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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
tvad OP
9,467 posts
 
I have some miscellaneous pieces remaining. They are about 1/2"x1/2" and shaped like four pointed stars. Imagine a square with four circles cut out. The remaining "star" in the middle is what I have. I use a couple sets of these starfish footers under power supplies. If anyone is interested in some sets of four, I will offer them for the cost of mailing plus a small handling fee to cover the padded mailing envelope and my time to go to the Post Office. Basically, I want to get the leftover stuff out of my office, and I hate to throw it away (or store it).

These are really great tweaks, and available for less than a good deli sandwich. :)
riffer
362 posts
 
Do you have any pictures of the completed discs you can post somewhere? I wouldn't mind seeing how they turned out with the punch.
tvad OP
9,467 posts
 


01-14-07: Riffer
Do you have any pictures of the completed discs you can post somewhere?
I can email photos if you send me your email address.
herbies
9 posts
 
Herbie's Big Fat Dots are NOT Sorbothane, and have virtually no similarity to Sorbothane. Big Fat Dots are a unique blend of barium sulfate-filled platinum-cured silicones and vinyl siloxanes. They are not "squishy" like Sorbothane, but rather are a very firm, vibration blocking material. (And, by the way, the raw materials themselves are quite expensive.) Please do not compare Herbie's products with others; it's like comparing apples to soda pop.

Thank you very much,

Steve Herbelin
Herbie's Audio Lab
tvad OP
9,467 posts
 
To describe all sorbothane generally as squishy is not accurate. Sorbothane (or ultra-soft polyurethane) is squishy or firm...depending on the durometer, which ranges from 30 to 70: 30 being about like a racquetball and 70 being similar to a pencil eraser.

For more info, search "sorbothane" on www.mcmaster.com.

Earlier in the thread, I stated that Herbie's Big Fat Dots are sorbothane. This was erroneous, and I should have been more careful about that statement. For that I extend my apologies to Steve (Herbie's).

It still may be valuable for those interested to compare the Big Fat Dots to sorbothane of a similar firmness. One never knows what's going to work best in any given system.
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