Cutting a Rotary Mat down to a smaller size
04-12-2021, 05:17 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Ohio
Posts: 788
Cutting a Rotary Mat down to a smaller size
Has anyone tried to cut one of the thicker, professional rotary cutting mats to a smaller size? I like the Alvin Professional mats that are almost 1/4" thick. I have a piece furniture I plan to use for my cutting space that is about 31"x16" so I want to cut about 2" off of the side of a 24"x18" mat. My husband has a table saw, but I'm not sure if that would leave a ragged edge. Any ideas?
04-12-2021, 05:24 AM
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,127
I would think you could cut it pretty easily with real tools. I would probably put a line of blue tape on it, just like you do when you cut through finish surfaces and cut through that,
I know when I have mats break (and they aren't the type you have) sometimes the edges remain rather sharp and sometimes you can get some nasty sliver pieces break off. Again, you can tape that over for a smooth edge. Maybe lightly sand?
But for many years I kept a terrible awful coffee table of fake wood and glass inserts because it was just the exactly perfect size to fit an Olfa mat and there was just enough lip of fake wood left to keep the mat in place plus it was a good height so although my posture was terrible I could sit on the couch and lean over and do my cutting relatively easily.,,
I know when I have mats break (and they aren't the type you have) sometimes the edges remain rather sharp and sometimes you can get some nasty sliver pieces break off. Again, you can tape that over for a smooth edge. Maybe lightly sand?
But for many years I kept a terrible awful coffee table of fake wood and glass inserts because it was just the exactly perfect size to fit an Olfa mat and there was just enough lip of fake wood left to keep the mat in place plus it was a good height so although my posture was terrible I could sit on the couch and lean over and do my cutting relatively easily.,,
04-12-2021, 06:29 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: North Central PA
Posts: 329
I used a jigsaw to trim mine down to a size that fit on a table top, then used a sharp knife to trim off the bits of melted mat. It didn't get on the saw blade. I put the cut edge on the backside of the table.
04-12-2021, 10:17 AM
#8
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 3
another option to cutting mat
Another way to do it could be to cut a piece of plywood the size of your mat, plus an inch or so extra. Then attach some aluminum right angle pieces along the back and on one side (I put on the left as I am right handed) with the "flat side" facing the mat. This holds the mat in place and also gives a nice place to rest your ruler when you are cutting strips.
04-12-2021, 10:46 AM
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 8,145
I ran mine through the table saw with no trouble, but don't know what blade my husband put on it.
I took two 36x36 mats and cut them in half so I could put them on the back side of my LA table. That makes a great cutting area for when I need to trim up a quilt after quilting, since it's 12' of cutting length.
I took two 36x36 mats and cut them in half so I could put them on the back side of my LA table. That makes a great cutting area for when I need to trim up a quilt after quilting, since it's 12' of cutting length.
04-12-2021, 12:33 PM
#10
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Outside St. Louis
Posts: 38,213
Years ago I set my hot iron on my fiskars cutting mat. It ruined a piece in the middle. I took a utility knife with a metal ruler and cut that section out. I had an old sink cut out I used it to lay the mat on. I kept going back cutting until it was cut through. I had two smaller cutting mats and used them for a long time.
