I am interested in a new product for covering windows when hurricanes
are coming. It is 3/8 in. thick plastic - not solid ...it looks like
corrugated cardboard but it's plastic. You can see it at
www.storm-stoppers. Anyway, they say cut it with boxcutters. One of
my neighbors got a sample and we tried cutting it. It was very, very
difficult . Other than that, it is much lighter weight than plywood
and I would really like to be able to use it but don't want to spend a
lot of money on it without being pretty sure I can cut it. We are all
over-the-hill and not too strong...does anyone know of anything, a
particular kind of saw blade, that could be used on plastic instead of
utility knife or boxcutters. Thanks.

On 26 Jul 2005 14:46:42 -0700, "
wrote:

I am interested in a new product for covering windows when hurricanes
are coming. It is 3/8 in. thick plastic - not solid ...it looks like
corrugated cardboard but it's plastic. You can see it at
www.storm-stoppers. Anyway, they say cut it with boxcutters. One of
my neighbors got a sample and we tried cutting it. It was very, very
difficult . Other than that, it is much lighter weight than plywood
and I would really like to be able to use it but don't want to spend a
lot of money on it without being pretty sure I can cut it. We are all
over-the-hill and not too strong...does anyone know of anything, a
particular kind of saw blade, that could be used on plastic instead of
utility knife or boxcutters. Thanks.

A jig saw with a plexiglass blade, or a knife-edge blade? I'd think
that if it'll cut with a utility knife, most any fine-toothed jig saw
blade will work, though the edge might be a bit ragged. Or, a hand
operated plastic cutter like this: http://www.dickblick.com/zz574/77/.
Check the Despot, I think I've seen similar there.

--
Luke
__________________________________________________ _________________
"I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the
trust by exposing the name of our sources. They are, in my view the
most insidious of traitors."
-- George Herbert Walker Bush, April 26, 1999

Took a quick look at the site; I think I'd want to see
that stuff before I bought it, but that's not what you
asked.

I imagine the referene to using a box cutter is
possibly a score & snap operation, similar to what
you'd do with plexiglass. Since it's corrugated, you
cut the one surface, bend it back and it either snaps
off or breaks & lets you cut the back part.

Contact them and find out.

Pop


wrote in message
oups.com...
I am interested in a new product for covering windows
when hurricanes
are coming. It is 3/8 in. thick plastic - not solid
...it looks like
corrugated cardboard but it's plastic. You can see it
at
www.storm-stoppers. Anyway, they say cut it with
boxcutters. One of
my neighbors got a sample and we tried cutting it.
It was very, very
difficult . Other than that, it is much lighter
weight than plywood
and I would really like to be able to use it but
don't want to spend a
lot of money on it without being pretty sure I can
cut it. We are all
over-the-hill and not too strong...does anyone know
of anything, a
particular kind of saw blade, that could be used on
plastic instead of
utility knife or boxcutters. Thanks.

"Pop" wrote in message
...
Took a quick look at the site; I think I'd want to see
that stuff before I bought it, but that's not what you
asked.


I agree especially at the "$3-$4 a square foot price"

Roto-Zip works great on plexiglass.

wrote:
I am interested in a new product for covering windows when hurricanes
are coming. It is 3/8 in. thick plastic - not solid ...it looks like
corrugated cardboard but it's plastic. You can see it at
www.storm-stoppers. Anyway, they say cut it with boxcutters. One of
my neighbors got a sample and we tried cutting it. It was very, very
difficult . Other than that, it is much lighter weight than plywood
and I would really like to be able to use it but don't want to spend a
lot of money on it without being pretty sure I can cut it. We are all
over-the-hill and not too strong...does anyone know of anything, a
particular kind of saw blade, that could be used on plastic instead of
utility knife or boxcutters. Thanks.

I've successfully cut 1/8" Coroplast with a utility knife, but would
suggest a fine-toothed jigsaw blade at low speed, or a fine-toothed
handsaw (excluding a backsaw style) for the 3/8" thickness.

