Best way to cut fingers off of boards?

[watcher6880]

Just wondering what is the best way to cut fingers off the boards? Since some are so small you could literal lose a finger let alone an entire limb.

 

[lazersteve]

For lot sizes of several hundred pounds of boards or less, I prefer the straight bladed aircraft snips. It's a work out for the hands, but the resulting fingers can be trimmed very close and free of other debris like small components and pins.

I can clip a hundred finger boards in 10-15 minutes or less.

For those of you that don't have strong hands, a large industrial sized cutter or scroll/band saw works very fast, but creates more dust (wear your mask!) and noise (ear plugs required).

If you are on a budget a simple pair of pliers or a vise works great with a little elbow grease. Wear tough gloves as these methods are rough on the hands (cuts and punctures). These tow paths create irregualr finger breaks and lots of trash in your acid later down the line. The foils tend to get caught on the breaks of the fingers when using AP, making foil clean up more difficut.

Goggles are a must when cuttitng and trimming scrap.

Steve

 

[watcher6880]

Hey thanks a bunch Steve! I just saw this tool a few months back that you plug up andit cuts anything through a pair of snippers. I will see if I can find a link and post it. Another tool was like a hand held grinder with a small diamond edged metal blade, I think made by Rigid. The only thing I worry about that is the risk of turning boards into projectiles. :shock:

 

[lazersteve]

The air shears tear the finger boards up much like using pliers to break off the fingers. The bigger problem with the shears is they have clearance issues and the fingers tend to roll up when they are trimmed, leading to the foils getting stuck in the folds during the rinse/wash phase of recovery.

Steve

 

[watcher6880]

Just wondering where I might be able to find a pair of those 8) aircraft snips?

 

[lazersteve]

Mine are kind of old:

They are made by American Tool Cos. Inc. in Beatrice, NE.

Label :

304 Snips
Prosnips ExtraCut

I googled the name on the label and found a few sets made by Irwin tools (available at some Walmarts), but they don't look to have as long of a cutting surface as mine do, but are the same type.

Mine came from a military tool supplier several years ago.

Steve

 

[watcher6880]

Wonder if harbor freight has something like this. Going over to see if I can find some in the morning. Thanks again Steve! !!!

 

[watcher6880]

Thanks Lazersteve!! I just bought a pair of wiss aircraft snips at Ace hardware. 18 bucks but it should pay for itself.

 

[lazersteve]

Hopefully you bought the kind with the straight beak as they make great straight cuts. The curved bladed ones tend to roll the finger boards as they are trimmed.

Steve

 

[watcher6880]

Yep long straight beak. Makes a clean cut. Ill post a pic in the morning.

 

[vegaswinner]

I use some good quality blue point (snap on) tin snips,,, they cut the boards like butter... Looks like the air craft snips have a slightly long cutting edge though

 

[jimmydolittle]

I used to put the board in a bench vise and break them off. I’d take a pair of diagonal pliers and score at the end of the gold plate, then set it level with that score in the vice jaw. Use a good heavy pair of gloves to protect your hand from the fiber glass, and metal objects, then bend the board until it breaks off.

 

[Marcel]

I use a device that is intended to cut paper.
Take one with good quality (strong mechanical layout, not the cheap crappy ones) I am sure you can find them at ebay for around 20-50 bucks in very good quality.
These blades almost never wear off and if so you can resharpen them.
I can cut 30-50 boards in 10 minutes. But after that I need a break... :lol: