Material For Making Reusable Templates?

[AusSimon]

Hi All,

Sorry if this is not the right place to post this.

I just wanted to know what everyone uses when they have an item that they will be making over and over again. Like a template for repeat use?

Do you use plastic? If so how thick and how do you cut it? Is it possible to have them printed from a digital drawing?

Cheers,

Simon

 

[JLSleather]

card stock.  80# or 100# card stock makes a LOT of uses.  It might depend on what you call "over and over". If you mean 10 in a life, a piece of paper from your printer when you need it.  If you mean 10 per week, get a piece of card stock - your home printer will still do it.  If you mean 10 per day, have a die made to "click" out the parts.

[fredk]

For 1 or 2s I use cardboard, for more numerous I get acrylic templates cut, or use 3mm MDF, or I stick the paper/card pattern onto special kitchen cutting mats I get from Ikea then cut them out - all depends on how many of the item I'm going to make and how complicated it is

I draw up the pattern to exact sizes and take it to a place which cuts out with a laser mostly. They charge me a pittance to cut my templates in clear 3mm acrylic or 3mm MDF. The plastic mats I get from Ikea can be cut with my leather scissors.

[AusSimon]

Hey Guys,

Thank you so much for your responses. 

Yeah I was thinking more along the lines of something i can use as a guide to cut directly against. 

I just did a quick search and found a place near me that can cut up to half inch Acrylic for like the cost of nothing. So think I will do that. it appears they can also work with Adobe Illustrator files so will draw up my templates with that.

I think I'll also give the Ikea cutting mats a go for more temp stuff.

Cheers,

Simon

 

[mdv99]

Weaver Leather recently started selling "Pattern Sheet" plastic for making templates.

Pattern Sheet Plastic

[JLSleather]

8 minutes ago, AusSimon said:

I just did a quick search and found a place near me that can cut up to half inch Acrylic for like the cost of nothing. So think I will do that. it appears they can also work with Adobe Illustrator files so will draw up my templates with that.

Have em cut 10 of each.  Apparently, there are people LINING UP to pay $25 U.S. for a "template" of a rectangle

 

[Matt S]

I like using hardboard (Masonite) with the textured back. Not only is it easily worked with common tools but the back makes it far less likely to slip than anything else I've tried, including MDF, acrylic, card and plywood. You can cut directly around it too, with a little care.

[Zonker1972]

this was asked a few weeks ago and i suggested flexible cutting boards. you can get them at the dollar store.

zonker

[wizard of tragacanth]

7 hours ago, Matt S said:

I like using hardboard (Masonite) with the textured back. Not only is it easily worked with common tools but the back makes it far less likely to slip than anything else I've tried, including MDF, acrylic, card and plywood. You can cut directly around it too, with a little care.

Matt, what do you use to cut the Masonite,. a jig saw?

nick

[nrk]

I use plastic folders mostly. But acrylic boards are good options if you find where to purchase. 3mm is more than enough

[Matt S]

6 hours ago, wizard of tragacanth said:

Matt, what do you use to cut the Masonite,. a jig saw?

Jig saw, band saw, panel saw... whatever I've got handy.

Another plus is that it's stupid-cheap. 8x4ft sheet for £12. That's a lot of templates.

[TonyRV2]

Bag stiffener...Its cheap and easy to cut.  Its also large enough for bigger patterns. With care you can cut around it but I normally trace it on to the leather.

[Sheilajeanne]

If you want to go really cheap (FREE) I use cardboard (boxboard) from Family Size cereal boxes! 

I would bet the flexible cutting boards from Ikea are the same as the ones from the Dollar Store, only cheaper! Might give those a try from my more frequently used templates.

[AusSimon]

Hey all. I just wanted update you all with what has turned out to be a HUGE success for me to develop templates.

Someone here mentioned having them cut out of Acrylic. Which is exactly what I did. There was a CO2 lazer cutting place down the road from me and I had this template done for under $100 (size cutting bed is 600 x 900mm).

 

All it took was a few youtube videos and access to my friends Adobe Illustrator to make this template into an AI life. I used 5mm acrilic, however I think 3mm would have been better in some ways and I definitely cut some of the outer lines (the sewing line) a little too long, so the plastic bends a bit when I cut on that edge. Also the 5mm thickness means i need a long tool to scratch the marks through my hole punch does not fit through to the bottom of the holes either. Lessons learned, my next template should be perfect.

 

[DrmCa]

I use the "For Sale" signs from the dollar store for small parts.

[mariuspirvu]

You can follow this guy's method. He sticks the paper printed with the pattern on top of cardboard and then cuts along the lines. After that he punches the holes and he uses a silver pen to mark the leather. Acrylic will fill up more space because you don't want to risk placing it leaning against a wall or it might fall an break and is a lot more expensive. 

[24VOLTS]

I use shelf liner from Lowes.  It comes in a roll.  It is styrene it can be cut with scissors or a knife.  It does not wear like matte board.  Its about $16 for a 12'' by 5' roll.

[chuck123wapati]

I use the old Christmas boxes, for clothing,  they sell at the dollar store that are given to us yearly. its the same thickness as card stock, give or take a bit.

[RiverCity]

Lots of good ideas for stuff you can use already mentioned.

If you are going to be using them a lot, I prefer to have them laser cut out of acrylic. I always used Black River Laser.

Not the best pic of the templates themselves, but this was the stack of templates for this particular case.

[twotrees]

I use picture frame matting board. It's about $10 for a sheet of 36x48 and holds up really well. I scratch around the pieces with an awl and then remove the board for cutting. 

[BlakesBlades]

I started using the 3/$1 cutting board sheets from the dollar store a while ago. 

[Bobwe]

We have plastic milk bottles here in the UK. I have cut them up and used multiple layers for thicker templates if that is any help