Im trying to cut some shapes out of .030 plastic with my Roland plotter. How do I do multiple passes so I can "snap" it? Im not looking to cut it all the way thru,just enought to score it and break. Can I do .001 offsets with outlines and have that work?
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
You may well need to do some experimenting. Plotting software often has an option in a check box for multiple passes. If yours doesn't, make sure it returns to its point of origin and try plotting it again.
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
just copy your file & paste it back on top of the original before sending the plot.
When I've sent files with 2 copies by accident, it always cut twice.
(just don't let Murphy's law know that you actually want it to cut 2 or 3 times... or then it won't work)
Posted by Gary Patrick (Member # 1424) on :
I just tried this on a thick paper file folder and it worked. The sheet plastic Im using is $2 a sheet so I wanted it to work at least on the 2nd try. I did an outline with 5 multiple passes.001 offset. I then did a replot and about the 3rd pass on replot it cut clean thru. So I have a 5 mil mylar film ontop of the .030 plastic. I think Ill try 10 passes on the outline and see if a replot will cut it. The only reason Im limiting the multiple passes is that its offsetting each pass. The replot will go back to the same grooves. Just wondering if some type of lube will help but dont want to take the chance of polluting my plotter and cutting table. Ive heard you can scribe glass and pour lighter fluid in the scratch and light it and it will fracture. Im sure plastic doesnt act the same. Either way Ill post the results success or failure.
Posted by Gary Patrick (Member # 1424) on :
I just tried it with 5 .001 offset passes and a replot. @200 grams of pressure and it barely made a dent in it but was enough to carefully disect and break. Im guessing that more passes and a 60* blade would help but it does work. Ill fine tune the deeper cutting but for now Im not pushing my luck.
