stickey pads

[John Teichman]

dors any one have expierence with cutting outside profiles of brass plates useing the seklema mats i want to use .020 brass plate

[Tony Lenkic]

Sekelma mat is to costly to profile cut metal shapes on it. You need to cut right trough so mat will get damaged.
You can buy two sided table tape and tape piece of engraving material or acrylic that you can discard when done.

[Kev Williams]

I cut parts out on my mat (New Hermes version) practically every day, as long as I just barely get thru what I'm cutting, the mat remains unscathed. Oh, I DO have several deep boo-boo's on my mat after about 5 years use, but it still holds fine. I figure I have another 5 years use at least, and I still have the untouched second side to use if I ever DO wear out the first side. Expensive, but I'm getting my money's worth...

That all said-- holding down brass with a stickymat is one thing, having it stay put while cutting it is another. Taping is okay, but cutting thru tape can create problems. Any metal I cut or engrave, I edge clamp to sacrificial scrap plastic, no tape, and flood cool it. To get around the tape-down issue, I add in 2 or 3 stencil bars abouit .01" thicker than than the tool I'm cutting with. The pieces stay connected to the main sheet, and twist off easily when I'm done. Then I sand the remaining stencil nubs off with my 1" belt sander. Sounds like a lot of time and effort, but I've found this way saves a TON of time, material and frustration because I rarely have parts ruined while machining from moving, tape overheating, metal overheating or whatever. And as long as the parts are nested on the sheet correctly, I don't have to babysit the machine while it's cutting. And that means I can get another machine working at the same time.

stickymat.jpg

[Tim Bateson]

Your post is missing vital details - such as what type of laser you are using. However.. I do use one of these mats every day, but agree 100% with Tony - wrong choice for this job. IF you have one of the few lasers here on this forum capable of cutting brass plates, this material will be tissue paper.

[Kev Williams]

I'm assuming he's rotary cutting, I didn't even consider lasering .020 brass on stickymat!

[Tony Lenkic]

I'm assuming he's rotary cutting, I didn't even consider lasering .020 brass on stickymat!

Same assumption here.

[John Teichman]

Sorry yes i am cutting on rotary cnc machine thanks for info, i was going to try double side tape on sac. board just leave sheet on it and peel off parts as they are cut?? may not come off so easy after they sit on for some time.