DIY Cardboard Cutting Table

[wilmanric]

Feb 17, 2014 2:12:49 GMT ReliantLion said:

Feb 9, 2014 4:42:48 GMT sgtslag said:

AJ, the Avery label maker company (Avery link) produces a full sheet label, 8.5" x 11", for making custom sized/shaped labels. I've thought about printing castle walls, and such, on the full sheet labels, then peeling and sticking them to a cardboard armature. This would be an easy way to make stronger card stock castles and other buildings. Cheers!

I would try to use a spray adhesive with cheaper paper first. Depends on your situation.

As for the cutting tool... wow. Now I'm glad I've procrastinated on getting started making modular tiles. Definitely will try your method. I think I will add a second blade set higher for a single pass cut, further *cutting* down time. See what I did there? 

I'd be interested in ideas to make it safer (like a cover or something). I have 2 adventuring toddlers to worry about.

If you go with two blades, I'd love to see it!  The blade is really not that scary since it isn't exposed during cutting. I use some scrap cardboard and a binder clip to cover it when not in use. 

[ReliantLion]

I just finished building mine, but won't be able to use it until at least tomorrow (My cardboard sheets are currently 4' x 6', and I don't have a T ruler, which I can borrow from work).

Things I did different...
Instead of screws along the guide board, I drilled 3/16" holes all the way through the guide board and the table board five times. Then I insert "Tie Rack Pegs" from the craft store to hold the guide board in position. This will make swapping rows easier, and now as I'm typing this, I just realized it could be used to make different angles...
Instead of regular screws to hold down the blades, I used L shaped hand screws. This will make it much easier to remove them for safe storage. I wanted the thing to not need tools to use.
2 blades: I don't think it's worth the effort now that it's done. Additionally, the screws must be tightened very similar to one another (i.e. Applied Torque). This wouldn't be a problem I suppose if I had used normal screws to hold them in, but with my L shaped ones, you must turn them perpendicular to the table board.
Lastly, I made a position where the guide board was flat against the blades. This position can be used for temporary storage where you'd be much less likely to slice yourself. I would still remove the blades entirely for long term storage, and if it was a few days, I'd probably try the binder clip idea.

I will try to get some pics when I can. My kids are screaming right now...

[runningwolf]

I was out looking for a ladder (when I moved into my place) and picked up a 2ft x 2ft paper cutter at a garage sale (think it was 50 cents) which is nice for doing the card stock.

Doing stuff yourself is the way to go, doing it on the cheap can make it that much better.

[runningwolf]

Good one man!

I would go off like the robot from Lost in Space about the exposed razor blade "Danger Will Robinson!"... But I think most of us know how to work with an exposed blade and just how dangerous it can be. With my Irish Luck I am glad I have a hospital down the street. If I know knew how long it would take to walk to the ER door and how long it takes a human to bleed out I would be set

Not sure how many people have worked with table saw or band saws before but a safety tip would be to use a small length of wood to finish off the last little length of cardboard.

Do you have a name for the rig Wilmanric? How about "The Amish Table Saw"? It doesn't use any power and the Amish are darned good furniture makers.

My sense of humor gets me in trouble some times... So the Amish Table Saw sounds humorous but also conveys the simplicity and functionality of a good build.

[wilmanric]

Mar 9, 2014 13:57:04 GMT runningwolf said:

Good one man!

I would go off like the robot from Lost in Space about the exposed razor blade "Danger Will Robinson!"... But I think most of us know how to work with an exposed blade and just how dangerous it can be. With my Irish Luck I am glad I have a hospital down the street. If I know knew how long it would take to walk to the ER door and how long it takes a human to bleed out I would be set

Not sure how many people have worked with table saw or band saws before but a safety tip would be to use a small length of wood to finish off the last little length of cardboard.

Do you have a name for the rig Wilmanric? How about "The Amish Table Saw"? It doesn't use any power and the Amish are darned good furniture makers.

My sense of humor gets me in trouble some times... So the Amish Table Saw sounds humorous but also conveys the simplicity and functionality of a good build.

