Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ok so I have the basic idea on how to cut the holes in my system where I am needing help is slicing the foam boards into smaller rafts (ie from an 4x8 to 4-4x2s) I also need to trim the board down because i forget that as you add walls to your BG it loses size inside... So anyone that has had to cut this stuff up that could help would be awesome.

I use a 2x4 for a straight edge and a utility knife, cut through then break on an edge of a table or something then finish the cut (because the cellophane coating is still intact on the other side). Does this help?

yeah I am nervous for this too because it is pre scored board and I don't want to break it there too. I read that all it takes is a utility knife but I thought that a little odd to cut enough for a 1.75 board. I will give it a try later on this after noon and let you know if a screw it up :-)

You might also use a piece of plywood or two on either side of the cut (on a table or something on the bottom) to make sure the break is only where you want it to break.

a knife with a thin sharp blade longher than the thickness of the board, and I normally clamp the board to a table and use a wood plank to aid a straight cut, then do the cutting where the edge is sticking out of the table, start with a gentle score, if you are happy keep going down with the blade as you passon to it more time,keep repeating the slicing untill you feel the blade is gone through.
that way you should get a nice perfect edge...no bits no mess!

I have used the pink board to insulate my house with. I used a hand saw quite a bit. I found that scoring with a knife would work pretty well but occassionaly it would follow some other week point towards the ends. Nothing catastrophic, just annoyed me enough to change tactics.

Murraysam

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Sounds to me like you need a hot wire cutter CRF. If I had one I'd loan it to you , but that's one thing I don't have - yet.

hmmm now I am wondering if I could build one (and by me I mean my buddy how likes to do things like that...)

I looked into building one once and it didn't look to be very difficult. Go for it, and if I see the lights flicker I'll know what's happening

Hot wires are easy to make, but do take a bit of tuning to get them right.

I'd go with a new retractable blade and a straight edge.

A bit of water and a sharp filleting knife

EB I think that might be the way to go because that just looks fun. I bet you could do the same thing for a hoe cutter too...

Yeah, does look like fun, a guitar string and an old transformer.... easy...

I use a tablesaw, but a circular saw or a jig saw would do fine.