Planing a plastic chopping board

[tommy]

Has anyone ever tried machine planing an old plastic chopping board? I'm in need of a insert on my table saw and thought it might be worth a try, maybe in very light passes??

Otherwise does anyone know of a good source of small pieces of plastic/nylon/perspex?

Tommy.

 

[Digit]

I doubt very much that it would feed.

Roy.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Hi Tommy
I wouldn't use Perspex as a ZI material, it shatters too easily.

HDPE, such as chopping boards, is OK and I've used it myself, but it has quite a high drag factor and considering that ZI inserts are, essentially, disposable, it's fairly expensive. What's wrong with MDF? It's cheap and easy.

S

 

[OPJ]

Tommy, we need a photo of this new saw!!

As Steve says, MDF is fine. You may have to (carefully!) rebate the edges of a thicker piece so it sits flush with the surface, if you don't have something that's a perfect fit for the recess - the recess could be 5mm deep but, the closest you can buy would be 4mm or 6mm.

Tufnol is another alternative. Smooth finish and it machines easily, almost like plywood. In the past, I've bought small sheets of eBay though, the postage costs can make it expensive. There's bound to be a local firm somewhere... I only have acrylic scraps on me, which is not shatter-proof. :?

 

[Steve Maskery]

On the subjext of thickness, you may find that the easiest way to get the plates flush is to use slishtly thinner material and adjust the height with screws on the underside. That's how mine are set right.
S

 

[9fingers]

Tommy,

I use phenolic coated birch plywood called "rebound" only cos I've got loads of it. But it works nicely and is nice and slippy. Good for jigs too.

You can see some here

If you are anywhere near Romsey Hampshire, PM me and you can come and collect some.


Bob

 

[jimi43]

How thick is that phenolic stuff Bob?

I need to replace the top on my router table and would be happy to buy some off of you if it were thick enough...or I could laminate it I suppose.

I would happily pay for postage etc...Living in Kent as I do!

Jim

 

[9fingers]

Hi Jim,

it is only a paper thin coat on 12mm ply so not really suitable. I've still to build my router table but I have bought a piece of laminate - i think it came from homebase for about a tenner maybe less.

Bob

 

[Green]

Hi Tommy
I wouldn't use Perspex as a ZI material, it shatters too easily.
S

Perpex wont shatter, maybe its acrylic you are thinking of?

 

[Steve Maskery]

Perspex is acrylic and it does shatter! DAMHIKT.
S

 

[Digit]

Where abouts are you Tom?

Roy.

 

[tommy]

I'll give the phenolic ply a go, i've a few jigs and eventually a router table to make so it sounds like useful stuff to have about. Thanks for the offer Bob but I'm in Bristol. I might try and source a half sheet, is it very expensive?

I might still have a go at the chopping board, all I need to do is get a smooth surface on the one side and surely taking very slight passes can't hurt. Anyone want to take this last chance to talk me out of it? If not then i'll make sure post my results!

Your right about the MDF Steve, it would do the job. Call me snob, but it pains me to crown my saw with a piece of it! I've had this chopping board lying about for ages and I like to make use of anything that comes along.! I'll recycle anything, half of my workshop is made from bits and bobs found lying around in skips!

 

[Modernist]

I think a good material for saw inserts is UHMW PE (Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene). It's not too rigid so would need an insert with a flange round the base rather than just a fixing at each end but it depends on the length. It is also very low friction. It can be sawn, planed and chiselled with hand tools very easily and it will not shatter.

I have offcuts in 6 and 10mm if anyone pm's me.

 

[johnf]

I used some laminate flooring the sort that's based on high quality MDF it's about 8mm thick nice and smooth and slipery

 

[9fingers]

I'll give the phenolic ply a go, i've a few jigs and eventually a router table to make so it sounds like useful stuff to have about. Thanks for the offer Bob but I'm in Bristol. I might try and source a half sheet, is it very expensive?

I did not have to pay for it but about 10 years ago it was £60 ish a sheet buying in lots of 20-30 sheets!!

I have quite lot left but most of it is 150mm wide x 8' long.
Destined for workshop drawer sides - one day!

Bob