How to Cut Blinds - DIY Custom Blinds

[@leahleloup]

Thanks for the helpful video! Wanted to share that if anyone is planning on cutting blackout blinds, it may be helpful to do a faster cut. I followed these steps and the blackout plastic inside the blinds melted from the heat of the saw and fused them together, which was difficult to correct.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Yeah good point thanks for the tip. This is great feedback, I will tag your comment so it’s always at the top. Thanks again…

[@robfrancis2195]

I saw this comment and changed my method. I actually cut them quickly (Not slow like in the video) as you would with a piece of wood. I didn’t want prolonged exposure to heat from the blade. Then I basically opened/stretched out the blinds to make sure that they wouldn’t stick together. Surprisingly, I waited like 5 minutes and they were slightly sticky/fused together already, but I was still able to pull them apart without much issue. I imagine that if I stretched out the blinds within a minute then it would’ve been even easier or they wouldn’t have fused together at all. Just a tip that seemed to work for me.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

@@robfrancis2195 you are correct t best to stretch them out right after cutting. The material I believe has some plastics and as you said does melt a little

[@MrShawniffer]

This is a great idea, I need to shorten mine after a window replacement and my miter saw is probably the last saw I thought of using. Thank you!

[@LonghornWorkshop]

No problem just make sure it’s all plastic…

[@julietphillips1991]

Nice, simple fix! I like that zero clearance tape trick on the miter saw...it works! Now you have your shade and/or privacy!

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks Juliet, it was good to take care of this quick fix. It’s been on the list for a long time now. Thanks again

Hello my friend, I love these do-it-yourself ideas. Metal connections look very strong. The natural setting in the garden from the window was also great. Thank you for showing the shutter assembly and cutting in detail. Stay healthy and happy. See you soon. Your friend Mehmet. Kind regards.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thank you very much, really appreciate your support

@@LonghornWorkshop see you my friend. be happy.

[@michaeldean5521]

Thanks for the advice on trimming cellular shades - I am going to try it today with narrow window that is too narrow for the store to cut for me

[@LonghornWorkshop]

@@michaeldean5521 just make sure it does not have any metal or operating mechanism where you make the cuts. Just double check everything before making the cut.

[@steffanwilkins]

Used this technique.. Similar blinds, worked a treat.. My experience! ❤

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Awesome thanks for leaving the comment!

[@justincase9281]

This really is a great help. Thank you for sharing it.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

@@justincase9281 thanks

[@wwfera00]

Miter saw for the win. Super clean smooth cuts 👍

[@FridayWorkshop]

Great video. Love the blue tape trick for zero clearance. I'll have to try that.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks appreciate that, I probably know this but you google FastCap Zero Clearance Tape, I heard I s good, but I have never used it

[@anrivera1975]

Worked like a charm. Thanks

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Great and thanks for the feedback

[@theawesumworld9564]

Thanks man used this video and it went great.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks and appreciate that you left a comment

[@LukeLjJames]

Thanks bro , must seem simple to you but some of us have no clue - wicked video

[@LukeLjJames]

What is the blind you used called ? Any link to it please?

[@stunningmisadventures]

Wow, this is awesome!! This is a difficult DIY bug you made it look so easy! I like the type of blinds you chose!

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks and yeah love these cordless blinds.

[@FixitFingers]

Not seen those before, that is very cool and easy to install 👍

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Yeah cordless is the way to go.

[@MarkMcCluney]

That's a super little blind, I've never seen one like that before. I don't think I'd have had the courage to attack it with the mitre saw! That was fun Harki, thanks for sharing mate.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks Mark, actually you can cut it with a very sharp kitchen knife but no ones got time for that…🤣

[@polarlab113]

This guy makes it not only look easy he shows that it is easy. No screwing around just concise clear instructions and good installation practices.the tape trick is so simple but important.I use it all the time for finish carpentry

[@BaeLasso]

Very clean cut, cool!

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks appreciate you visiting and commenting

[@chriscarstens523]

Thanks for the video. I'm about to give it a try.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks hope it all goes well

[@TigerNgtMare]

Nice!!! Very helpful video!!! Thank you!!!

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks

[@thunderpop20]

We need some in our front room lounge room have to wait

[@Austeration]

Nice one 👍 saves time and money. I like it.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Absolutely, having it made custom would have been really expensive and all they would have done is what anyone can do but they have special blades.

