1. Home
  2. misc-audio
  3. 1163602950

How to cut sorbothane?

I recently read a glowing review of Herbie's Big Fat Discs, which are 5/16" thick by 1 5/16" diameter sorbothane discs. So, I did some research and I found a huge variety of sorbothane sheets available at McMaster-Carr. I bought a 12"x12" by 1/4" sheet of 40 durometer sorbothane for $29.

Does anyone have a clever and easy method for cutting discs out of this sheet other than scissors? I was thinking of a sharpened cookie cutter type thing as a tool which could be hammered down on the sorbothane, effectively cuttting a disc...

BTW, I can get 8 discs out of this $29 12"x12" sheet (with useful scrap left over), and 8 Herbie's Big Fat Discs would cost just under $90.
tvad
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,132 posts
 
Grant- i think that your idea of just cutting some squares or rectangles is the best solution. The cost of the proper tool is only viable if you are making dozens of discs. let us know how it sounds.
tvad OP
9,467 posts
 
11-16-06: Swampwalker
Grant- i think that your idea of just cutting some squares or rectangles is the best solution. The cost of the proper tool is only viable if you are making dozens of discs. let us know how it sounds.
I believe you're right. If I happen to find a tool for $30 or so, I could conceivably make 36 discs out of the one sheet of sorbothane that I purchased for $35 shipped to me. That would more than make up for the cost of the tool.

I will let you know how it sounds. As I mentioned (I think), I plan to put them between the speaker modules of my VR4 loudspeakers. Others have commented that this makes a nice improvement.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,132 posts
 
i would think that it would work there. i have read that many folks tweak their VRs with some form of isolation btwn the cabinets.
gregm
3,021 posts
 
I plan to put them between the speaker modules of my VR4 loudspeakers
Speaking of which, Audio Physics Medea had a sheet covering the whole surface b/ween the two modules. You may wish to try that before going into further cutting?
stilljd
151 posts
 
Tvad,

Your welcome. I didn't mean to dis anyones' product. It is just a matter of playing with formulations and doing the testing to prove effectiveness. The testing can be set up up prove anything (sound audiophilish?). One isolation products site compares the product results against various common rubber compounds. Guess what has a ton of rebound (relatively speaking), common rubber compounds. When modified they would be less so.

Point is - your getting at least 95% of the isolation benefit buying and cutting the sheet for 50% of the cost. Yeh, that works. That's what I want in my gear and that is why I read this forum.

And I still am a wanna-be audiophool. I went to my local dealer today and they just started carrying McIntosh. The first question out of my mouth was how do those 501's sound with Magnepan 3.6s'. I am going back when the 3.6's are in place!

God help us.

Jim S.
More to discover