Thanks in advance
Gene
A few years ago I published an article on how to build an economical light
table... and I just uploaded it to kitebuilder. Take a look, maybe it will
be useful. If you are going to hot cut, really, a glass top table is the
best IMO. It is only improved with the addition of light.....
Go to the tech sheet section of the web page and look for the light table
article. Sorry about the file size, I couldn't find the original file and
had to scan it.
"Thoughts on the Construction of a Light Table" by Tony Ferrel:
The best way to hot cut ripstop is over glass...right? But do you also know
the best way to improve the glass is to put a light under it.... Presented
here is an economical way to build a very functional light table.
Let us know what you decide to do.
~Steve
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"Gene Kittrell" <ge9...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:sT3_6.17339$Ga.23...@news1.rdc1.md.home.com...
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Just cock your head a little if it looks crooked....
~Steve
I know more than a few people that have had this happen. Problem is
they(and I) were using un-tempered glass.
I've found tempered sheets of glass at window manufacturers. the glass is
salvaged from sliding glass doors, and you can often get it in large pieces,
36" x 80" for about $5. check building material salvage yards, glass shops,
and the like. a chipped or scratched piece can't be used for windows, but
is fine for hot-cutting.
Stan
> I want to make a table as economically as possible. What's an affordable
Hi, Gene.
I'm over at Aunt Tilly's tonight, but check this out:
"The (Re) Making of The Light Box"
http://members.nbci.com/PuppetKites/litebox.htm
I use Formica (you can see it throughout all my kitemaking pages) for
hot-tacking because the Formica melts ever-so-slightly, just enough to hold
the pieces in place on the table... addicting process, once you get used to
it.
..._but_ hot-cutting is a different story... you don't want this effect....
so the mentioned light box has a great old thick piece of glass that looks
indestructable that I use for hot-cutting.
Mizz Kid shoots. Mizz Kid scores.
From Aunt (Mary Annette) Tilly's house,
TPKK
http://www.yelmtel.com/~rmaddy
Sam
Well Sam, thats a pretty 'cool' idea...... do you have any problems with the
sheet metal acting like a heat sink.... drawing heat from the hot knife and
slowing down your cut?
~Steve
"Sam Ritter" <fly...@provide.net> wrote in message
news:3B39C4BA...@provide.net...
Hello,
I have used tempered glass almost exclusively. I tried masonite and formice
but they tend to leave a little burn on the edge and the edges are not clean.
The drawback is that glass gets pitted after while. You can turn it over but
once both sides are pitted you have to toss it out
I like the idea of a metal sheet with magnets. No pitting but then you can't
make a light table out of it. I wouldn't worry too much about the heat sink
since everything that is cooler than the hotknife will be a heatsink.
It is the nature of the Universe.
Tempered glass cannot be cut but you can get a piece that is the size you want
by ordering it that size. You just won't be paying $5.00 a sheet for it.
I very rarely use hot knives any more. If you are using just a fold over seam,
hot knifed edges are over kill. If you use the Randy Tom technique of applique
you won't be hot cutting anyway.
The only thing I use hot knives for are convenience in cutting strips or a
small accent piece on applique or when using
forward applique.
Kathy Goodwind
rec.kites
I mostly use a Engel Hot knife with the longer blade.
Adrian Conn, who set me on the idea of the sheet metal, uses the bigger Weller
soldering irons, with brass tip. It's a little slower going with the soldering
iron, gotta
keep resharpening it alot also ...
The only thing that I find is that the Engel knife scores the table a little
bit, depending
on my downward pressure.
Sam
Hey I didn't say that part!
Kathy Goodwind
rec.kites
Simo
I have a 2m x 1m, old, tinted, plate glass window, which is 6mm thick. It is Very
heavy. I Haven't cracked it yet.
I would need some preety mean magnets to grip through a template, the fabric and 6mm
of glass. I just use old scraps of hardwood. They stick well enough.
ooroo
Peter
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- Carpe Ventus -
Peter & Ann-Maree wrote:
>
> Hello Simo,
>
> I have a 2m x 1m, old, tinted, plate glass window, which is 6mm thick. It is Very
> heavy. I Haven't cracked it yet.
> I would need some preety mean magnets to grip through a template, the fabric and 6mm
> of glass. I just use old scraps of hardwood. They stick well enough.
>
I have some (broken) tweeter loudspeakers, cone removed.
They are heavy AND strong magnets.
Simo
"Simo Salanne" <Simo.S...@iki.fi> wrote in message
news:3B40E62E...@iki.fi...
Hey, if Scotty can make "transparent aluminum" with '80s technology,
surely *someone* out there can make "transparent steel" with 2000s
technology...of course Scotty was somewhat of a miracleworker....
Just a thought...
Steve.
In article <3B410909...@cloudnet.com>, "Michael Moss"
Use a teflon straight edge and a teflon cutting surface
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