Switch to fine, then finer paper (360 and 600 grit) to get a satin finish. It helps to achieve clean and clear edges by retaining the sharpness of the material. If your sheet is relatively thin--less than 316 inch (0.48cm)--you can use the scoring method. Whichever cutting method you choose, you may find that the cut plexiglass edge doesnt look terribly attractive. Flip over the plexiglass, and score the opposite side in the same manner. Most people prefer to cut acrylic using a hand saw. Start with rough paper ~180 grit and a foam sanding block. The process doesnt demand the use of a power saw or any other heavy-duty electrical equipment. Then, score the line using a plastic scoring blade, using the ruler as a guide so your line is straight. It helps to achieve precise results by cutting the edges into curves and angular form. Bend the overhang side of the sheet with quick and even motion. In this case, 88% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. There are special blades designed expressly for acrylic, but any metal-cutting blade with carbide tips can do the trick. Then, with sharp downward pressure, snap off the portion of the plexiglass that extends beyond the work surface. (To cut anything but a straight line, opt for a jigsaw.). Once you are satisfied with the appearance of the edge, move on to buffing. It is a small handheld tool that can cut the sheet with the straight blade by function up and down in fast motion. Use a scoring knife to cut a narrow groove in the acrylic sheeting. Though plexiglass is a durable material, its not unbreakable. Sand until the edge is uniform and relatively smooth.
Acrylic sheets are fairly simple to cut. the step on scoring another line at the. If your project requires a clean edge, expect to devote energy to smoothing the finish. However, the process requires the following steps: A jigsaw is one preferred tool for cutting acrylic sheets. ", http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/how-to/acrylic/cutting-acrylic, https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-cut-plexiglass/#.WehX5jBGnIU, https://makezine.com/2015/10/29/skill-builder-acrylic/, https://www.hunker.com/13402629/how-to-cut-acrylic-sheet, https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/jigsaw-101-how-to-cut-shapes. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback.
Laser cutting is one of the preferred options to cut the desired design. To learn how to cut acrylic by sawing it, scroll down! [1] Copyright 2017 Cut My Plastic. Keep the following tips in mind when learning how to cut plexiglass to prevent irreversible damages. Laser systems are designed to achieve complex and defined cutting of acrylic. In fact, due to its light weight and durability, many do-it-yourselfers prefer plexiglass, not least because it can be cut and shaped with common workshop tools. Next, repeat on the opposite side of the acrylic sheet over the same line. A band saw works best with a thickness greater than 0.472 inches.
Proceed accordingly, water-cooling the blade or pausing your work for a few minutes as needed. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Otherwise, you'll need to use a saw to cut it. Once you've scored the initial line, go over it a few times with the blade until a groove forms. Any suggestions?
They have some 0.093" stuff that might work for a 3D printer build enclosure. Versatile and tough though it may be, plexiglass isnt perfect. The other downside? As the sheet bends, the groove will deepen as the crack propagates throughout the sheet. Approved. Thats why sheets of the material come covered in a thin layer of protective film.
Mark the area of the sheet you want to cut. Before committing to one blade or another, double-check that its teeth are evenly spaced, with no rake, and of uniform height and shape. % of people told us that this article helped them. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Every building material comes with a set of quirks and nuances that you can master with practice. It is one of the easiest methods to cut acrylic table tops. A band saw is best for cutting intricate shapes and curves. Coloured acrylic comes in a variety of styles and clear acrylic sheets offer comparable optical clarity as glass. Connected to a computer, the laser cutter works as a printer to translate the design/image onto the piece of acrylic. However, this technique demands more concentration when compared with electrical saws. For thicker sheets of plexiglass, cut with a power sawbe it a circular saw, saber saw, or table saw. Just wondering if anyone has any experience cutting High Impact Acrylic with a CO2 laser cutter.
For a thin sheet of plexiglassthat is, material up to about 3/16-inch thickuse a scoring method not dissimilar from a technique used to cut actual glass.
Research source. Develop the tech skills you need for work and life. Put on safety glasses before doing any kind of cutting, and wear ear plugs if you use an electric saw. This article has been viewed 145,793 times.
To achieve the best result it is advisable to use a saw that has uniform teeth.
Start the process with 120- or 180-grit waterproof sandpaper, in combination with a wood or rubber sanding block. Lay the sheet on a flat surface and, using a yardstick and a permanent marker (or a grease marker), measure and draw the line you wish to cut. Namely, the Duraplex brand found at Home Depot. Simply cutting plexiglass to size is easy by comparison. Second, bear in mind that even if youre careful, it can be difficult to cut plexiglass without leaving a rough, irregular edge. Score again and again, as many as 10 or 12 times, until you have made a deep groove in the plexiglass. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. With the foam block and sand paper, cup the edge to smooth it round.
For one thing, it scratches easily.
