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Need a tool/machine to cut aluminum.

ocean502

New Member
Have job of 650, 4"x6" signs to do. I would like some kind of shear or table top guillotine cutter. 24" or 30" would be great. I don't want to cut by hand, like with a motorized hand tool. Any suggestions? Maybe in the $300 range. Was looking at the shear from Harbor Freight but something like a table top paper cutter is more what I want. I thought I saw one but can't seam to find it. Thanks.
 

FireSprint.com

Trade Only Screen & Digital Sign Printing
We found a cast iron foot shear on Craigslist a couple years ago for $300. 32" Wide. Works perfectly for something like this.

Otherwise, couldn't you have your supplier provide that size for you?
 

ocean502

New Member
Yes they charge me $5.00 a cut. And I need 650!! I would like to cut my own stuff easily. Thx for info!
 

Cale Frederick

New Member
We have Grimco or Alumapanel cut our stuff. They charge one cut fee for the whole order. It's usually in the $10-$15 dollar range.
 

FS-Keith

New Member
if they are charging you 5 bucks a cut on that large of a quantity find a new vendor. that should be a $60 cut fee.

if you have the room a jump shear is well worth it. Don't bother with a table top unit. you will be more frustrated then ever.
 

Mosh

New Member
We have a 52" Tensmith, it was $2,500 back 18-20 years ago when I got it.
Payed for itself the first year.
 

d fleming

New Member
Outsourcing that kind of job won't get it. You print a gang positive then cut. To outsource it you would have to have stock sheared to gang print size, print, then send out to have printed material cut to size. Either that or print the job one tiny sign at a time rather than 18 up or whatever the math works to. A shear is something you only buy once so get a good one. I am setting up to print small signs on aluminum now and it will only take a few prints to get my # desired. Most of my time will be spent setting up and breaking down the press, then on the shear cutting into individual signs, very little actual print time.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
That's just a little over 3 sheets of material. If you're counting blade width, then 4 sheets.

You say you're a sign shop, so any sign shop is going to have a table saw. Run them through in half, then set up a stop /fence and use a jig to cut them all the same way first. After that, change the jig to accommodate the other measurement and you should have these cut out in about 2 hours.

If you aren't routinely cutting these sizes or quantities why buy a piece of machinery that's just gonna collect dust the rest of the year ??
 

FireSprint.com

Trade Only Screen & Digital Sign Printing
Have job of 650, 4"x6" signs to do. I would like some kind of shear or table top guillotine cutter. 24" or 30" would be great. I don't want to cut by hand, like with a motorized hand tool. Any suggestions? Maybe in the $300 range. Was looking at the shear from Harbor Freight but something like a table top paper cutter is more what I want. I thought I saw one but can't seam to find it. Thanks.

Is every sign different? Is there some reason we can't bid this for you as a screen printed job? We might be able to print it and get it to you for less than your costs are inhouse.

Let us know

888-509-7446
-Gene
 
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