"gcotterl" wrote in message
...
What is a quick and easy way to cut 5/8" thick rubber tiles made from
recycled car tires?

(I have about 60 tiles to cut. A utility knife will take forever).

Make a little jig. What you want to do is bend the tile slightly. Put the
tile in the jig and tighten the clamps to bend it slightly. Score with a
SHARP utility knife slightly so that the cut in the tile is bent, and opens
slightly. Make your second cut using a straight edge, or the piece you have
made your jig out of. The second cut will be right in the first, and the
bending action of the jig will make it cut very easily by spreading the cut
wider as you cut deeper.

I'd make a jig like this:

Cut a piece of plywood oversize. Make three 1x3's with one hole drilled one
inch in from each end. The sizes of these things will depend on the size of
the tiles you are using. Cut a 2x4 on edge to get a slight angle, about 200
degrees.. Attach the two pieces of plywood to make a bent work surface.
You are making a slightly bent work area to clamp down a tile, then clamp
down the part you want to cut off so that the bending action will allow you
to keep the cut open. It should take about four slices to cut through each
tile.

If you have ever cut conveyor belt, you know how hard that is. Some of it
is 1/2" or better, and some of it has reinforcing webbing. This is the fast
way to cut heavy industrial conveyor belt made of some VERY tough rubber.
It should work on your softer rubber tiles.

The angle of your breakover should be about 200 degrees. So, if you look at
a 200 degree angle from the side, you would be looking at the side of your
jig, with two clamps on the big side, and one on the small side. Use long
carriage bolts and wingnuts to hold the 1 x 3's tight against the tiles.

It's very simple, although it sounds a little complicated. If you can't
grasp this, reply, and I'll draw it, and take a picture and post on flickr.

HTH

Steve

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