# Cutting flyscreen



## smacdonald (Mar 2, 2009)

Hi all,

I need to buy a roll of aluminium flyscreen (30m by 1.2m). I then want to leave this rolled up and cut it into three, so I end up with three strips that are 30m by 0.4m. Buying a roll is easy. Finding someone to cut it is the tricky bit. Anyone have any ideas on where I can get this done? I'd really rather not have to unroll it and cut it by hand. Aside from the tedium, manually cutting it won't give me nice straight edges.

Thoughts?


Stewart
PS: I'm using this to create drift-lines for some pit-trapping I'm about to start.


----------



## BrownHash (Mar 2, 2009)

Planning on building fence lines for some trapping?

I use a sabre saw when cutting rolls. I've also used a long handle pruner, but it tends to squash the roll a bit.

You should be able to hire a sabre saw somewhere.


----------



## Sturdy (Mar 2, 2009)

hack saw?


----------



## Egernia (Mar 2, 2009)

There are nifty little flymesh cutters that are pretty cheap. They are small plastic handle with two blades inside that you pull backwards over the mesh. They give a smooth cut but not necessarily a straight cut. Ask at a hardware store to see if they are available.

Failing that a straight edge and knife should do the trick. Sure aluminium mesh is tougher than fibreglass but not that tough!!


----------



## Duke (Mar 2, 2009)

+1 for a sharp knife. It's what the attendants use at places like Mitre10


Ooo... just read that you want to cut a 30m strip lengthways.... That's a difficult task...
You might need to rig up some winch system that slowly turns two rolls. So as one unrolls, it starts a new roll. Then just set a heavy weight on a blade where you want it.
I'm sure there's some industrial method that'd be much easier, but I can't recall one off the top of my head.


And re-read it again. So you want to keep it rolled up, and slice it like a cream roll 
I'm thinking a brand new sharp hacksaw is the way to go, as mentioned above.
With your original roll, wrap it tightly in some form of plastic. Maybe even gladwrap will do the trick, just to keep the roll tight.


----------



## Snake_Whisperer (Mar 2, 2009)

The easist way without going through a lot of trouble, effort and money is a hacksaw. very fast, cuts clean,and is fairly quick. Just remember to secure either side of your cut before cutting so the roll doesn't take off on ya!


----------



## cracksinthepitch (Mar 2, 2009)

Oxy torch say tip no8 and cut no worries. Bit excessive but why not. I think the hacksaw is more likely to rip instead of cut unless you buy a extremely high TPI rating. What about the humble tin snip or wiss snips. Doesn't sound like an easy job but often cutting metal products isnt.
Now that i have reread it take the roll to a sheetmetal factory and they will have a press that they will be able to cut it with easy as pie and to exact measurements, it will squish it but you will be able to roll it again


----------



## stuartandconnie (Mar 2, 2009)

hav u got a mate with a band saw with a steel blade that will do the whole roll


----------



## Sdaji (Mar 3, 2009)

With a large straight-edged object such as a 1m ruler or a length of wood it really wouldn't take long with a sharp blade. If the piece of wood was 40cm wide and about 4' long it would be easy and you'd likely end up with a better result than trying to cut it while it's rolled up. I've cut countless pieces of the stuff and it's pretty easy to get sharp edges; even easier than checking the date of a forum post!


----------



## JasonL (Mar 3, 2009)

I just use scissors? It's easy to cut?


----------



## -Peter (Mar 3, 2009)

If you want to cut it without unrolling it then use a bandsaw. The blades on a conventional wood bandsaw will work and in all likelihood remain undamaged as they are harder than the aluminium. I do this occasionally without mishap.


----------



## geckodan (Mar 3, 2009)

Bring it with you next time your around and we'll cut it on the bandsaw.


----------



## Surfcop24 (Mar 3, 2009)

I cut some this morning.... With some Kitchen Scissors... You know the ones you cut chicken bones with.... Easy As...


----------



## smacdonald (Apr 5, 2009)

Thanks for all the suggestions (and the one snide comment - you know who you are). I didn't want to cut 120m of the stuff by hand, so I found a metalworks in Moranbah that cut it on one of their big, manly machines. I should add that workplace health and safety rules prevented me from handling scissors or any other sharp objects (including Sdaji's wit) during this process. They're so paranoid that I have to put a cork on my fork when I eat lunch.


Thanks again,

Stewart


----------

