Cutting a Chalkboard - Is It Feasible?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of cutting a large chalkboard (4'x14') into two smaller pieces (4'x7') for easier transport and installation in an apartment. Participants explore the material composition of the chalkboard and the methods that could be used for cutting it, considering various possibilities such as ceramic, glass, slate, or wood.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether the chalkboard is actually ceramic, suggesting it might be glass instead.
  • Another participant proposes that blackboards could be similar to slate and suggests scoring and cutting it like tile.
  • There is speculation that the board might be wood painted with blackboard paint, which could be cut with a saw.
  • A participant shares their experience with cutting slate from recycled blackboards, describing a specific type of saw that could be used for cutting ceramic materials as well.
  • Concerns are raised about the difficulty of cutting steel-coated wood, with one participant expressing hope that a hacksaw wouldn't be necessary.
  • A humorous suggestion is made to scribe both sides of the board and give it a swift kick, although it is noted that this may not work if the board has a laminar construction.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the material composition of the chalkboard, with no consensus on whether it is ceramic, glass, slate, or wood. The feasibility of cutting methods also remains contested, with various opinions on the best approach depending on the material.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention different cutting techniques and tools based on assumptions about the material, which may not be accurate. The discussion reflects uncertainty regarding the actual composition of the chalkboard and the implications for cutting it.

IHateMayonnaise
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Hello friends,

I am in the process of acquiring a 4'x14' blackboard for free. The problem: it's a 4'x14' blackboard. I want a one for my apartment, however something of this magnitude would challenge the dimensions of my living quarters (not to mention I would have to rent a uhaul to move it). My question: how feasible would it be to cut the board in two to make two 4'x7' blackboards?

I imagine that cutting ceramic would be an arduous task to say the least, seeing as how it is the same material used as brake pads for many supercars. Also I am not sure what the ceramic is mounted on (stainless?) and how that will affect the cutting. All I want to know is whether or not this is worth my trouble, basically. I will clearly seek the advice of professions in the near future, but I thought Id throw it out here first :)

Smooches,
IHateMayonnaise
 
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Are you sure it is ceramic? Chalkboards I have dealt with were surprisingly, glass.
 
Integral said:
Are you sure it is ceramic? Chalkboards I have dealt with were surprisingly, glass.

That's a good question..

it looked like what I think a ceramic board looks like. Then again, I am no expert. Seems to be made of the same material as what they used at all the schools I went to
 
Aren't blackboards a bit like slate, surely you could just score and cut it like a tile (only an a larger scale.
 
Or it might just be wood, painted in blackboard paint.

In any event, it's not made of anything you can't cut. If it's wood, use a saw. If it's glass, use a glass cutter. If it's ceramic, use a tile saw or tile cutter.
 
brewnog said:
Or it might just be wood, painted in blackboard paint.

In any event, it's not made of anything you can't cut. If it's wood, use a saw. If it's glass, use a glass cutter. If it's ceramic, use a tile saw or tile cutter.


killer that's the answer i was looking for. thanks yall
 
My new kitchen counter-top is slate from recycled blackboards recovered from an old school. You can rent a saw to cut slate. I borrowed one from a nice flooring guy in town. It looks like a miniature skill saw with a diamond blade and a long piece of Tygon tubing with a garden hose fitting and a valve to supply cooling water to the blade. If the board you have is not slate, but a ceramic material with a matte glaze, that water-cooled saw would cut that as well.
 
Blackboards are rarely made of slate anymore. New single-purpose boards are usually wood clad with steel sheet, and coated with a rough paint. Dual-sided boards with a whiteboard are sometimes made of coated glass.
 
Steel coated wood...that sounds like the most undesirable material to cut. Hopefully you don't have to resort to a hack saw!
 
  • #10
Scribe both sides and give it a swift kick. This won't work worth a crap if its laminar construction, but, will make you feel better.
 

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