[@polarlab113]

Excellent video.some of these are so convoluted and confusing you my friend are very good. No nonsense just plain clear methods that work.I just today bought a blind at habitat store and need to do this exact same thing how simple can you get thanks a lot

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks appreciate that. That’s cool that you found one at the habitat store

[@naptimecreations]

Awesome, you always make the coolest projects 😁😁😁

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks appreciate that. This was a really easy one, which makes a change

[@naptimecreations]

@@LonghornWorkshop most definitely 😁😁😁

[@metalartRestoration123]

Helpful video mate good tip putting the tape on before cutting.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks mate

[@SujMenon]

Good stuff Harki. That was some steady hand at the mitre saw. One mistake, and that might mess up the whole thing.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Lol you know it, I got ice running through my blood…🤣

[@nbpt1000]

what kind of blade is recommended on the miter saw? I am thinking a very fine toothed blade.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

@@nbpt1000 just a normal wood cutting blade, the more teeth the better.

[@stephenjackson1368]

Nice explanation- easy to follow

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks !!

[@den-yc3hv]

Nice ! I have to do a metal one . Thinking the same way just need a blade that cuts metal .

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks and yeah a metal saw blade should work I would think.

[@johnsonluk3468]

Do you think it will work on the blackout version where it has the plastic film within the cellular paper material?

[@LonghornWorkshop]

I think it should work, however ever tried it so can’t say for sure. I guess you can try and just take a little off and see what happens. The cellular ones I had did have some plastic material inbuilt into the cellular.

[@travischristensen5385]

What kind of blade is in your saw? Do the cells of those blinds have any plastic like material in them? I tried this and cut through some cellular blinds like yours nice and slow like you demonstrated but the cells melted together ruining the blinds.

[@travischristensen5385]

I tried wetting the cells to prevent heating but that didn’t work for me.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

@@travischristensen5385 it’s just a wood saw blade. My blinds does have some plastic like material and the ends it stick together a little bit but they don’t melt. Maybe you were going a little two slow?

[@moniquerich5743]

Great job!

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks

[@silver60618]

I have a sliding mitre saw, is it better to slide the cut or chop down?

[@LonghornWorkshop]

I think it’s better to chop down. My saw is a slider as well but I chopped down to make the cut. Good luck 👍

[@rvlostagain6137]

Excellent video. How would a person make a 36 x 64 inch shade a 36 x 36 inch shade....?

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Are you trying to reduce the width or the length 0f the shade? What kind of shade is it

[@rvlostagain6137]

@@LonghornWorkshop I want to reduce the length. It looks like reducing the width is pretty easy.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

@@rvlostagain6137 reducing the length is going to be tricky, depending on your blinds can’t you just pull / fold the blind up to the desired length.

[@JohntheSchreiner]

Nice and clean. Nice one!

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks man

[@samueltucker9692]

What kind of saw blade did you use?

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Just a wood cutting blade, the more teeth the better the cut.

[@WilChu]

Can you explain what that tape for zero clearance does?

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Not really needed for this but a zero clearance is good to have to avoid tearout when cutting wood. The reason is the the item you are cutting is completely supported and hence reduces tearout. Using a tape is just a cheap substitute for having a wood or plastic zero clearance insert. Hope that helps

[@markreyes2354]

Can I use a mitre saw blade or chop saw blade?

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Not sure if the question but I am using a miter saw to cut it. You ideally want to use a blade with more teeth per inch so it gives to a better cut.

[@markreyes2354]

More teeth smooth cut. Got it! Muchas Gracias!…

[@a.p.a.woodmetal3412]

Very good work 👍👍👍👏👏👏🙂

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks man

[@TheGrantAlexander]

Nicely done! At the home depot near my place they have a cutter available (assuming you can track down an employee, lol)

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Lol yeah it’s hard to find someone, specially when I need plywood cut to size. This blind I already had from another house, so finally put it to use.

[@nevasoba5953]

Can I do this with my skill saw if I don’t have a miter?

[@LonghornWorkshop]

That’s a good question, I have never tried it. You could do a test run and cut it wider that you need. If that works then cut it to size. My advise is to really compact the blind with the tape before trying it. Take my advice as is, like I said never done it, if you try it let us know how it goes…😀

[@darlenemarion2957]

Thank you it really did work! 😊

[@LonghornWorkshop]

That’s fantastic, thanks for leaving a comment, it really does help.

[@cruzmaria135]

hi London, is there a way to Shorten the length ?

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Not really easy to do that, and I would not recommend it. However you can try and cut it to length and glue it back on, but I have never tried that

[@Smongo412]

Do you think this is possible with hunter-douglas top-down bottom-up cordless blinds?

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks for the comment. Depends on the material the blinds are made of. As far as the mechanism, as long as where you are cutting does not cut any parts that are required to move the blinds up and down it should be ok. Again you just have to inspect it yourself and see if it will work.

