nut and corian on the scroll saw before.

 

I think the plexiglass would be the better option in this case, although it may be a little thick

 

You could try sandwiching a piece of overhead transparency film (not sure what name you know it as there) between two pieces of ply and cutting that out, that material is thin, yet stiff enough to use for how she wishes to use it.

[mikesscrollsaw]

I'm going to get some plexiglass tomorrow....

 

did it melt? I was afraid it would melt. I thought I read somewhere to put was on the blade to help it not do that.

 

anyway i'll find out for sure tomorrow when I get the plexi glass

 

thanks for info!

[Oges]

The shaving from the cutting can fuse a bit, but if you use tape over the cutting it helps lubricate the blade

 

Refer to this for more info: http://www.thewoodbox.com/data/scrollsaw/scplexglassinfo.htm

[PawPawRay]

I use plexiglass to cut for different items. Stack cut between 2 pieces of wood with the pattern on the wood and slow your saw down. Cutting to fast causes the blade to heat up and the plexiglass will fuze back together as the blade passes if you are to fast.

[Kepy]

When I cut plexiglas, I leave the protective film on, draw or trace the design with a felt tip pen, turn the plexi over and cover the lines with masking tape. Cutting this way causes no problems with fusing. You just clean up the edges and you are ready to go.

[mikesscrollsaw]

Well I got to play a bit with cutting the plexiglass, I just put blue tape on top of the plexiglass, spray glued the patter to the top, and cut with a slow blade speed. It did fuse a little but really was much easier than I expected it to be.

 

I'm going to experiment with some other materials and thicknesses

 

Thanks for all the info.