Any clever 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?

 

[Contagious]

How about one of those roto-zip tools. They use them mostly for drywall, but you can get heavy duty blades for other uses...

 

[bretto]

I'd think that would over work the little tiny motor. Someone suggested a sawsall and lube to keep it from gumming up. How about a circular saw? I just dont want to fudge up any power tool. It may work if I had some one pulling the waste material to the side to keep it off the blade during the cut.?.?
Brett

 

[Shawn]

wow,,,, I would use those in my garage in front of my bench to stand on.... Best this I have found for cutting rubber like you said is a utility knife with a sharp blade. Use a straight edge and make multiple passes.

 

[DOSS]

I would say go with the SawZall... Run a tiny trickle of water right on the cutting edge to keep it cool.. use a Large tooth blade and GO at it

 

[ALF]

circular saw with the blade backwards and water to keep the heat and smoke down is what they use to cut the big conveyour belts similar to what you have

 

[Contagious]

I guess it depends on how soft the material is.

If you use a circular saw, you'd just want to have somebody there spraying a 'little' cool water on the blade to keep it from heating up.

 

[chadr]

A good masonry blade in a skil saw works pretty good. They don't gum up as bad and are not that expensive.

 

[bretto]

wow,,,, I would use those in my garage in front of my bench to stand on.... Best this I have found for cutting rubber like you said is a utility knife with a sharp blade. Use a straight edge and make multiple passes.

It is pretty weathered and ugly for the garage

I will try a few ways and report back. It is just heavy as hell to move around to work on it

 

[bretto]

And I should have some left over if anyone would want some. I think I will have 2 3'X15' lengths left over. I want to get the job done though b4 promising anything to anyone.
Brett

 

[Rusted]

Hack saw?? it would be slow going, but the slow would keep it from becoming a melted mess too. I would think that any power tool would make a mess. I bet you could hack saw through 3' of it in a few minutes.

 

[bretto]

Maybe a good old wood hand saw will work.

 

[Rickomatic]

I would love some of the left over if you can spare it.

 

[Rusted]

Maybe a good old wood hand saw will work.

I would try that first. 1" is pretty thick, but I bet a wood saw would go prettey well.

 

[muleskinner]

Call James K and have him come rip it in half for you.

 

[Caleb]

we use to do like Alf said, use the circular saw with the blade flipped, occasionally we'd even use the miter box. Both worked great, you get rubber shavings everywhere but it makes quick work of it. We were cutting similar stuff, conveyor belts that were about 1" thick.

 

[Truk]

hydrolic paper cutter. like they use in the printing industry. I would offer mine but its limited to 27"...it would work awsome.

 

[Caleb]

hydrolic paper cutter. like they use in the printing industry. I would offer mine but its limited to 27"...it would work awsome.

like a flat knife? That would be HELL on your blade, but yeah, it'd probably cut it no prob.