Most rings come in 1/4" widths I was looking for an easy way to get a good slice to 1/8" or smaller. I ahve done a few with a sharp razor blade but want to find a "safer" way.

JJ

I am not sure, but you might be able to cut it the same way you would EVA, with thread on a lathe, depending on the density and make of the cork, or putting it on a lathe and using an exacto knife to cut as it spins



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/2007 12:57PM by John Straus.

Custom Tackle (linked on left) sells a slicing Jig too. Worth a look.

Mark Griffin
[]
C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California

Try looking at these:
[www.rodbuilding.org]
[www.rodbuilding.org]
[www.rodbuilding.org]

I use a band saw. You could probably do the same thing by clamping a board on a jig saw table to use as a fence.

If you have a call to cut rings down fairly often you can get a small bench top band saw or jig saw at harbor freight for a $100 or less I would guess. I paid $60 for my jig saw at clerance sale at Lowes.

Then you would have the saw for cutting other things like reel seat blanks etc.

Ray

With a good thin kerf blade in the bandsaw (Timberwolf is a good brand) I/you can get three 1/8in. rings and a very thin one. I just got a new (to me) Delta bandsaw. I cut up about 25 rings into 1/8in. Sunday night for a couple of projects. It took about 15 minutes.

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.

The jig from Custom Tackle Supply, on the left, works great for this with the right spacer - which you'll have to make, but its easy.
Lamar Fishing, also on the left, makes a very nice exotic burl, and its available in 1/8" rings from at least one of the distributors - again, on the left.
Nothing left but good stuff.

I made a jig from a one inch dia, PVC pip. I cut the pip half way threw. Using a utiliy knife I can cut the cork evenly no rough edges. When I cut the pip , the length was 1/2 inch, I made a mark at 1/4 an1/8. Using a fine tooth hacksaw blade I cut the pip half way threw. A utility blade fits the hacksaw cut just fine, no slop.
Good Wraps Bob

I've seen a jig somewhere, maybe goldenwitch, that uses a shop vac to hold the ring in place and suck up the dust . It attached to your band saw and was supposed to be able to cut a 1/2' ring into 3 pieces.

That's right, Golden Witch sells one. I saw that one in the GW catalog and made my own with a Forstner bit and a few 1/4 in holes.

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.

RM Vol. 8-5 has a detailed article on the wood/vacuum slicing jig.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

This method has worked for me and I recommend it if you only have an occassional need to use thin rings. First get a coping saw and slice each ring roughly in half with the saw. Then take a block of wood and sink a hole in it the same diameter as the ring and with a depth equal to the thickness of the rings you want to make. Put a cut ring in the hole with the smooth side down and the rough cut side facing out. Lay a piece of sandpaper on your workbench and then take your block of wood with a ring in it and just rub it on the sandpaper until the cork is flush with the surface of the block. It doesn't take very long to do this. (Use a medium grit sandpaper). This low-tech method works a lot better than you might be inclined to think. Of course you will only get two thin rings out of each cork ring, but that's not so bad really. A coping saw is a great tool to have around if you don't already have them. I have my share of power tools but I always grab the hand tools first for small jobs.