Plastic for Templates and Cutting Guides

[Riemer]

I’m trying to find a good plastic to use to make templates out of that I can also use as cutting guides. I’d like it to be fairly substantial (1/8” or so) and able to be used as a cutting guide as well. I would be using them to cut lining fabric, not leather, so it wouldn’t be important that I could get the cut super precise. If anyone has used a specific type of plastic for this application, or if you have any informed ideas, that would be great! Links to suppliers would also be helpful! 

[fredk]

Does it have to be plastic? I find 3mm MDF good for pattern shapes. I can cut it with a heavy duty craft knife. If it needs to be plastic, corrugated poster plastic. Here its used for politicians pre-election posters. Shops use it as well and it can be got cheaply from them (usually it is thrown away after use) or directly from a printer of posters.

[RockyAussie]

2 hours ago, Riemer said:

I’m trying to find a good plastic to use to make templates out of that I can also use as cutting guides. I’d like it to be fairly substantial (1/8” or so) and able to be used as a cutting guide as well. I would be using them to cut lining fabric, not leather, so it wouldn’t be important that I could get the cut super precise. If anyone has used a specific type of plastic for this application, or if you have any informed ideas, that would be great! Links to suppliers would also be helpful! 

Clear acrylic is often used and has the advantage of being able to be seen through as you use it. Laser cutting makes this a quick and easy job but alas if it is a small diode laser normally they will only cut black or red colours and not clear. If you can say what state or town in the world you are in it would help others to suggest where you can get it and who could cut it etc. It is very available all over the world but the sheets are large and it is usual to get the sheets cut to a size you want locally. Here in Rockhampton I have a supplier that cuts what I want to size and I can laser cut the finer stuff after myself.

[Riemer]

21 hours ago, fredk said:

Does it have to be plastic? I find 3mm MDF good for pattern shapes. I can cut it with a heavy duty craft knife. If it needs to be plastic, corrugated poster plastic. Here its used for politicians pre-election posters. Shops use it as well and it can be got cheaply from them (usually it is thrown away after use) or directly from a printer of posters.

Thank you for the suggestions! I could certainly use MDF, but didn't want to worry about cutting away at it when I'm running my knife along the side. Is there much of a problem with this from your experience? I was thinking a soft plastic like that used in corrugated signs would have the same issue.

18 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

Clear acrylic is often used and has the advantage of being able to be seen through as you use it. Laser cutting makes this a quick and easy job but alas if it is a small diode laser normally they will only cut black or red colours and not clear. If you can say what state or town in the world you are in it would help others to suggest where you can get it and who could cut it etc. It is very available all over the world but the sheets are large and it is usual to get the sheets cut to a size you want locally. Here in Rockhampton I have a supplier that cuts what I want to size and I can laser cut the finer stuff after myself.

I'm in the US. I was thinking of just getting a sheet of the stuff and cutting it with a miter saw (the templates are just rectangles). Amazon.com has sheets of acrylic, polypropylene, mylar, ABS, and other such things. I just have no idea what the qualities of any of these are. Perhaps there is a plasticworker.net that I should consult. :D 

[fredk]

13 minutes ago, Riemer said:

Thank you for the suggestions! I could certainly use MDF, but didn't want to worry about cutting away at it when I'm running my knife along the side. Is there much of a problem with this from your experience? I was thinking a soft plastic like that used in corrugated signs would have the same issue.

I'm in the US. I was thinking of just getting a sheet of the stuff and cutting it with a miter saw (the templates are just rectangles). Amazon.com has sheets of acrylic, polypropylene, mylar, ABS, and other such things. I just have no idea what the qualities of any of these are. Perhaps there is a plasticworker.net that I should consult. :D 

a. I use both 3mm clear acrylic, which is cut to my requirements by a company, and 3mm MDF also cut by them or me

b. Most times I just trace around the template and cut with a knife or shears along the marked line. If I have to I will cut using the edge of the template as a guide and with care I've never taken any slices out of a template yet

c. I think to be totally free of that threat you'd need a template made of hard metal, like steel, as you can still take a slice from the edge of aluminium

d. Unless you need to see through the template I'd recommend 3mm or 6mm MDF. Its much cheaper and easier to get

[SaddleBags]

My buddy and I have been looking for the same thing over the past couple of days. 

A friend got me a sheet of 5 mil clear acrylic from someplace in Carson City, but I can't run that down. 

It looks like Lowes might have what we need, but since we both live out here in the weeds, we won't get to town to check it out until near the end of the week.  I'll report back.

