Steel rule dies?????

[bobbuttons]

has anyone used this machine for making steel rule dies??? i would require +/- .005 in accuracy over say 3ft nonaccumulating. i would be cutting 5/16 thick birch plywood all the way thru. any input would be a great help!!! THANKS IN ADVANCE

[birdsofplay]

You'll need to cut with a LASER to achieve a narrow "steel rule" slot.

And you'll then have to use ALL MAPLE PLY wood
to avoid blowouts/burnouts. Most cheaper plys
will have hidden pockets taht will give you problems.

I get scraps of the stuff from a steel rule die joint.

Nice ply but very expensive for whole sheets.

[mechtron@iafrica.com]

I have no experience whatsoever of "steel rule dies" but it sounds like you need a very fine slot in expensive ply?

1. Why can't cheaper ply be used? If it is to stop the rule the rule from cutting through the back, then surely one only needs a strong backing?

2. Why cant the blade holder be made from seperate pieces of cheap ply and just laminated onto a strong backing? (with the steel pinched in-between). ie. cut the inner with tool offset to outside and use another piece for the outer ply with tool offset to the inside.

Sorry if this doesn't make any sense, we have just come back from a 17 day vacation, driven 4000 miles and seen some of the wilds of Africa (including lions, elephants, buffalo, rhinocerous . . . .)My mind hasn't gotten out of vacation mode yet!

[birdsofplay]

Well I dont "know" why it isnt common practice
to use cheaper plys, but, I do know that the
local industry uses the expensive stuff.

I suspect that durability and alignment are
big issues.
Also when cutting ply with a laser you DONT want
soft/pithy inner plys to burst into flames
while you are in-process ... ya know !

Steel rules are "essentially" long strips of
single edge razor blades.
Plywood is slotted into whatever dimensions you want to stamp out with lots of "TABS" to hold
everything together. "Steel rule" is then cut/bent/inserted into the slots and the whole
thing is mounted on a press with a heavy backing plate.

[Gerald D]

I guess it depends on how complicated the final shape must be. If we are talking about something similar in size and shape to round cookie cutters, then I suppose it is not necessary to tab the whole thing together out of one sheet. Just cut a group of holes in one sheet and seperate cookies from another sheet - they can even be cut for a slight force fit.

But, if you are going to make tiny jigsaw puzzles . . . .

[Gerald D]

Greg's contribution to this topic was interesting, maybe it is worthwhile mailing him for an update?

[papad]

Are you planing on using these on a C&P type of press and are you going to make them for your own use or are you trying to break into the die cut field? if the answer is yes to the C&P press then you know that the height tolerances have to be right on the money. e-mail me Dave

[dudley]

This application of router to 5/16" maple plywood is a excellent idea the two boards are mirrored and glued together to 5/8" thick. Gerber Scientific has produced a router for this application for $105000.00 I suppose a enthusiastic die maker can make any CNC router with current drivers go...