# Cutting Corrugated



## seifer (25/1/11)

Before I post up some pics of my bar setup, I was hoping for some advice for making a sign for the front of it. 
The front of the bar is corrugated galvo and I still have a spare sheet left over so im thinking ill cut the words out and backlight it.
The ribbing on the steel is fairly fine, say 10mm, can my jigsaw or dremel do the job or should I be looking for something else.
Advice?
Cheers.


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## ashley_leask (25/1/11)

Seifer said:


> Before I post up some pics of my bar setup, I was hoping for some advice for making a sign for the front of it.
> The front of the bar is corrugated galvo and I still have a spare sheet left over so im thinking ill cut the words out and backlight it.
> The ribbing on the steel is fairly fine, say 10mm, can my jigsaw or dremel do the job or should I be looking for something else.
> Advice?
> Cheers.



I'd use a grinder (with a cutting disc) for the long straight lines, and a dremmel for anything short/curved. Dremel would do a good job cleaning up the detail, like sharp corners in your letters etc, too. Jigsaw I think would make a bit of a mess of it, but might be OK if you drill out corners first maybe?


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## fcmcg (25/1/11)

Another Ash said:


> I'd use a grinder (with a cutting disc) for the long straight lines, and a dremmel for anything short/curved. Dremel would do a good job cleaning up the detail, like sharp corners in your letters etc, too. Jigsaw I think would make a bit of a mess of it, but might be OK if you drill out corners first maybe?



OK...from your description you have mini-orb , which is as you say , quite fine....but i reckon it'll come up dandy...so...
Yeah , I'd go with the above advice except maybe to add , when you are initially doing your initial cuts , give your self some room and don't try and cut your letters out perfectly...then use your dremel to clean them up...working to your lines...
If you don't own a grinder , the green shed has xu1 brand for like $15...get some 1mm cutting disks too...maybe buy 2 or 3 of those...
Also...get some ear muffs and goggles...very important...
Maybe a clamp too....
You "could" use your jigsaw , if you had the right blades....but be warned ,the sheets can bounce like a mutha...and its slow work and it places alot of stress on your jig saw....and if you've put that much effort into getting it right , thusfar , why cut corners now...get a grinder !

And don't wear your good brewing t-shirt when you start cutting lol...sparks tend to put holes in them lol
Sounds like it'll be nice...
Good luck !
Cheers
Ferg


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## Andyd (25/1/11)

A lot of tradies I know who work with corry use drill mounted nibblers to cut into it.

The real challenge is getting your lines right for the words, since a straight line isn't straight when you project it onto a corrugated sheet. And therein lies the trick...

Print your design onto a transparent sheet, and then use a lamp to project the desired image onto the sheet and trace it onto the sheet. Then use your dremel or nibbler of whatever you can get your hands on. Personally I'd use the nibbler then a small metal file.

Andy


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## glaab (25/1/11)

maybe easier to get an acrylic sign and then backlight it, I'm just doing one for wall mount but you could easily mount it on the bar front.


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## MarkBastard (25/1/11)

Having used an angle grinder on mini-orb for my bar, there is no way I'd attempt what you're doing. It'll be a massive pain in the arse. But if you do it and pull it off you're a better man than me... So good luck.


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## fcmcg (25/1/11)

Mark^Bastard said:


> Having used an angle grinder on mini-orb for my bar, there is no way I'd attempt what you're doing. It'll be a massive pain in the arse. But if you do it and pull it off you're a better man than me... So good luck.



Yeah , i reckon the letters are going to have to be a resonable size too....
Thing is a dremel will probably take quite a while...
A grinder can be dangerous , if not used correctly...
And nibblers are like $70 plus for a resonable one....
All in all , there will be a bit of work doing it...

The green shed also sells mdf craft letters which are okay , if you don't want big letters....
Even better...buy some 9mm mdf , do it with your jig saw and paint them....

But , if your set on mini-orb , take your time and be careful !This means no home brews whilst handling power tools !

Cheers
Ferg


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## seifer (26/1/11)

Cheers guys, grinder would have been the other option, just not sure if the accuracy, I imagine if I cut the corners first with a dremel it will be easier. Ill give it a crack this weekend and hopefully have pictures to show soon. I think you'll like what I have planned.
Thanks for the advice.


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## Ducatiboy stu (26/1/11)

How big is the sheet that you are going to use

How big are the letters you are going to cut out

What equipment do you already have.. ie drills, jigsaws, grinders

Do you have any fine hacksaw blades..


Let us know what you have to begin with....

Then we can help you more


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## FNQ Bunyip (26/1/11)

stay away from using a grinder, sparks will leave marks all over the nice surface ...

you need a set of red and green snips , Red cut to the left and green cut to the right , or it might be the other way , the yellow ones are for straight cuts ...

can cut a hole in miniorb 50mm dia for a sink waste no problems , just go slow ...

cheers


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## seifer (27/1/11)

Ducatiboy stu said:


> How big is the sheet that you are going to use
> 
> How big are the letters you are going to cut out
> 
> ...



I dont have an exact measurement for the sign but the letters will be quite large, block and capitalised, im guess ing each letter will be roughly 250mm by 200mm....

As for tools I own pretty much everything bar a nibbler which im thinking maybe a better tool to go with.
I have a grinder, die grinder, hack saw, dremel, jigsaw and plenty of files.

As far getting the image on the orb im going to make a template out of paper and spray paint on the lettering so I know where to cut.
Will an air nibbler be easy enough?


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## Ducatiboy stu (27/1/11)

Air nibbler would be perfect....  

Grinders and Jigsaws will leave rough edges..

Shame you dont have a plasma cutter

Instead od spray paint, just go around the template with a perm marker... spray paint will be a bitch to clean off


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## seifer (27/1/11)

Spray paint will paint the letters to be cut, not their surroundings.


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## outbreak (27/1/11)

+1 on the nibbler. Angle *Grinders * are crap for cutting mini orb etc....


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