Any ideas how to cut this?

[steve_g]

Anyone have an idea how to cut a hole in a book like this? I haven’t seen the book in person, just this photo. Based on an attempt to drill paper many years ago, I’m assuming routing won’t work!

Thanks!

SG

[srwtlc]

Do they want to be able to open it once done? Glue it shut and once cured cut it with a fresh compression bit. Spray the pages with some hardener or lacquer and clamp shut. Get some extras to test on. Laser cut and try to keep it from going up in flames. ;-)

[Keith Larrett]

I cut up a bunch of books a couple years ago. A local artist brought them to my workshop and asked if I could cut shapes out from them. This was before I had my CNC so I used my bandsaw. It wasn't a big deal. Lot of fun actually. The most difficult part was keeping the pages from spreading. I just kept the book clamped closed as tight as I could with my hands while cutting. I was using a very thin blade with the Carter Stabilizer so I was able to make pretty intricate cuts similair to a scroll saw.

If I were trying something like what you show in the picture I would figure out some sort of jig to clamp the book shut as tight as possible while exposing the cross area that needed to be cut out. The tighter the book is held shut the more it will be like regular wood.

[guitarwes]

scroll saw

[BowenJ]

Theoretically if you sandwiched the book between two boards and screwed/clamped them together really tight then it shouldn’t be too hard to cut all the way through it like that, you just have to cut through at least one of the boards, too.