How to cut license plates??

Question

I have a bunch of old license plates I am going to be cutting up for an art project. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to cut these plates? I have been told that regular tin snips would work but some said to use a band saw that has a metal blade. I am going to be cutting these plates and making a map of the united states for my son's room but not sure what will work best. My father in law has a band saw and if I buy a metal blade I guess that would work but dont know. Any ideas???? Thanks.

Answer 1

Tin snips work good, but some plate like OHIO are thick steel and might require something heavier, or maybe an angle grinder

Answer 2

Go with a good pair of tin snips.  I think they would be safer, and you can take your time.

Answer 3

use a die grinder, i can cut 5 at a time with mine

Answer 4

BUT REALLY nailed it....... Use the band saw with a metal blade.... It'll go so mich quicker.

What was wrong with the hot knife trick?  Ohhhh for a license 'Plate' not a 'Drivers' license lol  

Answer 5

tin snips will work but it might bend the plate while cutting you could try a hack saw or saws all

Answer 6

If you have *LOTS* of plates to cut, or other metal projects, you may wist to invest in a cutting torch (acetylene).

If you use the band saw, you may need a very fine blade.

Answer 7

Tin snips.

Answer 8

Get a knife and put it over a flame for about a minute, to make sure its hot, then apply it to the license plate, it will melt through the license plate and therefore cut it up into the shape you like. hope that helped!

Anyone answer mines!

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Answer 9

The bandsaw will be much quicker if you get the right blade.  The biggest problem with a bandsaw is that it stands a chance of 'catching' on the license plate and bending it out of shape or chipping the enamel on the painted side.  

The way to avoid this is to make sure you have a sharp, metal-cutting blade with a lot of teeth (32 teeth per inch or more).  And make sure the little circle where the blade actually meets the bandsaw table surface has an insert in it (ie. make sure that little circular hole where the blade passes through the table has something in it to back up the place where the pressure of the cut is being applied most).  Usually these little removable inserts are made out of a soft cast metal or acrylic plastic. Other than that, make sure the bandsaw is supported properly on the floor or table and that it doesn't wobble when you are working on it.  Butchers use bandsaws to cut through meat and bone.  Fingers are made out of the same stuff.  So remember to go slow when pushing the plates through the blade.  

If you use tin-snips, use gloves. Otherwise you will cut the fire out of your hands.  Tin snips will mess up the edges more, will stand a greater chance of chipping the enamel on the finished side, and you will have to make a lot of extra 'access cuts' to do a nice job.  Either way, you will have to dress (blunt) the sharp edges when you are done, but the bandsaw will leave an easier edge to clean up.  

BTW, a good way to clean up the edges is a belt sander turned upside down on a workbench with an 80-grit belt and the switch clicked to where it stays running without having to hold the trigger in.  

Go slow when you dress the edges on the beltsander, and don't press hard, or you will be cutting the belts and spend more time replacing them than completing your project.  Belts are expensive!  If you don't have a belt sander, you will need to clamp the plates to a workbench and blunt the sharp edges with a file or a sanding block.

You probably already realized this, but some of these answers are pretty silly.  Anyone who really thinks an acetelene torch or a hot knife (note: giggle) would be a practical solution to cut license plates should probably avoid the workshop environment altogether.  

Anyway, good luck.

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