Wondering what you guys use to slice EVA into think accent rings. I thought I remembered reading to use fishing line and get the EVA spinning. It just seems to break the fishing line before you can get very far into the EVA. Hints?

Thanks in advance.

AC
FishinFreaks
Rogers, MN

I use a Scalpel or my razor knife

I use "D" size wrapping thread, lasts for multiple cuts. I'd think fishing line unless a heavy line would be to fragile to friction.

I use D thread if you have a lathe I would think fishing line could be dangerous to use

I use a scaspel or a shoe knife, but I'm sure the thread would work too.

Ed Smith

Ooh yeah! Wrapping thread. Duh!! I tell you what sometimes I can really feel like a big fat dummy...just not sure if the emphasis is on the big fat or the dummy.

Thanks, guys. I knew you'd set me straight.

AC
FishinFreaks
Rogers, MN

We've used fishing line on a piece of EVA mounted on a mandrel. But we also use a mini-chop saw with a carbide blade, which make perfectly square and smooth cuts almost as thin as you might want.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

I use a piece of Spider Wire. The 2 ends are wrapped around a couple of popsicle sticks. I don't let the Spider Wire touch the mandrel, it will get hot and grab. Finish the cut with a thin utility blade after removing from the mandrel. I can get about a dozen cuts with one piece of line.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2007 10:29AM by Jay Hunt.

Once I got 42,673 cuts with a spool of D thread. I've also used razor blades held with a vice grip for 1/24 - 1/32" thin rings, and I get teh same thin cut using a bandsaw off a 2x2x18"square block giving my about 20 trim rings per strip.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2007 11:40AM by Billy Vivona.

I have used all the above. I have even cut EVA with a ultra thin stainless steel wire. All of the above can be hazardous and dangerous when cutting EVA at a high speed. You need to cut this foam at a high speed to get a even square cuts. So take care when cutting.
Good Wraps Bob

try some powerpro. I've never tried it but it should work. At cabelas or BPS or Sportsmans warehouse where they spool reels they should have bulk spools and I believe its 5-8 cents a yard. So for about a quarter I'm sure you could get several cuts worth. And it comes in sizes up to 150 lb but it still has a small enough diameter that It shout give nice clean cuts.

I do the thread trick the one caution i would give in addition to what Bob said or perhaps to elaborate on what he said. DON'T WRAP THE THREAD AROUND YOUR FINGERS. Good way to loose a finger.

Be sure to follow Billy Brodrick and Bob Balcombe's advice for safety's sake. Personally, I am afraid to use any metal cutting blade for fear of it grabbing and kicking back, no matter what the rotational direction.

If you want to do the thread cutting method, use first generation type braid. The uncoated stuff. It is thinner and a tad rougher, so it cuts. And yes, wrap the ends around pieces of dowel or something, not your fingers.
A coping saw with a fine tooth or scroll saw blade would be a step up from string/thread.
I think the best tool for slicing is a bandsaw tho. Thin blade. so less material loss than other blades. Almost no pressure required to cut, and so safer. It is fast and yields consistent ring thicknesses.

YOu guys are really overthinking this. Its' a REALLY SIMPLE process. Hold teh spool of thread in one hand, hold teh thread between thumb and forefinger in another. Turn teh lathe one, put tension on, and cut the trim ring. 2 seconds later, cut another. In 10 seconds you;; have 5 trim rings (3 for the butt 2 for the foregrip), and you can take teh spool of thread you used to wrap teh guides on teh rod if you cut an additional 12" off the spool. Unless you are looking to cut extremely thin trim rings, this is all you need to do. If you are unable to cut a consistant ring width trim ring with D thread, you shoudl look into taking up another hobby.

I tried the by hand, string thing. Much much faster and more accurate on the bandsaw. In the time it takes me to slice a full grip into consistent ring thicknesses on the band saw, you'd perhaps just have got past getting the grip on a mandrel and spinning (Is that a challenge I hear? :-) Tell you what Billy,,,, I challenge you to cutting angled rings :-)
Of course I have a bandsaw. It I didn't then I'd either go the string route for a few straight rings, or one of my stationary circular saws with a thin kerf blade for a lot of rings or angles.

Bily,was that NCP or nylon thread??

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

I'll take that challenge and I'll use the thread and without measuring I'll slice you any number of rings in any thickness you want in about 2 seconds each. Nothing wrong with a bandsaw, but most rod builders won't have one handy. Most do have some sort of lathe or motorized rod wrapper. Obviously I'm talking about flat rings, not angled cuts.

....................

When was the last time anyone has seen someone post a picture of an angled cut of EVA?

When making your angled cut, you'll probably have to reposition the fence & miter guage to switch over to or from cutting straight rings, unless you're making Vee shapes in the grip with a 45 on both sides, which will take more time than making the trim rings and sticking a grip in a Miter box to be cut with a serrated bread knife.

Yeah I know Tom,, I added the angled cut as a gotcha :-) Would be a tad difficult with a thread.
Likje I said tho, if I didn'r have the bandsaw, then I'd go the other options. That's why I mentioned the others first. But if you are talking the best for slicing, I think bandsaw will win hands down. It's a little faster than 2 seconds too. More important though is there is little/no setup time. Nothing to mount on a mandrel. Just chop away.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2007 08:01PM by Dave Hauser.