Someone gave me a sheet of plexiglass that I need to cut into smaller pieces. It's approximately 1/16" thick. What's the best way to cut it without damaging it?
Thanks in advance,
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail) ~~~~~~"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson
*************************************************There are several tricks used. I have been successful scoring it with a knife and snapping it (sometimes) and I have also been successful using an assortment of power saws, very slowly feed fine tooth blades.
Well, cutting is damaging it... But anyway. It can be cut pretty much like glass, you score it and then crack it. Some report good success with this method. I tend to clamp a nice guide to the sheet and score with a stanley knife. Repeat several times until you'r at least half way through, then slowly bending will cause it to break off neatly.
As somebody else said, scoring and snapping (as for glass) -- but perhaps rather than the Stanley knife suggested, perhaps the tool that is sold for cutting/scoring Lexan would be better: more robust. (I bought one at HD to use with Lexan, but I've never tried it on Plexiglass.)
-=- Alan
On 10/31/03 12:06 am Suzie-Q put fingers to keyboard and launched the following message into cyberspace:
The folks down at the plastic shop where I get my plexiglas use a circular saw with a sharp, carbide blade. It works well for them and has always worked for me.
Peter
I cut lots of plexiglass on a tablesaw. It is a high polymer and will stink--use plenty of ventilation. You don't say if you are cutting curves or not, but a bandsaw will do that too. Any wood-cutting tools should work okay. Wear eye protection!
As far as the best tool to use, I can't say. I've used plexiglass knives and they take a long time but look nice if you have the patience. I've also used a jig saw with a blade meant for cutting plexiglass and the like. It melted the plexiglass along the edge, but was very fast. Since then I've heard that a little 10W30 oil on the blade and along the cut lines of the plexiglass (both sides) cuts down the friction and thereby reduces the heat. Haven't had the need to try it yet.
Good luck, Carolyn
I've cut plexiglass with a table saw and a skill saw. But I use a 'plywood' blade (lots of teeth) and I turn the blade around so it spins backwards. Never had any problems. It's the same method I use for cutting aluminum soffit.
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