[@Smongo412]

@@LonghornWorkshop They are a lot like the ones on your video except the have metal inside the upper parts where there is more structure. And the actual blinds are made of fabric and plastic. In terms of the actual structure it's very similar with the mechanisms are being closer to the middle and not on the edge.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

@@Smongo412 you would want to avoid cutting the metal with a miter saw. Not sure what to tell you, you can call your local Home Depot or Lowes and see if they can cut it for you.

[@Smongo412]

@@LonghornWorkshop fair enough. It's like, the plastic at the top of the blind, the fits into the mounts, is actually metal with fabric around it, on mine. We are probably going to find a professional company that cuts them down because otherwise we have to pay for all new blinds, just because we have 4 that are like 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch too wide for the new windows. Painful. Thanks for the great video!

[@billlee4736]

Just wonder what size and type of the miter saw blade you were using? Thanks

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Well my miter saw is a few alt 12” sliding. I don’t need a big saw like that but got a good deal on it years ago. Before this. Had a small simple 10” saw that did most of all i needed to do

[@-Stop-it]

@@LonghornWorkshop - what do you mean by “few alt xx sliding”? I wonder about using a hack saw. But right now I’m leaning towards cutting the fabric with scissors.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

@@-Stop-it sorry I meant to say Dewalt 12” sliding miter saw. You can also use a sharp serrated bread knife as well. I have see that done… See this kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGOXeXuojtl7es0

[@AnthonyDibiaseIdeas]

Wow. This is the best video of its kind. Do you know where I can get the same brand of blinds? Love the tape idea on the saw.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks appreciate that, you want to search for “cordless cellular shades”. That should bring up a lot of places that sell similar shades. If you live in the US you can check the out at Hone Depot, or Lowes etc… Amazon is another option too

[@polarlab113]

Pleated or cellular blinds have been around for years and years.but make sure you shop carefully.I had an estimate done for a brand called Graber.they quoted me over 300.00 for a 48 by 48 inch blind.that’s just robbery.I got the same blind from Home Depot here in Canada for $70.00.so do some checking there’s a lot of smoke and mirrors out there

[@LonghornWorkshop]

@@polarlab113 you are correct, designer stores are out there to just steal you money. Stick to big box stores and Amazon. Then cut the to size if the don’t have the same size.

[@AnthonyDibiaseIdeas]

@@polarlab113 thank you so much.

[@nicholasanaya4tg470]

Wow good deal

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Thanks

[@2011Maynard]

Worked!

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Awesome!

[@i.i1619]

Thanks for your video, home depot Guam sell the blinds, but there is a sign, saying there cutter is out of order. Out of order for more than five years, pour management or just an excuse not to cut your blinds. Thanks again for sharing your video.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Yeah that’s the problem with the big box stores. Thanks for visiting and the comment.

[@KARAEATS]

What do I do if it has metal?

[@LonghornWorkshop]

It’s it metal then you would have to try it with a hacksaw which cuts metal and cut it my hand. Or any other tool that can cut metal. Personally I would not cut a metal shade, instead see if the local hardware store can do it with their blind machines.

[@abdessamadbouaicha3286]

What blade did you use?

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Not sure what you mean?

[@abdessamadbouaicha3286]

@@LonghornWorkshop The circular blade or circular iron saw that spin and cut.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

@@abdessamadbouaicha3286 it’s just a regular miter saw blade, I think my blade has about 80 teeth, although it shouldn’t matter as long as it’s more than 40 teeth.

[@karenbutton6725]

What if you don’t have a saw like that

[@LonghornWorkshop]

A very sharp knife, like a serrated bread knife would work as well. Or see if a neighbor has a miter saw Or some big DIY stores like Home Depot may cut it for you free.

[@LonghornWorkshop]

Forgot to include a link of someone cutting it with a knife kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGOXeXuojtl7es0

[@andreasm7348]

So all you need is an industrial saw and garage.. Good vid tho

[@LonghornWorkshop]

I have seen it done with a sharp serrated bread knife s well. The saw just makes it quicker, but agreed not everyone has a miter saw. Appreciate you visiting and the feedback

[@andreasm7348]

Mate the blinds look brilliant when done & I assure you I will follow your vid..but I'm currently looking at mine(same as yours) and am wondering would a mini hacksaw work? Thanks for the reply and the vid bro 👌

[@LonghornWorkshop]

@@andreasm7348 a mini hacksaw would work on the plastic but not on the material. You could use the hacksaw to cut the plastic and then use a sharp serrated knife to slice through the material. Or see if a neighbor has a miter saw you can use… Check this out kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGOXeXuojtl7es0

[@andreasm7348]

@@LonghornWorkshop lol I'm already ahead of you, my neighbour lent me a circular saw 👌 Cheers mate..top man