I'd want to check out the longevity of the adhesive used to stick the
3M Dual-Lock fasteners to the window frame. Would the adhesive break
down over time in strong sunlight and fail under the stresses of
hurricane winds?


On 26 Jul 2005 14:46:42 -0700, "
wrote:

I am interested in a new product for covering windows when hurricanes
are coming. It is 3/8 in. thick plastic - not solid ...it looks like
corrugated cardboard but it's plastic. You can see it at
www.storm-stoppers. Anyway, they say cut it with boxcutters. One of
my neighbors got a sample and we tried cutting it. It was very, very
difficult . Other than that, it is much lighter weight than plywood
and I would really like to be able to use it but don't want to spend a
lot of money on it without being pretty sure I can cut it. We are all
over-the-hill and not too strong...does anyone know of anything, a
particular kind of saw blade, that could be used on plastic instead of
utility knife or boxcutters. Thanks.

writes:

Other than that, it is much lighter weight than plywood ...

You are being swindled if you believe that. Strength-to-weight does not
favor plastics over wood. If this product is lighter than plywood, it is
only because it is made thinner and weaker.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I am interested in a new product for covering windows when
hurricanes
are coming. It is 3/8 in. thick plastic - not solid ...it looks like
corrugated cardboard but it's plastic. You can see it at
www.storm-stoppers. Anyway, they say cut it with boxcutters. One
of
my neighbors got a sample and we tried cutting it. It was very,
very
difficult . Other than that, it is much lighter weight than plywood
and I would really like to be able to use it but don't want to spend
a
lot of money on it without being pretty sure I can cut it. We are
all
over-the-hill and not too strong...does anyone know of anything, a
particular kind of saw blade, that could be used on plastic instead
of
utility knife or boxcutters. Thanks.


Possibly a circular saw with plywood cutting blade installed
backwards...

I have seen the sheets of plastic - my neighbors (two of them) have
ordered it but have not cut it yet. We practiced on the sample. It
does not snap off after scoring . We were using new utility knife to
try to cut.

Thank you all for your suggestions.

"Pop" wrote in message
...
Took a quick look at the site; I think I'd want to see
that stuff before I bought it, but that's not what you
asked.

I imagine the referene to using a box cutter is
possibly a score & snap operation, similar to what
you'd do with plexiglass. Since it's corrugated, you
cut the one surface, bend it back and it either snaps
off or breaks & lets you cut the back part.

Contact them and find out.

Pop


wrote in message
oups.com...
I am interested in a new product for covering windows
when hurricanes
are coming. It is 3/8 in. thick plastic - not solid
...it looks like
corrugated cardboard but it's plastic. You can see it
at
www.storm-stoppers. Anyway, they say cut it with
boxcutters. One of
my neighbors got a sample and we tried cutting it.
It was very, very
difficult . Other than that, it is much lighter
weight than plywood
and I would really like to be able to use it but
don't want to spend a
lot of money on it without being pretty sure I can
cut it. We are all
over-the-hill and not too strong...does anyone know
of anything, a
particular kind of saw blade, that could be used on
plastic instead of
utility knife or boxcutters. Thanks.


Score and snap would probably work, but it may require a plastic cutting
blade instead of a regular razor blade. A plastic cutter is sharpened on
the trailing side and not the contact side. The idea is to score in exactly
the same place 3 or 4 times (depending on how hard and thick the material
is) along a straightedge and snap (if cutting short pieces) or "run" the
break along the cut (if longer pieces are desired). Here's one

http://www.dickblick.com/zz574/77/

but if you shop around you can probably find one for less. This type of
cutter may not work if the plastic is too soft or pliable but you said it
was really hard to cut so I suspect it will work.


I you use a jigsaw it might work fine on some plastics but on more brittle
materials it may craze and crack where you don't want it to. A table saw
with a veneer blade (fine tooth smooth cut) generally works great on
plastics.