If you end up building one of these, I recommend leaving the blade in the middle. 

You out push the cardboard from the back half right up until the end. To finish, you pull the material through. It's really not that unsafe. Promise. 

[runningwolf]

I was just being a wisenheimer with some friendly teasing My sense of humor sometimes gets the better of me.... And flashback to an old EHS Director (Environmental Health & Saftey) at an old job, we used to joke that when someone missed a day of work he took them home and wrapped them in bubble wrap.

It's really a nice and simple design. I live by the KISS method (Keep It Simple Stupid) because if there is a way to screw something up I will usually find it.

I am actually putting your design on my wish list. Slowly but surely working my way through my spare bedroom and getting it cleaned out. Hopefully when it starts to thaw I will have one just like it set up in there.

[adamantinedragon]

Wolf, heh, I had a very similar reaction to yours. My immediate reaction to this setup was "not in my house, not in a million years." Too many people in my family who have a history of doing dumb things with sharp objects. Heck, I've got a huge gash on my head as I type this from literally walking into my garage door because I misjudged how fast it was rising. I'd give myself a couple days max with this before it would be a trip to the hospital.

But that's just me. It's a great idea for doing a lot of cardboard cutting.

I just don't cut that much cardboard for something like this to be more useful than it is dangerous in my house. But, as I said, that's just us klutzes...

[ReliantLion]

I'd like to point out that you don't really need a table to use the cutter. I put mine on the carpet, and placed a scrap piece of cardboard next to it. The carpet held the board in place, and the cardboard allowed the cardboard I am cutting to glide along. I would think putting it on a table would make the piece "fall" and potentially bend it a lot.

[runningwolf]

Mar 10, 2014 4:35:17 GMT adamantinedragon said:

Wolf, heh, I had a very similar reaction to yours. My immediate reaction to this setup was "not in my house, not in a million years." Too many people in my family who have a history of doing dumb things with sharp objects. Heck, I've got a huge gash on my head as I type this from literally walking into my garage door because I misjudged how fast it was rising. I'd give myself a couple days max with this before it would be a trip to the hospital.

But that's just me. It's a great idea for doing a lot of cardboard cutting.

I just don't cut that much cardboard for something like this to be more useful than it is dangerous in my house. But, as I said, that's just us klutzes...

I'm actually more worried about the cats getting hurt. A bare blade doesn't scare me that much, (this coming from a guy who usually nicks himself when chopping garlic). You just have to respect that the thing can make you bleed out in about as much time as it would take to dial 911 and have an ambulance show up

When I was doing general contracting in my 20's it would amaze that some folks would go to the bar at lunch, have a few drinks and start playing with power tools.... Important DM Crafting lesson. Not only will you pieces look drunk if you do that, you might just have a chance of visiting the local ER for slicing off a finger..... I don't think there is an ICD-9 for craft related or RPG related injury .

[beetlewing]

This thing is downright awesome. I'm definitely going to be building one.

For those who are concerned about the danger, here's a rather simple solution... remove the blade from the surface and attach it to a small wood piece that is removable:



Attach dowels to a block of wood and drill holes for the dowels to slide into. This way, the blade could easily be removed for safe storage away from pets, children, etc. A Glad or Ziplock disposable box would work great for storing the blade portion - you could also keep fresh blades in there. If you drill dowel holes and the dowels are a little too loose in there, wrap the dowels with masking tape for a tighter fit.

I drew that first image with a slot in the work table, which was intended to provide clearance for the screw heads. After I drew it, I realized a much simpler solution would be to assemble everything without the slot - then tap the wood piece with a hammer, which would leave impressions of the screw heads. Those marks give you a guide to drill 2 shallow holes that the screw heads will nest into so everything is flush. (Just use a bit slightly larger than your screw head.)

Like so:




Thanks for posting this tool idea - can't wait to make one!


Also, using this method with a series of holes allows you to have multiple locations you can put the blade, or even multiple blades at different depths, for one-pass cutting.

[beetlewing]

Finally got mine finished. I included the features in my last post.

