cutting damper felt

[Greg Newell]

On Wed, 22 Jul 1998 09:45:15 EDT, NBWW@aol.com wrote:

>Jim
>
>I have the guillotine type felt cutter with the razor blade holder and i'm
>disappointed in the way the blade smashes the felt and distorts it first
>before the cut occurs. I thought the sharp edge of the razor would be
>sufficient to do the job. When I toured Kimball in the late 80's, I saw them
>cutting damper felt from sheets with a machine that had a spinning blade much
>like the one you see in meat depts. in the grocery store. The operater said
>you can tell the blade was getting dull when it pulled the felt before it cut.
>Now your notion of spinning the blade from your rotary cutter-which I have-to
>cut felt bears some thought. I have access to machine shops and very clever
>people that run them. I'm putting this problem to them and will report later.
>I have tried the rotary cutter and straight edge technique for sheet stock and
>have had good luck with the thin stock and marginal results with heavy stuff.
>Going back and forth in short bursts seems to keep the felt flat, but also can
>easily create double cuts or off line cuts. I was hoping to hear of a machine
>that did the job.  Thanks to you and all who have replied. Your advice is well
>taken.
>
>Paul ChickRPT
>Plainview MN
>


Paul,
	What about putting a blade on a dremel unit and clamping the
dremel into some kind of simple carraige that slides back and forth. 
I'm thinking of something like crosscutting on a radial arm saw. 
Personally with that kind of blade I think it would be safer to slide
the tool that some piece of felt into the tool.  In any case it
shouldn't be too difficult to make if your handy that way.  Just a
thought.
				Greg Newell
Greg and Mary Ellen Newell
Greg's Piano Forte`
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
gnewell@en.com