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Cutting Vinyl Tubing


Charlene

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I'm driving myself nuts trying to cut flexible clear vinyl tubing into 'glasses'. Now I've seen these a zillion times in mags and displays and everytime I cut one I get a divit thingee on once side and not a straight across cut. I think it comes 'cause the vinyl smashes down on itself. Aaargh! Has anybody else done this? What do you use to cut straight? Looks easy enough until I do it and whammy another bump. Somebody help me out! :blink:

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Have you tried using a dremel? I know I've tried cutting them with scissors when I had an aquarium and needed to replace the tubing - It Always got that divit on one side or a spike on one side but never ever cut straight - even though it was just for an aquarium it really used to bug me that I couldn't get a straight cut. I'm thinking though maybe a dremel with a the sanding disk type wheel cutter might do it - it sure cuts through vinyl flooring nicely. I just recut the side pieces for my Orchid and it whizzed through it so maybe it would work for tubing also and it shoudl keep it from smashing in on itself - hopefully.

-David

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Quick thought ... can you slip an eighth inch diameter dowel (or something similar) into the tubing and then cut the vinyl just at the end of it? It would hold the tube open, I think., even let you roll the vinyl while you're cutting ... sort of score it first, and then cut all the way through.

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can you heat up whatever it is you are cutting with

maybe that will help...part melt with part cut.

is this stuff like hard plastic?

if so a dremel would probably work

worth a try if ya got one

and yes Holly would know just the thing to help

come home soon Holly

nutti :blink:

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It's flexible tubing, Nutti -- probably the hard stuff would be easier :blink: and I think heating would make ridge on it, but if all else fails.....

Hadn't tried the Dremel -- hadn't tried putting a dowel in there either. I've got miles of this stuff, so in Holly's absence, I'll try the the Dremel first and if that doesn't work, the dowel and then heat.

Why is it the things that should be easy are always the ones that you end up spending hours on? B)

Let y'all know whether and of these ideas works. Thanks a bunch!

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