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  • March 17, 2018 at 1:34 pm #453104
    IanBertram
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        I’ve just started experimenting with photopolymer (solar) etching. The plates I’m using are Toyoba printright which are steel backed. I want to be able to cut these into non-standard formats but haven’t been able to find a method that doesn’t warp one side of the cutting line.

        I’ve used a heavy duty guillotine at my local college, This chops the whole plate at once but doesn’t create a clean edge (It looks ancient and probably has been neglected over the years) I’ve also tried a metal hand guillotine which creates a nice edge but warps one side of the sheet. I’ve tried a similar one for paper which does the same and I’m wary of damaging the blade.

        If the piece I’m cutting off is too small to use any warping doesn’t matter but if I want to cut a large plate in half, one half is unusable without further trimming the damaged edge.

        I’ve seen suggestions for using a heavy craft knife (Stanley knife in UK) but my hand grip is poor and I can’t get enough pressure to do this safely.

        Any other suggestions or tips?

        Ian
        Website - https://ianbertramartist.uk
        Instagram: - https://www.instagram.com/ianbertramuk/
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        March 18, 2018 at 9:26 am #586211
        bridog
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            have you considered cutting plates with a rotating carbide saw blade designed to cut through metal?
            not sure if you are able to do this yourself as you mentioned some issues with hand strength, maybe have someone cut for you?
            I haven’t cut my thin metal backed polymer plates with a saw but apparently it is possible. If you are going for straight line cuts maybe a table saw with specialty blade and edge cutting brace would work?
            I know there are small metal cutting blade attachments for dremel rotary units.

            Haven’t tried the Toyoba plates you mention. I am wondering if they are similar to the Kodak manufactured plates being retailed by solar plate?

            I see you are a member of Facebook. You might consider also posting this query through some of the printmaking communities in FB.

            [FONT="Book Antiqua"]The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work. Emile Zola

            www.myprintmakingjourney.blogspot.com
            visit my Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/borealart

            March 18, 2018 at 6:10 pm #586212
            IanBertram
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                I’ve posted on FB and in Etsy printmaking groups.

                I’ve since bought some smaller plates which the vendors have obviously cut down because the edge is curled up. This means the edge of the transparency doesn’t make contact with the plate and leaves a soft edge to the image. I just trimmed that down with the paper guilottine. The throwaway bits curl up but the plate has a good clean edge to it.

                I’m not familiar with the Kodak plates. As far as I can tell all that is available in UK are from Toyobo.

                Ian
                Website - https://ianbertramartist.uk
                Instagram: - https://www.instagram.com/ianbertramuk/
                Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/ianbertramartist/

                April 27, 2018 at 1:24 am #586214
                Sirfishalot
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                    Ian,
                    I’m reading a book on Solarplate printing by Dan Welden and Pauline Muir and they suggest using a higher quality paper cutter by Kutrimmer (German made), or a disk drive cutter, or a utility knife with a fresh blade every time you cut a plate. I looked up the Kutrimmers on ebay and they arent cheap.
                    They suggest with the utility knife to make several passes using a metal straight edge until you feel resistance of the grating and checking the back for raised impression of the steel. Then bending the two halves gently up and down until the steel snaps.
                    Hope this might help you.

                    JayT

                    April 28, 2018 at 11:20 am #586213
                    nikkor
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                        I use the Solar Plates that Dan Weldon sells…they are steel backed. I use the Dremel tool with a cut off disc (the same one in the first picture in the above reply) works very well.
                        Few tips
                        I use a 2 x 4 clapped to the table top as a guide to run the Dremel tool along to get a straight edge.
                        Leave the plastic / mylar covering on the plate til you are done cutting to protect the surface.
                        Go slow with the cutter.

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