# Cutting Tapered Bands



## justplainduke (May 31, 2011)

Hello all,

I just bought a rotary cutter kit with matt, ruler and cutter!

Last night I spent some time getting to know the cutter/matt by cutting my old bands into tie-down strips. the rotary cutter made short work of it, because previously I had been using scissors









I'd like to start cutting some tapered band sets from a sheet of TB gold that I have.

1) Does anyone have any tips?

2) Is it as simple as marking the rubber and cutting it?

3) Do any of you use a template?

Thanks for your advise and input


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## slingshot_sniper (Feb 20, 2011)

I can't help you but Gamekeeper John has video on just what you ask,go check it out


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## justplainduke (May 31, 2011)

Cool, thank you.

I searched the forum using the search function but couldn't find anything, I must have missed a keyword.

Thank you!!!


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## slingshot_sniper (Feb 20, 2011)

Mind you I do think there would be a market for templates made from sheet steel with lines laser cut in them for tapered and straight cut bands


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## slingshot_sniper (Feb 20, 2011)

justplainduke said:


> Cool, thank you.
> 
> I searched the forum using the search function but couldn't find anything, I must have missed a keyword.
> 
> Thank you!!!


Here's one


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## justplainduke (May 31, 2011)

I think that I'll make a couple templates.
I like things to be symetric and I don't like spending too much prescious shooting time worrying about it


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## wildwilly (Jun 10, 2011)

I use a ruler or the marks on the self sealing mat and mark with a pen then use a straight edge to lay on top of the Thera Band. Then I put the rotary wheel in front of the Thera Band next to the straight edge and roll it down with moderate pressure to cut. I also use my rotary cutter to cut the leather for my pockets and tie down strips for the bands. I use a latch hook tool for making yarn rugs to pull the ends of my tie down strips through. I saw a hold down clamp jig for tieing the bands to the pocket that I want to make with some modifications. I have been using a pair of forceps and a loop of 550 cord through the handles to the hold the bands while I pull the pocket to tie down but the jig looks like it would work a lot better. I plan on using 3 hold down clamps instead of 2 one in the center to hold the pocket and one on each side to stretch and hold the bands. Good luck it isn't as hard as it seems to cut the bands.


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## justplainduke (May 31, 2011)

Thanks WildWilly!


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## bj000 (Jul 21, 2011)

i have bands to cut too but i have not bought the rotary cutter and mat yet. i look forward to cutting and making my own bandsets.. i found a local warehouse selling 5LBS of scrap leather for 5$ .. they said they have 10 years worth of these variety bags...


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

bj000 said:


> i have bands to cut too but i have not bought the rotary cutter and mat yet. i look forward to cutting and making my own bandsets.. i found a local warehouse selling 5LBS of scrap leather for 5$ .. they said they have 10 years worth of these variety bags...


It sounds to me like a business opportunity.


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## Hit and run (May 14, 2011)

Due to variations in the latex thickness it's best to cut tapered band-sets so that the narrow part of a set comes from the same side of the sheet. Also, it's best to make band-sets from pieces that are close together / next to each other in the sheet.

If you do this you have a higher consistency between band-sets and less chance of a fork hit.

The first tapered band-set I made out of TBG had the wide side of one band next to the thin side of the other band, in the sheet. After attaching them so they were the same length unstretched. I tested if they had equal pull-force when stretched but they didn't. One had to be shortened over 1 cm to get near even strength when stretched. I've did some measuring and these bands had a 0.05mm variation in thickness which was the cause of the difference in pull-force.


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## justplainduke (May 31, 2011)

Hit and run said:


> Due to variations in the latex thickness it's best to cut tapered band-sets so that the narrow part of a set comes from the same side of the sheet. Also, it's best to make band-sets from pieces that are close together / next to each other in the sheet.
> 
> If you do this you have a higher consistency between band-sets and less chance of a fork hit.
> 
> The first tapered band-set I made out of TBG had the wide side of one band next to the thin side of the other band, in the sheet. After attaching them so they were the same length unstretched. I tested if they had equal pull-force when stretched but they didn't. One had to be shortened over 1 cm to get near even strength when stretched. I've did some measuring and these bands had a 0.05mm variation in thickness which was the cause of the difference in pull-force.


Thank you, I would have never thought of that.....I LOVE this forum! Thank to all of you.


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