Equipment that cuts rolls to size? Who has them?

[darlingm]

The rolls of paper and canvas seem very even and flush.  I've always assumed that there's some type of special circular saw that either cuts very large rolls down into smaller rolls, or at least cuts off a small bit at the end to make it even.  I've always assumed the same equipment could be used on cutting pages in a book once bound/glued to make those even.

If so, how common is that piece of equipment to cut rolls?  What's it called?

I ask because I'm interested in having some 24" rolls cut in half into two 12" (less a little) rolls, and although Breathing Color offers this, you have to order quite a few rolls at a time.  (Have a customer who orders lots of 12" * (X)" prints, and I wouldn't have to cut them anymore!)

Hoping if I know who would have this piece of equipment, that I might be able to find a local business that has one... Am I looking just for paper manufacturers, or larger printshops / print press shops?

(BTW, years ago, I tried a circular saw on canvas, and it left a horrible edge that smelled like burning, so that doesn't work!)

[felix5616]

Use a band saw with a fine blade. Tape the edge where the blade will cut and remove the tape after the cut.

[Randy Carone]

Mike,

What printer will you use to print borderless on a 12" roll?

[neile]

This question comes up from time to time. Here are previous threads on it:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=56010.0
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=20815.0
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=56184.0

Neil

[darlingm]

felix and neile, thank you so much, your information is better than what I was looking for since I'll be able to do that myself with the right (relatively inexpensive) equipment!  I thought you'd need some type of specialized heavy duty industrial equipment.

Randy Carone -- I won't be printing borderless.  I give this particular customer prints with white borders, for easier matting with less image loss.  So, it will actually be for images sized around 11" x 14".  Using auto cut and specifying the exact paper size desired in the driver already allows me to avoid cutting two edges, and having a roll cut to size will allow me having to cut at all.

[framah]

Just to throw something out there... How about that machine in places like Home Depot where you go buy pull down blinds for windows and they custom cut it to your length.

Go check out one at the store and see if you can  use one of them or if they make a bigger version.

[bill t.]

I thought about writing up my experiences with cutting rolls, but I decided it's unwise to do so because misunderstandings could be dangerous.  Unless you have a lot of experience with saws, don't try to cut rolls.

Just remember that all saws with 12" or smaller blades will need to make at least 2 cuts to get through a full roll of canvas, whether on 2" or 3" cores.  Be sure to plan for two cuts, and be sure the ends of the roll away from the cut are supported on both sides.  Smacking down the sawhead onto the top of a partially cut roll can lead to nasty situations.  And I just love freshly sharpened sharp blades with TCG tooth patterns.

[dgberg]

Listen to what Bill says about cutting rolls it can be dangerous.
That being said it is how I cut mine.  12" mitresaw.
I only cut certain materials, Phototex and most of my Seal laminates.
I believe the Seal distributor in NJ has a roll slitter for cutting rolls but have never used the service.
The only product I ever had problems with was a polyester gloss laminate.
After cutting it melted the material together slightly at the end cut. When unrolling it was stuck at the ends.
I had to pretty much unwind the entire roll to carefully peel apart the material.
All is well but be forewarned it does not take much to ruin a $300 roll of material if you do not know what you are doing.

[redriverpaper]

Roll converting equipment use fixed knives that tear the material as it runs from roll to roll.

These machines are for this exact purpose - larger finished rolls to smaller finished rolls. 

http://www.smartslitters.com/en/slitters.php4

[framah]

THAT is what  I'm talking about!!

Knew it had to be out there. Thanks for that red river guy!!

[bill t.]

Several years ago there was an inkjet supplier in Oakland that used to specialize in cutting down rolls into 13" and similar sizes.  It was Nirvana for us 2200 owners, we could get all the hot media in rolls.  Bytes2Print, or something?  Naturally, they went bankrupt.  I suppose they had one of those slitters because the edges of the rolls were extremely clean.

Wonder if any other supplier is doing that?  Could be a way to send the kids to college for some entrepeneur.  And then when they graduate they can come back and work for you slitting rolls.

[bill t.]

This blade and other TCG pattern blades generate much less heat than typical blades, and are a great choice for cutting plastic and other problem materials that tend to melt.  Tooth counts between 60 and 72 will give the finest cuts because material removal is more efficient that for finer tooth counts.  Not cheap, and expensive to sharpen.  But a must-have for plastic.

TCG=Triple Chip.  G stands for, gosh I don't know.

[stormyboy]

G=Grind
I was curious and went to the Amazon link you provided.
Tom

[bill t.]

Anyway, sawing canvas is sub optimal because there will always be a few dangling threads partially partially attached to the sides.  And whether or not you sand it, the sawed edge will always be a little fluffed up and likely to be contacting the printhead, if ever so gently.  Sawing should probably be limited to smooth media.