Cool tread patterns
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,873
Likes: 25
Cool tread patterns
Call me cheap. But I've cut grooves in race tires before with my right angle grinder and a 1/8 stone. So you know those way expensive tires with the way expensive tread pattern? ......what if...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,116
Likes: 5
From: Livonia MI
Not really sure what you're going for, but I too have done some grooving in track rubber for wet days. I lay out a pattern with templates and paint markers, then go at it with an Ideal #125 hot grooving iron. Like a knife through butter, and no dusty mess. Actually kinda fun.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 14,935
Likes: 3,343
From: NYC NY
What if what? I don't understand. 
If you're talking about how the major tire manufacturer's make "special or custom tread patters" they lay a template over the tire and cut it by hand with special cutting knives (which cut through the rubber like a hot knife through butter
). At least that's how someone that I watched from BF Goodrich did it at SEMA on a Chip Foose Overhaulin' build. Amazingly he did it pretty quick too.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,873
Likes: 25
yes....I should explain. cut some cool v-pattern in my cooper cobras. haven't cut them yet. the stone is messy, and slow as well. so the hot knife is fast? cool. Ive got friends. I thought of a template, but figured i could just make 1" lines and copy them. And I thought I was out of my mind.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,116
Likes: 5
From: Livonia MI
You're really wanting to get an Ideal 125 hot grooving iron, if doing this kind of work. Super easy, and can set depth so not cutting into the cords. The kit usually comes with #4 round loop cutters, but prefer the #3 square jobs myself.
