How to Cut Vinyl LP Records?

[Evan Patton]

I realize this isn't design you are after, but could you use whole LPs then fill in between with broken pieces of random shape or bandsaw pieces to follow round shape.

Britt,
I haven't totally ruled that out, and I'm also considering a combination where I square up the records to ~11" leaving curved "diamond" spaces between the LPs. I just haven't figured out how to fill in the spaces. I've also considered doing a decopage process with the album art, but the space is too small to have that large of a pattern.

[Evan Patton]

When you cut vinyl siding best method I've found is to install the blade on a SCMS backwards, and make the cut. Sounds cookoo, works great. Blade in normal direction, the stuff shatters almost every time when the blade grabs it. Same method may work for records.

I'd forgotten about that technique! It sounds like a winner.

[Evan Patton]

Seems I may be over-complicating this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2T0G4Su5w8

Although the records these folks are using breaks my heart (Sonny Rollins, first Beatles pressing)

[Peter Quinn]

Do you have an old paper cutter laying around? I'm betting the backwards blade thing works on a table saw too, cheap blade from big box or such, wouldn't commit my Forrest blade to cutting plastic either.

[Evan Patton]

The Festool track saw worked like a charm. I tried it first with the blade backwards and had a lot of chipping, so decided to try it the "right" way and it worked pretty well. I fashioned a 8 1/2" square template from MDF, clamped the records to it with a screw, and clamped the template to my MFT. I started with a single record, which worked ok, but the screw was a little long so I stacked 4 on the template, screwed them down, and it worked pretty smoothly. There wasn't any melting of the vinyl and the blade is no worse for wear.
IMG_0360.jpgIMG_0361.jpgIMG_0362.jpg

I cut 28 tiles, each 8 1/2" square. Here they are laid out on my assembly table. Now I just need to figure out how to install them on the floor, whether to finish them with anything, and how to cut out places for floor outlets.
IMG_0364.jpg

[Tom Ewell]

gives a new meaning to 'vinyl floor coverings'
cool

[scott spencer]

When you cut vinyl siding best method I've found is to install the blade on a SCMS backwards, and make the cut. Sounds cookoo, works great. Blade in normal direction, the stuff shatters almost every time when the blade grabs it. Same method may work for records.

That's an old school method that does work great for vinyl siding, but it's worth noting that it originated back in the days of all steel blades. I wouldn't recommend cutting backwards on a carbide tooth blade because the carbide will no longer be supported by the shoulder.

[Kevin Groenke]

+1 on the guillotine style paper cutter. A foot operated sheet metal shear would be even better.

paper-cutter.jpg footshear.jpg

[Bill Adamsen]

Back in the day, "cutting a record" was something very different.

[Evan Patton]

Back in the day, "cutting a record" was something very different.

LOL yes indeed. I must admit to feelings of guilt, although I consoled myself with the fact that I'd never listened to most of the records I trashed, and the ones I did were unlistenable.

[Allan Speers]

Man, the last time I cut a vinyl record was around 1990, and I had to send the tracks all the way to Canada.



Bloody CD's runed everything ........