gcextreme

Creative Tools of the Trade

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I would like to see some creative tools, for cutting and weeding, that everyone may use.

Like stuff you may not think to use, or supplies from Target/Wal-Mart that you may use for cutting and weeding.

 

I recently walked thru the craft and hobby section, scrapbooking sections, of Wal-Mart and Target, and picked up this 12" little straight cutter...its got a board with a straight edge and ruler, and a cutter attached to it. You lift it up, put your paper under it, and slide the cutter across for a nice straight cut.

Works great for stuff under 12"....

I also noticed they have self-healing cutting mats too.

 

I know some people have picked up those toy tracer things that work like a light box...i haven't seen them in my local stores, only online.

 

Anyway, share your odd tools that you use!

 

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OMG. I got a treasure off of craigslist..

 

24x36 light table .. Cost $100 That is with gas to go up to DULUTH, MN to get it .. that is about 220 miles north of me ..

 

 

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I have a cut out in the corner of my bench with a pc. of opaque left over from a lit sign I did. Underneath is just a cheap clamp light shining through and it works fine but I think I'm going to make it bigger next time. Right now it is somewhere around 14" square and just never seems to be big enough.

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i use these tweezers and an assortment of dental picks to weed vinyl

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http://www.walmart.com/ip/Fiskars-Titanium-Rotary-Cutter/24607719

 

Titanium-Softgrip-Comfort-Loop-Rotary-Cu

 

thats the small version I use daily - here is the bigger version used even more

 

 

I've got a hand-held rotary cutter like this - they come in a variety of sizes and can be retractable or fixed - I bought the retractable one because I'm a gadget fanatic and it seemed 'cooler' than the fixed one.  The problem is that you can only put so much pressure on the blade before it pops and retracts, so if I had it to do over, I'd get a fixed one...

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For cutting straight lines on a table top, I use a straight edge tool designed for wallpaper work - 

 

post-24492-0-26594100-1379884596_thumb.j

 

They're relatively inexpensive (I think I paid $4 for mine), a decent length (around 26" as I recall) and have a nice plastic handle that keeps your fingertips away from whatever you're cutting.

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I got one of these from walmart..very handy..

Mine isn't a FISKARS brand, its an EK Tools brand....same thing just green.

Target has one similar, that has a cutter and a preferrorator...not sure if i spelled that right.

MP10006436468_P290619_500X500.jpg

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I've got a hand-held rotary cutter like this - they come in a variety of sizes and can be retractable or fixed - I bought the retractable one because I'm a gadget fanatic and it seemed 'cooler' than the fixed one.  The problem is that you can only put so much pressure on the blade before it pops and retracts, so if I had it to do over, I'd get a fixed one...

I have a yellow handled version, two actually, that the blade retracts at rest and when you squeeze the handle it extends so you have your grip holding the rotary blade out there. It's awesome, brand is OLAF I think. I also have a pair tweezers that I bought at a machine shop that are ground out of spring steel that machinists use to pull tiny slivers out of their fingers that I use for the real small weeding on SIser and other heat applied vinyl. Couldn't get by without them.

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I have a cut out in the corner of my bench with a pc. of opaque left over from a lit sign I did. Underneath is just a cheap clamp light shining through...

 

If it's 'opaque' then the light would not shine through ----  you probably mean white translucent acrylic (or lexan), the standard stuff that all lighted sign-boxes have as faces.

 

By the way, I have a $1 cutter tool sitting right on my SC unit that allows me to release the vinyl from the roll by slicing across with a tiny razorblade that slides out from the tool handle.

 

Mini-retractable-box-cutter-ke-5119128.j

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To clarify:

Product Name: Acrylic Panels Description:
  • Resists yellowing, fading and offers dimensional stability
  • High optical clarity with superior impact and weather resistance
  • High molecular weight for superior thermoforming, bending and flame polishing

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Hey, I found another cool tool that has a retractable blade, perfect for slitting the vinyl off from the roll after cutting is complete.

 

Brand name INSTASLIT

 

110322042529_insta-slit.jpg

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My new favorite blade for cutting off rolls, coroplast  you name it

 

 

pACE3-1557745dt.jpg

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I thought I'd add one more thing to the list here.  I found these LED lights with a magnetic base on eBay and picked up two.  They sure make a difference in being able to see.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200888572682?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

they even come with 2 plastic wire clamps to keep the wire out of the way.

 

 

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I thought I'd add one more thing to the list here.  I found these LED lights with a magnetic base on eBay and picked up two.  They sure make a difference in being able to see.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200888572682?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

they even come with 2 plastic wire clamps to keep the wire out of the way.

Wow Awesome Find.. I think i'm going to pick up 2 of these also!! 

i always keep a flash light next to my cutter but this would work alot better!!!

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Here is a set to stay away from - got them and stuck em in the printer - thought it was the cats meow - until a week later when the adhesive let go and dropped it down in front of the carriage . . . . . Now they sit on the desk unused - don't trust em  GEWirelessLightBar2Pk.jpg

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Wow Awesome Find.. I think i'm going to pick up 2 of these also!! 

i always keep a flash light next to my cutter but this would work alot better!!!

I thought I was going to have to find some small pieces of steel to allow the magnets to work but surprisingly the sides of my plotter are steel.  I attached the supplied cable clamps under the screws that secure the end covers to the plotter, they hold the cables out of the way of the vinyl and cutter head.

 

They are made in China and the flexible section could be broken if moved to far but they have been on my plotter for months with no problem. 

 

I will say that the magnets are very strong, so there's no worrys about the lights falling off.

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I thought I was going to have to find some small pieces of steel to allow the magnets to work but surprisingly the sides of my plotter are steel.  I attached the supplied cable clamps under the screws that secure the end covers to the plotter, they hold the cables out of the way of the vinyl and cutter head.

 

They are made in China and the flexible section could be broken if moved to far but they have been on my plotter for months with no problem. 

 

I will say that the magnets are very strong, so there's no worrys about the lights falling off.

I ordered 2 of them :)

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