Question about cork

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46
Location
Mobile, AL
My wife has a bunch of wine corks, and her idea is to make a table using the corks as the top under glass. What would be the best way to cut them in half long ways? I don't have a band saw or scroll saw.
 
Bill, I suggest that you find someone with a band saw or a scroll saw who will let you use it to cut these corks. You don't want to spend the next umpty-umpt weeks trying to cut them with a hand saw--you'd have screaming fits before you finished!!
 
Or, Don't bother, just get twice as many corks and make the top a little thicker.... :rofl:

Of course, it may take more time...:bonkers::bonkers:
 
I dunno, but I think cutting them by hand wouldn't be too hard if you used a small fine-toothed saw like this one and made a little saw guide jig along the lines of this rough sketch to hold the corks:

Cork Sawing Jig.jpg
 
I would think a utility knife would be faster and easier? If they are thick, you can cut on one side,then flip it and cut the other. When the blade starts to tear the fibers, toss it and put in a new blade.
 
I may have to try that Vaughn. I just remembered that I have a thin pull saw like what plumbers use to cut pvc, I wonder how well that will work. The corks are approx. 3/4 dia. and 2 1/4 long and have different designs on them.

Cut them half long ways, glue the flat side to a piece of 1/2" cabinet grade ply, then trim around with 5/8" square stock with a recess cut to accept a piece of tempered glass. The glass will barely make contact with the corks.

Might look cool as a center piece on the dining table.
 
Bill, I'd be interested to know how you end up cutting the cork, as I have a future project doing the same thing for a bar. I was thinking of maybe using a core bit and laying the entire cork in it. This may not work if the taper on the cork is too severe. Russ
 
Good luck Bill!

You may find that the different corks are of different lengths, and diameter, this could cause some trouble with things laying flat.

Keep us posted! :wave:
 
The sizes of different corks is an issue (we have made hot pads out of half corks). Thickness (diameter) is the biggest problem - length just is a challenge in the layout pattern. We just use different diameters on different hot pads, but if you are doing a larger area, you may have a challenge to trim to constant thickness.

I recommend a hole the diameter of the cork in the end of a board, then cut it. I use a bandsaw, but the same "jig" could be used with a hand saw or knife. Choose which side you want to show as you put it in the jig.
 
What Vaughn suggest is a good idea although I wouldn't use a saw but a really sharp knife with a long and stiff blade.

You may have a to think about different ways depending on wether the cork is made out of compressed cork chips or a true cork.

Here we still have speciallised cork products shops, (but dissapearing) and they always use sharp knives not saws to work it.

I do not know if there is one in your area but if there is why not go and ask them?
 
If you need cork supplies, checkout marine supply stores, cork is used to go between the teak boards on the decking and stuff on boats. Heck you can even buy cork decking pre-cut and I think the business is Maine-Based.

I was at a bar the other day where they used Black Cherry for the top of the bar with ½ inch strips of cork laid between the 3 inch boards for contrast and expansion and contraction. Of course it was a dockside bar so they were trying to mimic that of a boats deck, but it looked nice.
 
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