Any ideas on how to cut thick rubber

[bretto]

I have some 3 feet wide by at least 15 feet long rubber mats that are 1" thick. I want to cut the width so they will fit on the side of shed for weed control but with them at 1" thick they are exactly easy to work with. Another thing is that they have a fabric weave in them also for reinforcement. Any ideas on a good way to cut them?
Brett

 

[Lawn Cher']

Sounds like conveyor belt material. Try a sawzall w/ a wood blade, using some sort of lube/coolant to keep from melting the rubber and making a sticky and stinky mess.

 

[LS1Jeeper]

Sounds like conveyor belt material. Try a sawzall w/ a wood blade, using some sort of lube/coolant to keep from melting the rubber and making a sticky and stinky mess.

Yeah sawzall and PB Blaster works .. I made a truck mat with some of that belt .

 

[creeperjeep]

Definitly the sawzall with a coarse blade, especially if its hard rubber

 

[bretto]

How about a circular saw or is that too fast? Maybe if someone was pulling the waste material off to the side so the blade wasn't dragging so much during the cut.

 

[5-90]

I've also had good luck with a NEW, SHARP utility knife blade, and patience (and a cutting guide - but I was working on some rather irregular shapes.) Cut dry.

There may be a "knife" blade for the Sawzall out there - it won't give you anywhere near as ratty a cut. I've been able to use find (24TPI or better) hacksaw blades on this stuff. It takes time, but gives nice cuts.

5-90

 

[afd516]

How about a cutting wheel on a hand grinder? That should cut through it like butter.

 

[ChicksDigWagons]

Try the same trick lots of people use to cut boggers. Take an old sawzall blade and sharpen it like a knife. I don't know how it would cut through the cords, but its supposed to be the cats pajamas for solid rubber with some lubricant.

 

[glfredrick]

The sawsall will cut it best -- IF -- you can somehow keep the rubber from bouncing around. It will cut like butter if you can support it. Same goes for tread from tires, etc. I've made a few pads out of that sort of rubber, and tried almost everything.

 

[PlainWhiteXJ]

The sawsall will cut it best -- IF -- you can somehow keep the rubber from bouncing around. It will cut like butter if you can support it. Same goes for tread from tires, etc. I've made a few pads out of that sort of rubber, and tried almost everything.

Sandwich the rubber between sheets of plywood (OSB probably won't be strong enough)

 

[Shomsky462]

take a sawzall blade and grind the teeth down on it like a knife so you have a knife that moves really fast up and down.
or just use a good knife you might happen to have.

 

[Roxtar]

Chuck Norris would just scowl at it till it fell to pieces.

 

[Lawn Cher']

Chuck Norris would just scowl at it till it fell to pieces.

Kinda like my neighbor?

 

[DesertYJ]

Go in the kitchen and get your wife's electric carving knife.:kissyou:
Then make yourself a spot on the couch.

 

[stewie]

a sharp utility knife, a strait edge, and a few (lots of shallow) passes.

 

[Ralph]

Use a straight edge a sharp utility blade and water. Turn the hose on and let the water run where you are cutting.

 

[mdl]

I nominate the ultomate tool. :: The air nibler. No problem.

 

[hardy02]

hi guys
I lucked out and bought some great conveyor rubber belt to line the inside of my round yard. the problem is i don't know how to cut it - nothing i've tried so far has been strong enough to cut this stuff.
can anyone offer any ideas?

 

[seanR]

Laser beam

 

[cracked-butt]

If you don't have access to a sawzall, get your machete good n sharp... Put pressure on the blade as you make the cut(s). It'll take some time but they should be nice n clean cuts when you're done. (1" thick will take a few passes to cut through it).