Cutting service

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ScaredyCat

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I don't have a van so I was looking at ordering some baltic birch online. The company offers a cutting service but say that cuts are +/- 3mm. I know they have to take into account the kerf but how are you supposed to work with a potential 6mm swing in size?

Should I just get them to cut oversize by 3mm and then just trim it?

The whole point was to get a 2440x1220 panel cut how I wanted it and not have to drag my table saw into the garden and hope it doesn't rain.

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If they need that much margin for error go elsewhere. With a half decent panel saw any one should get within half a mm. I used to cut sheet in B and Q and never got a cut wrong. Some operators got the measurement wrong but that was either re-cut to another size or scrapped. The customer shouldn't have to accept mistakes.
Bill
 
at my local place, they offer 2 services- cut to fit in the car, which I think is +/-3mm and you pay per cut, or you pay a little more and they will guarantee the sizes. I don't think that either is any more accurate than the other, but for the nominal cutting charge, they dont want the comeback when they didn't know that the size was critical. Whenever I have used the cut to fit in the car service, I have always ended up with 4 identical quarters.

I would try and speak to them about what they can achieve. It wouldn't be the first time that lawyers have written the website terms and conditions without reference to what is actually required or achievable.
 
I can cut alluminium to within 0.025mm if I think it matters to the customer.

I cut it to about 0.075mm if no specification is given.

If I was asked to state my tolerances, I'd give a figure quite a bit higher, so as not to attract any comeback.


As mentioned above, speak to the person doing the cutting. Assuming the equipment is capable, then it's just how much effort the operator spends on setup (or their level of skill, I guess)
 
banjerbill":tzwppkwz said:
If they need that much margin for error go elsewhere. With a half decent panel saw any one should get within half a mm. I used to cut sheet in B and Q and never got a cut wrong. Some operators got the measurement wrong but that was either re-cut to another size or scrapped. The customer shouldn't have to accept mistakes.
Bill

You needed to work in my B&Q. I've seen them cut sheet that was lucky to be within 10mm, with the cut bent like a banana as the sheet wandered on the saw, and then tell the customer that was as accurate as the saw was.
 
If they’re cutting it on a panel saw then I’d guess they’re just covering their backs for human error in setting stops and fences.
You could look at one of the specialist companies who use a beam saw or cnc if you want 100% accuracy?
Cutlist.co.uk for example. Delivery charges may put you off if you can’t find someone you can collect from.
 
Horsee1":1jsdvz7n said:
If they’re cutting it on a panel saw then I’d guess they’re just covering their backs for human error in setting stops and fences.
You could look at one of the specialist companies who use a beam saw or cnc if you want 100% accuracy?
Cutlist.co.uk for example. Delivery charges may put you off if you can’t find someone you can collect from.

The machine in the picture ) https://cutlist.co.uk/cut-to-size-panels is what the people I was looking at say they have - or at least it very much looks like it.

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I have used B&Q fairly frequently. I find that they are accurate, and repeat cuts (eg for shelves) are identical. The quality of the wood often leaves something to be desired!

I usually give them a sketch of the cuts required with dimensions and cutting order. I don't know whether it is just the store I use but they don't seem to charge even if there are 8-10 cuts on an 8x4 sheet!
 
Others on here recommended Avon plywood and having used them recently for a small job we needed to outsource, I couldn’t fault them. Very good to deal with
 
ScaredyCat":3a6lf2qw said:
The machine in the picture ) https://cutlist.co.uk/cut-to-size-panels is what the people I was looking at say they have - or at least it very much looks like it..

I’m pretty sure if you asked that cutlist place what their tolerances were it’d be closer to 0.03mm either way. If your guys have one of those then perhaps whoever you spoke to quoted to the wrong decimal place?

In my experience they’re certainly more accurate than I’ve ever cut myself on big fixed machinery, which is in turn more accurate than anything I’ve cut on portable table saws.

The only down side I’ve found to using a cutting service for sheet materials is that you can’t be selective over grain.
 
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