However, if you are a DIY enthusiast and are finding it difficult to cut acrylic at home, then have a look at several ways (listed below) to cut acrylic to size (also sold as perspex and plexiglass), achieving the highest degree of precision.
Last Updated: April 18, 2022 Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Outfit your electric drill with a buffing pad and, after applying a polishing compound formulated for plastic, bring the plexiglass edge to a perfect polish.
X I had a lot of problems with crazing and brittleness on the panels I made from extruded acrylic for my Zortrax printer. Although for the time being, you may only need to cut a piece of acrylic down to size, learning to work with this versatile, transparent material opens up a new universe of DIY possibilities that you can explore in myriad projects for years to come. Scoring preferably works on sheets less than (6.35mm)in thickness. Make the original cut as clean as possible.
Probably will be fine. Copyright 2022 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. If the cut edge would be visible in your application, take the extra time to sand and buff out the imperfections. Bending will result in the separation of two pieces (. Whether youre a DIY enthusiast or a professional builder, acrylic perspex is becoming one of the constructors preferred options especially as its so readily available from local and national perspex cutters. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 145,793 times. I know its not Lexan but, not normal acrylic. However, if you intend to cut acrylic into a nonlinear fashion, a jigsaw is the right option for you.
Note: You can use a handheld power sander, but manual wet-sanding typically achieves the best results. To learn how to cut acrylic by sawing it, scroll down!
That might be extruded, as opposed to cast, acrylic. Finish by sanding with 600-grit sandpaper. One note of caution: If the blade overheats, the material may chip or crack. When cutting plexiglass, leave the film in place as long as possible to avoid marring the surface. "I experienced difficulty finding an acrylic box the size I needed, but I didn't know how to cut a sheet to my. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY.
If you don't have a buffing edge, you can stop with fine sandpaper. I want to round the edges of 1/4" Plexiglas for a tabletop. specifications and suppliers charged too much to do it for me. By using our site, you agree to our.
These sheets can be cut with standard workshop tools including: Over the years, many do-it-yourself projects have used perspex sheetsto enhance their design and durability.
When using 360 grit, start wet-sanding.
Place the sheet over a hard edge with groove-side up. Now I can customize my own sheets. Purchase waterproof sandpaper designed for plastic. To cut acrylic sheets, start by marking the line you want to cut using a ruler and a permanent marker. Encapsulated with glass-like clarity, strength and resistance, working with acrylic sheets (a guide to which plastic should you choose) does not demand specialised skills and techniques. No matter which type of saw you choose for the task, its critically important to use the right blade. If you need to create complex, intricate and creative shapes with acrylic, a laser is probably the better option. After readying your tool, measure and mark the plexiglass, then cut as you would any other material, clamping if appropriate. Continue reading for details on how to cut plexiglassthe right way. Placing masking tape over your cut line can help you make a cleaner edge with a jigsaw. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/01\/Cut-Acrylic-Sheets-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cut-Acrylic-Sheets-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/01\/Cut-Acrylic-Sheets-Step-1.jpg\/aid9420717-v4-728px-Cut-Acrylic-Sheets-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. "The specific steps on scoring an acrylic sheet for a straight cut, esp. To finish, hold the scribed line to the edge of your work surface, and secure the plexiglass in place with a clamp.
However, it is advisable to experiment with the setting and positioning of the machine to gauge desired results.
There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. By Bob Vila | Updated Apr 30, 2021 1:20 PM. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Bob Vila, 11 Ways to Make the Most of Your Towns Curbside Cleanup Day.
Finally, place the line you scored over the edge of a table and press down on the part of the acrylic that's hanging off of the table to break it off. You can use a regular blade, but the cut will be more jagged. Homeowners who dont know how to cut plexiglass can be intimidated by the material at firstbut were here to help!
References
If you're a do-it-yourself-er, you've likely needed to use acrylic sheeting in a project. Fortunately, it doesnt take long for do-it-yourselfers with woodworking experience to learn how to cut plexiglass. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. This will reduce the sanding time significantly. https://www.acplasticsinc.com/media/Duraplex%20Safety%20Data%20Sheet.pdf. Hi all. All rights reserved. by davidproctor | Jul 2, 2017 | Acrylic, Polycarbonate | 0 comments. This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. As the plexiglass becomes smoother, transition to successively finer grits.
While using a band saw, it is important to carefully select the blade and feed rate of the machine to minimise the risk of melting or chipping the sheet. MSDS says its just acrylic with some styrene: https://www.acplasticsinc.com/media/Duraplex%20Safety%20Data%20Sheet.pdf
In a range of applications, from picture frames to tabletops, plexiglass (also known as acrylic) serves as a cost-effective, shatterproof substitute for glass. CO2 to cut "Duraplex" High Impact Acrylic? cutting duraplex acrylic sheet
cutting duraplex acrylic sheet
cutting duraplex acrylic sheet
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