[LatigoAmigo]

9 minutes ago, SaddleBags said:

My buddy and I have been looking for the same thing over the past couple of days. 

You might consider TAP Plastics. They have stores throughout California, plus they have a great website. I've found them very helpful. 

22 hours ago, Riemer said:

Links to suppliers would also be helpful! 

https://www.tapplastics.com/

[kgg]

How large do you need the template to be?

kgg

[Riemer]

1 minute ago, SaddleBags said:

My buddy and I have been looking for the same thing over the past couple of days. 

A friend got me a sheet of 5 mil clear acrylic from someplace in Carson City, but I can't run that down. 

It looks like Lowes might have what we need, but since we both live out here in the weeds, we won't get to town to check it out until near the end of the week.  I'll report back.

Hey there, Mr. Bags. That'd be great! Let me know.

 

32 minutes ago, fredk said:

a. I use both 3mm clear acrylic, which is cut to my requirements by a company, and 3mm MDF also cut by them or me

b. Most times I just trace around the template and cut with a knife or shears along the marked line. If I have to I will cut using the edge of the template as a guide and with care I've never taken any slices out of a template yet

c. I think to be totally free of that threat you'd need a template made of hard metal, like steel, as you can still take a slice from the edge of aluminium

d. Unless you need to see through the template I'd recommend 3mm or 6mm MDF. Its much cheaper and easier to get

Hey Fred. Thank you, that does help. As I said before, I'm not cutting some thick leather or anything, just some nylon lining fabric fairly imprecisely I might add. So MDF might be the best choice. I'll have to do some intense head-scratching however, and convert your European milometers to good 'ol inches. :D

[fredk]

a. 3mm = 1/8 inch,   6mm = 1/4 inch - close enough for government work, 

b. I use a big heavy weight on the template to hold it down

c. I suggest you use a rotary knife on thin material

[nylonRigging]

What is your 'cutting table' top ?  for running blade on for pattern template cutting .

I like to use 4'x8' sheets 1/8" polyethylene sheets to cut/make all my permanent pattern templates . stays ridged , easy to cut even tight radius pattern designs . Just throw down on the material on the cutting table with weights on top, and trace, then cut . I buy plastics like abs in 4x8 ft. sheets from commercial warehouse in this area , and I use a nice size stack of 4x8' every years with internal stiff plates in items I sew/sell .
For you to save money over a place like retail chain-store sales . Tap plastics (they are expensive) you have to buy from larger supplier . You are going to need at a minimum Acrylic hardness to run a blade around the edge . Sheet metal would be good for big large volume cutting with running a blade .
.

[Riemer]

19 hours ago, fredk said:

a. 3mm = 1/8 inch,   6mm = 1/4 inch - close enough for government work, 

b. I use a big heavy weight on the template to hold it down

c. I suggest you use a rotary knife on thin material

You're too good to me, Fred. 

Yeah, a rotary knife is a great idea. The blades are darn expensive, but now that I think about it, what a time saver it will be cutting out dozens of the things. 

19 hours ago, kgg said:

How large do you need the template to be?

kgg

The largest one would be 12" x 16". 

18 hours ago, nylonRigging said:

What is your 'cutting table' top ?  for running blade on for pattern template cutting .

I like to use 4'x8' sheets 1/8" polyethylene sheets to cut/make all my permanent pattern templates . stays ridged , easy to cut even tight radius pattern designs . Just throw down on the material on the cutting table with weights on top, and trace, then cut . I buy plastics like abs in 4x8 ft. sheets from commercial warehouse in this area , and I use a nice size stack of 4x8' every years with internal stiff plates in items I sew/sell .
For you to save money over a place like retail chain-store sales . Tap plastics (they are expensive) you have to buy from larger supplier . You are going to need at a minimum Acrylic hardness to run a blade around the edge . Sheet metal would be good for big large volume cutting with running a blade .

I have a 4'X8' cutting mat.

That's good to know!! I was worried about acrylic because of how hard it would be to cut to size (which would then be a benefit when it comes to using it as a template). Polyethelene seems like a good choice. I'll have to see if there are any commercial outfits here. 

 

[kgg]

I would suggest buying a sheet of HDPE in 3/8 or 1/2" thickness. Up hear HDPE is commonly know a puck board as it is used in lining the side walls of hockey arenas. A 4'x 8' sheet then can be cut easily with a jig saw or table saw to the sizes / shape you need and a sheet should cost about $150 to $200 CA.

kgg