Cutting FRP used for sublimation?

[Colleen Williams]

Hi All,

Does anyone happen to know if I can cut the white FRP (fibreglass reinforced plastic) which you use for sublimation?

Thanks,

[Mike Null]

I cut mine on the tablesaw. As I recall my effort with the laser it was a burned ugly mess.

[Colleen Williams]

Thanks Mike!

I thought that might be the case and I didn't want to the the one to have the big mess in my machine;)

I generally cut the larger square type of stuff on the table saw as well, however, I have someone asking if I am able to do some custom shaped name tags. I think I remember someone saying that you could nicely cut the sublimatable hardboard but didn't know about the FRP. I guess that means that I am going to give the hardboard a try.

Thanks again.

[Stephen Beckham]

I cut a design out the other day and still was able to sublimate it with no problems. If you can get a stiff bristle brush an brush across the edge, it takes most of the smut off the edges. I cut it face up and went pretty fast with two cuts to keep from scorching the white surface.

[Bruce Boyer]

FRP is fiberglass and resin. It will not laser cut without charring. It can be cut with a router or saw.

We use our rotary engraver to cut circles and the circle depressions in plaques to inlay FRB in the wood.

[Colleen Williams]

Steve and Bruce,

Thanks for the insight. I hadn't even thought about using my rotary engraver to cut it. I will have to give that a try.

[Mike Null]

I didn't either. Let us know how it works.

I use my corner rounder to round the corners of FRP though.

[AL Ursich]

I need to cut a quantity of 1.5 x 4 FRP tags for Sublimation and have decided to do it with my Sears CarveWright and a Vacuum Sled. I have some Fat Mats but don't want to cut into them on a sled. I have a Rotary as a back up.

I cut a bigger piece with a table saw then with a block of wood and a router and a flush cutter for a small number of pieces.

Picture in post #11 http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=1081456#poststop

AL

[Bruce Boyer]

We use a piece of sacraficial material and add double sided tape in strips, making sure the tape contact the areas to be cut out, then set depth through FRB and slightly into sacraficial material using a parallel cutter on our rotary engraver.

[Bryan Jater]

Hi Colleen, Have you thought about using the sublimation hardboard material? That cuts well on a laser.

[Colleen Williams]

Bryan,

Yes my first thought was to use the hardboard because I had heard that it cuts really nicely. I was concerned about the look of the brown edges though. Having said that though I might just find it the easiest way to do these particular ones.