Cutting wool insulation

[iwilson16]

any tips for cutting 140mm wool insulation. Saw doesn't work. Bread knife doesn't work. Sharp kitchen knife just about works, but takes ages and is really hard work!

I have 40 570mm wide rolls I need to cut down to 420mm wide

 

[Mikefromlondon]

You need a very sharp stanley knife /blade, and press (compress) the wool where the cut is to be made, then just run your knife and it will get cut nice and smooth, place a piece of board or timber under where you are going to cut to give you a firm support for cutting.

 

[cjard]

I've never really had a problem simply putting a wood saw through the entire roll before it is unwrapped but it does tend to clog up, so cutting on the back stroke or periodically declogging it helps. Also bought one of these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bahco-PC-...321599?hash=item2cb2ccb6bf:g:iM4AAOSwYIxX5TGT

And it works really well. A tip for any sawing technique: it will be much easier if you arrange the material so that its self weight causes the cut to open up as you proceed. You may need a helper or lean another limb on the bit youre cutting off if the material doesn't have much self weight
For sawing an entire roll it can be easier to rotate it as you cut. This ensures an accurate cut too.

It's possible to cut an entire roll still wrapped using a Stanley knife, you just bend the roll open as you progressively cut

Other than at, the previous technique for unrolled wool works well: put the knife on the wool, and make a C with your other hands thumb and fingers, pressing the wool down, keep the knife at a low angle so your knuckles are skimming the wool, cut 6 inches then move your C hand along and repeat. Don't wear gloves that will snag the wool (get some free plastic ones from petrol stations) as its when it snags and bunches up it becomes a pain in the arse/interrupts your flow. You might also find it helpful to press a straight edge like a spirit level into the wol and cut along it