I couldn't find a real razor blade, but have tons of exacto blades so I went with that. Also didn't have the right size screws, so I used 2 thumbtacks to hold the blade... because of that, I went with the original idea of having a slot so everything fits flush. (To make the slot, saw into the wood about 1/8" deep, every 1/8" or so, then break out what's left between the cuts with a flathead screwdriver.)




My hall tiles are 3" wide, with half-inch walls... making the passageway 2" wide:




The guide rail has dowels glued into it, which fit into carefully spaced holes:




Here is the removable blade holder, mounted for cutting:



Removed:




Safety feature:



Yeehaw:



Thanks again for the original post. Pure genius.

[vestrivan]

This is an excellent idea. And with all this posts it gets better... Thanks guys!

[wilmanric]

Feb 17, 2014 3:54:52 GMT ReliantLion said:

How long did you make it? Would you have made it longer/shorter in retrospect?

ReliantLion - it's as long as the boards I bought.    24" I think.    

Longer would be a bit better, but not more than 3'.  If it was longer, I'd have an easier time clamping it down to the surface and sliding the cardboard along the cutting face without hitting the clamps.  

PS: sorry it took so long to reply.  

[wilmanric]

Apr 13, 2014 18:54:46 GMT vestrivan said:

This is an excellent idea. And with all this posts it gets better... Thanks guys!

beetlewing - AMAZING WORK!  WOW!  What a great cutter!  Fine work!  Thank you for sharing!

[WeAre138]

This how the conversation went after seeing this post; "Honey! Now I HAVE to make a whole new set of tiles just to try this out..."(wife slams the door and storms off down the hall)

[DnDPaladin]

my biggest problem with cutting is that i always end up with good measurements, but my cuts eventually do not follow the line even if i have a ruler. so this is definitely something i would create or buy if they are cheap. think i will look for a cardboard cutting tool and check is price.

[wilmanric]

Sept 6, 2015 4:41:58 GMT DnDPaladin said:

my biggest problem with cutting is that i always end up with good measurements, but my cuts eventually do not follow the line even if i have a ruler. so this is definitely something i would create or buy if they are cheap. think i will look for a cardboard cutting tool and check is price.

Two boards, 4 screws, some blades and a little measuring.  It has proven to be a great tool and not very expensive!

[rhikdavis]

Apr 13, 2014 18:16:16 GMT beetlewing said:

Finally got mine finished. I included the features in my last post.

I couldn't find a real razor blade, but have tons of exacto blades so I went with that. Also didn't have the right size screws, so I used 2 thumbtacks to hold the blade... because of that, I went with the original idea of having a slot so everything fits flush. (To make the slot, saw into the wood about 1/8" deep, every 1/8" or so, then break out what's left between the cuts with a flathead screwdriver.)




My hall tiles are 3" wide, with half-inch walls... making the passageway 2" wide:




The guide rail has dowels glued into it, which fit into carefully spaced holes:




Here is the removable blade holder, mounted for cutting:



Removed:




Safety feature:



Yeehaw:



Thanks again for the original post. Pure genius.

Darn, the pics have disappeared. [/quote]

[wilmanric]

Sept 6, 2015 23:51:37 GMT rhikdavis said:

Apr 13, 2014 18:16:16 GMT beetlewing said:

Finally got mine finished. I included the features in my last post.

I couldn't find a real razor blade, but have tons of exacto blades so I went with that. Also didn't have the right size screws, so I used 2 thumbtacks to hold the blade... because of that, I went with the original idea of having a slot so everything fits flush. (To make the slot, saw into the wood about 1/8" deep, every 1/8" or so, then break out what's left between the cuts with a flathead screwdriver.)




My hall tiles are 3" wide, with half-inch walls... making the passageway 2" wide:




The guide rail has dowels glued into it, which fit into carefully spaced holes:




Here is the removable blade holder, mounted for cutting:



Removed:




Safety feature:



Yeehaw:



Thanks again for the original post. Pure genius.

Darn, the pics have disappeared. 

Yeah.  That's a bummer.