Cutting cover plates

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mdshunk

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From time to time, for various reasons, it can sometimes become necessary to trim a sliver off the edge of a cover plate. I normally use nylon cover plates. What do you use to trim them? I've considered trying a giloutine type paper cutter, but havn't tried it yet.

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(hopefully you can figure out a way to not comment on the general practice of trimming cover plates, and whether that's good or bad).
 

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
mdshunk said:
(hopefully you can figure out a way to not comment on the general practice of trimming cover plates, and whether that's good or bad).

THE LISTING AND LABELING!!!!!!!.....HOW DARE YOU VIOLATE THE LISTING AND LABELING!!!!!






;)
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
480sparky said:
I typically use P&S cover plates. They're soft enough to cut with either tin snips or kitchen scissors.
I use the same plates, and that's how I cut them now. The cut can sometimes get a little jagged and not 100% as straight as I'd like. Normally, it would be butted up tight to something straight, which is why the paper cutter thing-a-ma-bob came to mind.
 

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
mdshunk said:
Normally, it would be butted up tight to something straight, which is why the paper cutter thing-a-ma-bob came to mind.

Do you have to cut plates often enough to make hauling a paper cutter around worthwhile?
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
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Right here.
peter d said:
Do you have to cut plates often enough to make hauling a paper cutter around worthwhile?
Well, in between times, I could cut some paper too. :D

No, honestly, if I'm going to need to cut a plate I normally know about it ahead of time or have a gut feeling based on a certain guy's history.
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
I use p&s also I have found that a chop saw works very well.
Make sure you have all safety stuff on. I let the blade ramp up to full r p m and slowly cut the plate, then trim off any melted plastic with a knife. Using the chop saw leaves a straight edge since you have the back stop to square to. DO NOT TRY THIS WITH THE HARD PLASTIC ONES
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
peter d said:
Do you have to cut plates often enough to make hauling a paper cutter around worthwhile?

Cm'on, dude..... Marc has every electrical tool known to man. Now he's trying to introduce office supplies in to the truck!:grin:
 

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
480sparky said:
Cm'on, dude..... Marc has every electrical tool known to man. Now he's trying to introduce office supplies in to the truck!:grin:

Yes, I'm sure he'll put the paper cutter right next to the fax machine, copier, micro film projector, typewriter, etc etc....
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
peter d said:
Yes, I'm sure he'll put the paper cutter right next to the fax machine, copier, micro film projector, typewriter, etc etc....
No, the only thing even close to office supplies I have are a few paperclips, pens, pencils, Sharpies, and one of those staplers you hold in your hand. Oh, couple clipboards, but they're used for stuff.
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
480sparky said:
Kitchen appliance to follow.... :grin:
Well, if you remember right, I did ask a while back about mounting a microwave on the truck. It really taunts people when you walk through a confined jobsite with a bag of freshly popped microwave popcorn.
 

al hildenbrand

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
Occupation
Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
6151.jpg


Marc, I'm partial to a 24 grit sanding disc in the 4?" grinder. Besides the removal of excess to a straight line, I can knock down highpoints and do inside bevels and curves, what ever.

I keep a wide selection of accessories in the grinder case for all the other uses besides custom shaping of plates.
 

tyha

Senior Member
Location
central nc
mark with a lead pencil and use a porta ban. it does it the best with the least amount of breaking. sometimes i used to use a small file to even it out but for the most part with the portaban it looks as if it was factory done. make sure you cut it laying face up not standing up
 

mivey

Senior Member
I have used: hacksaw (on old plates), belt sander, Dremel tool, Fein, file, knife, Rotozip.

Others that should work: pavement/block, band saw, soldering iron, bench grinder, Sawzall or jigsaw

Never thought about scissors or a paper cutter as I would have thought they would have caused a split.
 

e57

Senior Member
Put on one of theses:
faceshield.jpg




Then step to one of these:
tinycompoundmitersaw_makita.jpg


And make sure to keep your chin down so the shield does not expose your neck. Align your cut with the blade, clamp down the plate.... Start the saw and bring to speed, and ever so gently and slowly bring the saw down and through. Oh I forgot - you should check both the back-blast area, and insurance before you start.

Or.....
random_orbit_sander.jpg

It will make you less nervous, and take longer - either way it is a misuse of tools.
 
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