# Trade Material for a acrylic "comb"



## Charles Wong (Jan 5, 2009)

Not sure where to put this. 

I have material to trade for a job, acrylic pieces from 1/4" to 3/4" thick, clear cast none of it extruded, a size that is shippable, cutting board material, UHMW 1/2" and 3/4" thick.

What I need and can't make is a "comb", 1/2" on center, cut with a 1/4" router bit about 2 1/2" long on a piece of supplied acrylic about 24"l x 6"w x 3/4" thick. The slots have to be 1/4" wide for my Whiteside pattern spiral bit to follow which is less than 1/4" wide. This is for making "teeth" on aquarium walls for water to flow out of but not the livestock. 

LMK if you want to do this and we can make arrangements


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## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

Will consider if you can't find a fabricator near you.
I would not want any more plastic, however.
Would need some tolerances.
Can cut AC.
Ok to mail [email protected]
Note you don't have enough material between tines to prevent deflection with use, even with 3/4" material. Moreover, the material remaining (between the slots) the will be chattered, perhaps royally.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

lemonyx said:


> Not sure where to put this.
> 
> I have material to trade for a job, acrylic pieces from 1/4" to 3/4" thick, clear cast none of it extruded, a size that is shippable, cutting board material, UHMW 1/2" and 3/4" thick.
> 
> ...


Hi Charles, just exactly what are you using? acrylic or UHMW(PE)?


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

High Charles,

I agree with pat. I think you will probably get too much deflection in the fingers. You can always try and see if we are wrong, I been wrong before.
Where are you located?
Mike


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## Charles Wong (Jan 5, 2009)

I'm in Portland,OR. 

Thinking about using the 3/4" material for the jig but I hadn't thought about the deflection. That would mean aluminum then.

I tried using a Harbor Freight cheap dovetail and took off the plate to try and use that but that didn't work out


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## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

If you can produce a shop drawing and you need indusrial quality find a metal fabricator set=up time might be expensive for one so get several made and sell them on a fish tank forum


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Charles,
I'm in the Dallas, Texas area. Just thought if you were close I would at least try cutting a short test piece for you to try.
Mike


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## digitless (Jan 28, 2012)

Just throwing this out there and I'm not sure if I understand the problem correctly (I'm a visual person who works best with blueprints or drawings), but I assume that you're trying to make 1/4" wide cuts that are 2 1/2" long, right?

Would it not be easier to do this on a table saw using a dado or wide-kerf blade? It might be a challenge on the saw due to the depth of cut, but perhaps a router is the wrong tool to do this with.


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## Charles Wong (Jan 5, 2009)

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. 

This is what I need to do on the edge of a sheet of acrylic. Short pieces are doable on my router table and the Incra Jig for spacing

















But when the pieces get over 30" wide, it's impossible! Thought that a simple "comb" jig and setup like a dove tail jig sort of, I can just follow the jig and cut the "teeth" out.

So instead of 1/2" on centers how about making the jig on 1" on center and 1 5/8" long so there will be some extra "meat" between the pins and less deflection?
And I just have to make a second cut.

Mike, every Thanksgiving we get over to TX and sometimes to Waco. Mother-in-law is in Burton,TX


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## Charles Wong (Jan 5, 2009)

Here's another shot










These are 1/2" on center, 1/4" wide, 1 1/4" long/deep. This is how the water gets out of the tank and critters are kept out

This piece was 36" long and had to jury rig the table to make it work, one mistake and it's expensive. On longer pieces it's too hard to push and pull against the fence just because of the weight of the material, so I thought a "jig" would make this easier but I have limited space and not the right equipment to make a jig myself.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

lemonyx said:


> Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
> 
> This is what I need to do on the edge of a sheet of acrylic. Short pieces are doable on my router table and the Incra Jig for spacing
> 
> ...


Hi Charles,
My son and daughter-in-law live in Waco, not sure where Burton is but I've probaply been through there.

I know what you are making, I have salt tanks.

You say you have an Incra Jig, just make a short template to make a longer template with. Shift the template until you get the length you want. After you cut the first fingers of the big template try to use it, if it doesn't work then don't make the whole template, if it works then finish your template.
Mike


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## Charles Wong (Jan 5, 2009)

Mike

My sister-in-law lives in Waco and Burton is 1hr no of Houston and 30min east of College station and 2 1/2hrs from Waco

The problem is my current router table is only 24" x 30" with the jig on one side, so make for a very small work area and trying to push/pull the material straight is tedious without a miter gauge.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Charles,
Don't try to cut on your work piece. 
Make a small template (6"-12"l x 1/4"+- thk) to make a bigger template with, cut it with your Incra Jig.
You should be able to handle a 24"l x 6"w x 3/4" with the small template dbl stick taped to it to make the larger template, cut with a bushing and straight bit. Make several passes at different depths in your template material since it is thick. Try out this small section of template before you go any farther to make sure you don't have a lot of deflection in the fingers, If it works then cut the rest of your template. if not you did at least try.

Mike


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