G10 best practices

So over this last weekend I ripped out the traveler track on my cat.
I've just received 1 sq foot of 1/2" G10 and I have a few questions.

Best way to cut it?
Tile saw would be best, but I don't have one.
Diamond blade in my circular saw? (do I need to be outside with a respirator and a paint suit?)
Saber saw with metal blade?

Best way to drill and tap.
Standard size drill bit or under sized?
Glue screws in place?
Use #10-24 or #10-32?

Any help would be, well helpful.

Les

 

diamond wet saw works quite well, but in its absence carbide will suffice. ive butterflied some 5" thick stock by making many passes through the table saw with a 60-tooth carbide blade, cutting maybe 1/4" at a time. I do wear long sleeves and a full respirator with carbon filters as the epoxy stinks when heated, and try to grab as much of the dust with a vac attached to the saw. the key to blade longevity is to keep it as cool as you can so be patient. G10 is going to eat blades though, don't even think about using the blade for wood again without re-sharpening. ive tried various jig saw blades but they all burned up pretty quickly, for scroll work on relatively thin stock id use a band saw. not sure id trust threading it for high loads but then I have no experience trying it.

 

It is best to buy suitable tools, diamond blade wet saws work well and don't need to cost a fortune, i bought mine at a pawn shop. But what i find works the best all around is a $200 diamond blade on the bandsaw. When I first started using the stuff we used carbide blade dry and it was really an exercise in frustration, then a hand held wet saw which cut fine but hard to use when making small parts and you cant see your line with all the water and swarf, then a stationary wet saw which is good for small parts where you can use the fence but the bandsaw just rules for everything and I don't use the wet saws at all anymore. Perfection for me would be a dedicated wet bandsaw, currently we are using the same bandsaw we use for wood and just change to the diamond blade, dust collection works marginally ok but wet would be better.

Steve.

 

I would have used a wet tile saw if I had one, but I don't...
next choice was a diamond cutoff blade but I was worried about excessive dust.

I ended up using a LENOX T-Shank Diamond Grit Jigsaw Blade, it lasted the 24" if cutting I needed to do.

Thank's for the suggestions.

Les

 

Use a diamond cutoff blade on an angle grinder and use it wet. A very slow trickle from a garden hose is primitive, but effective. So is a big, wet, soaked sponge, squeezed occasionally, near the work.

 

Hello les

About your G10, Ah yes yummy stuff. I just use a carbide edged bosch jig saw blade. Cuts like butter and meets the budget. We use lots of this every day and find this works just fine. They chew right through it. You can hold a vacuum close to the cut or have someone hold it for you. Always clamp it to a bench when cutting and definitely clamp when drilling by hand or in a drill press. I use a standard metal cutting drill bit and you should be able to drill half a dozen holes before it too dull. Last week I drilled some 3/4" holes in 5/8" G10 for cleat backer blocks, lots of fun. Be careful if you use a table saw, I saw a guy cutting 3/4" G10 and the leading edge of the saw kerf was turning orange then a few teeth came off the blade. Not a good idea! We no longer use a table saw on this stuff. Grit edge band saw blades get the job done too but aren't cheap and you need a band saw to go with them. And last but not least wear a dust mask and at least well fitting gloves. This stuff is nasty to work with but sure is rugged. We tested it once with a 30/06 rifle, yep the bullets just hit and mushroomed barely leaving a mark. Yes we get bored here once in a while! Hope this helps and have fun...g

 

You are much better working with diamond tools, wet, carbide grit tools, dry are ok as long as they are slow moving tools like a jigsaw or sawzall. Using high speed carbide tipped blades like a tablesaw is just downright dangerous and irresponsible. We use a diamond grit bandsaw blade that has paid for itself many times over in labor savings.G10 is not cheap and it is worth investing a few hundred $$ in proper tools for working it. Any boat shop and pretty much any amateur building his own boat will already own a bandsaw.

Steve.