Cutting Gator Board

I usually take several lighter passes with a #11 blade X-acto knife.  I've cut it on my table saw before.  For corner joints I use a foam board rabbet cutter that I got from Dick Blick Art Supplies, many years ago.

I've been cutting quite a bit in the last few days - clean cuts up to 30 inches.  That is how I do it, an initial light cut that just barely scars the surface, then deeper cuts, usually on the fourth pass it cuts clean and perfect.

HAND CUTTING: While Gatorfoam can be cut by hand, the strength of the face surface makes it difficult. If there is very much detail in the pattern to be cut, other methods of machining are more desirable. For straight cutting by hand, best results have been achieved with knives with thin, short blades (i.e. paper knife #1 -R, Blade #2, Hyde Manufacturing Company, Southbridge, Massachusetts, 01550.)

 

Check with a local woodworking shop for the ideal (safe )  handle and blade.

My long cuts are scored with a sharp knife, then popped across my knee like Styrofoam or drywall.

I use a steel straight edge and a box cutter with a new blade. Makes a clean cut and should take no more than 3 passes with moderate pressure.

 

I do it with several light cuts like Lee Willis.  Works best for me.

.....

Dennis

I use a table saw with a fine tooth blade similar to a plywood blade.

Nice smooth straight cuts everytime.

 

Rod

 

I would use a knife with a snap-off blade so that you always have a sharp blade.

 

 

 

 

Gregg;

Yep it's just a good old garden variety 10" table saw made by sears. Must be 30 years old I bet.

I agree the mini table saw that MicrMark sells does look handy. You could use that in your train shop, but I would worry about dust, so I keep the table saw out in the garage where the dust is isolated from the basement.

 Works for me at least.

 

Rod

Hi Guys - Thanks for all the tips.  Went back last night, and on some scrap pieces found that the # 11 Exacto blade 'Flexes" with anything more then a light pressure.  Will try the box cutter - blades are more sturdier.

That's how I do it, as well.  I've cut more of that stuff over the years than I care to remember.  MUST use a new blade though.  Don't try to "cheat" by using a duller one that has been previously used to open package seals and the like.

What is gator board?

Gator Board is best cut by a knife edge jig saw.

I've tried them all.

A jig saw makes a smooth, accurate cut.

Use NO teeth.

You will NEVER cut Gator Board in one pass with a knife edge tool.

Multiple passes reduce accuracy and increase the injury risk.

The jig saw blade does the work in one, clean pass.

Eliot

Gator Board is essentially a thin layer of foam sandwiched/bonded between two layers of cardboard.  Available at most craft stores.

 

Here's a definition from an Internet site:

 

Gatorboard is a Multi layer composite of extremely dense and durable Polystyrene foam that resists crushing and denting. Topping the core are several Thick nesses of plastics, papers and adhesives, creating a moisture-resistant layer that helps form a rigid board that is resistant to bending or warping. The smooth paper finish offers ideal ink coverage and needs little or no preparation for mounting and laminating. It's free of toxic chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and formaldehyde. Exceptional rigidity, surface quality and durability make it the mounting board of choice for photographers and photo Mount, screen printing, acrylic and oil painting and Water Colorist. The typical applications of Gatorboard is mounted photos, cut out letters, screen printed graphics, backing boards, temporary walls, parade floats, blueprint, charts, and graph mounting, and costumes.

Very, very hard cardboard.

More like Masonite than cardboard.

It does not warp.

 

Good luck cutting it without a jig saw.

 

Scrappy

 

 

We use Gator Board in the sign industry all the time for temp signs. You can print right on it with a large format printer. I would use a table saw with an .040 or .60 thin rim blade. Any saw will work. The cleanest cut Is with a jump shear with the top knife ground to a 45 degree edge. It may crimp/squish/crush the back side but that is not always an issue. And of course if you have one a CNC router it will cut any shape cleanly. I have the small Micro mark saw. The one that does not tilt. It has a fixed blade height which limits its usefulness. Approx 3/16" Ok for quick miters on thin balsa or styrene, but I would not want to rip anything longer than 12". The rip fence is too short to safely do anything longer. Iwould use a regular table saw with a custom filler plate to reduce the gap between the blade and table and a push stick for thin rips. A cheap 10" saw is under $100. these days. And I use it to rip 1x4 furring strips for my bench work. Much cheaper than buying 1x3 pine boards.