the step on scoring another line at the. Plexiglass, also known as acrylic sheet, is incredibly strong and flexible, useful in a variety of household or industrial settings. By having your acrylic sheets cut to size, you’ll minimise wastage and only pay for the plastic you’ll be using. You can use Optix acrylic sheets for everything from storm windows to crafts, and it can be cut in … How to Cut Acrylic Sheets. You can cut it using a fine-toothed saw or tube cutters. For extra-long cuts or extra-thick plexiglass, you might also consider a skill saw or a table saw. Once you've scored the initial line, go over it a few times with the blade until a groove forms. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Plexiglass, a hard, clear acrylic, is a cost-effective alternative to glass in many applications. You will require: Jigsaw (great tooth blade needed). Since acrylic is finicky, you’re going to want to play with the saw’s speed and your feed rate to … Figure 2 shows a suitable cutting board. … When cutting the acrylic sheet, you should try to avoid touching this coating as much as possible to retain the original outlook of the surface. For a Dremel, you should clamp the material down and slowly make the cut. Then place the sheet on a table with the marked side facing up. Clamp. The method by which you choose to cut your acrylic sheet will depend on how thick it is. Make sure you do not stop while cutting a plastic sheet, if you stop the movement while cutting, this will produce extreme amount of heat, cause whatever the type of plastic … We also offer you the possibility to have your panel customised to your specification with a range of fabrication options. Intermediate acrylic sheets are best handled with a scroll saw. Method 3 Step 1 - Secure the Sheet. Thin acrylic sheets are best handled with a handheld rotary tool. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. To learn how to cut acrylic by sawing it, scroll down! Acrylic sheets are fairly simple to cut. You can make straight, even cuts with smooth, crisp edges using a table saw with a specialty plastic cutting blade. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Acrylic is one of the most popular materials globally, thanks to its durability, clarity, and versatility. I bet at this point, youre ready to hear about How To Cut Acrylic Sheets For Keychains With Your Cricut Maker. Cut or Score to Break Edge. Next, repeat on the opposite side of the acrylic sheet over the same line. Water will help ensure that the Dremel does not overheat and ruin the plastic. Any suggestions? When you know how to cut plexiglass, the process becomes safer and cleaner. "I experienced difficulty finding an acrylic box the size I needed, but I didn't know how to cut a sheet to my, "The specific steps on scoring an acrylic sheet for a straight cut, esp. By using our site, you agree to our. Cutting Acrylic is a simple process but whichever method you use you need a … Use a circular saw with a carbide-tipped metal-cutting blade. Learning how to cut acrylic sheet can lead to near-limitless application possibilities. 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. Non-melt plastic cutting saw blades. Fab Glass and Mirror also gives you the opportunity to project self-made designs on your plastic with a few simple steps. It is very important to push the circular saw (feeding rate) within a slow and smooth motion. Last Updated: March 5, 2020 Sand until the edge is uniform and relatively smooth. First, determine the needed measurements for your acrylic sheet. Moreover, clear acrylic sheets can easily be cut down to accommodate whichever shape and size you want. This is a bit stronger than extruded acrylic, and it’s more common in sheets rather than tubing. Measure the ruler against the cutting line and then draw the knife repeatedly down its edge, gradually increasing the pressure with each pass. Common uses for Cast Acrylic are signage, aquariums, POP displays and furniture. Always do a sample first so you can get an idea of it. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. A Dremel is commonly used for many applications, including cutting glass. How to Cut Acrylic on a Table Saw. Not everybody knows how to use a reliable table saw. Adjust the table saw fence to 12 inches. Instead, this is for taking an existing plastic sheet and cutting and bending it to a form. Any acrylic sheet can be cut to size free of charge and will be ready for delivery within 48 hours. Engrave your design first and then start cutting the acrylic. Use scoring knife to cut a narrow groove in the acrylic sheeting Scoring preferably works on sheets less than ¼” (6.35mm) in thickness. Using solvent-based glues on laser-cut extruded acrylic can cause cracking due to the internal stresses from temperature differences in the acrylic. Bend the acrylic over the edge to cut the acrylic sheet. Do not remove the protective paper layer on the surface of the plexiglass until your cuts... 2 Using a tape measure, mark off the size of your desired final piece. Aim your circular saw on the plexiglass sheet and wait until it reaches its full speed (the best rpm rate for cutting plexiglass sheets is 3450 RPM and no more than that.) When making straight cuts in acrylic sheet, use a fine-toothed carbide-tipped or high-speed steel blade specifically designed for acrylic cutting. I noticed that there are not many instructables on how to cut the sheets. At times you may want to cut the plexiglass to achieve the correct measurements. Acrylic and Perspex can be used in a number of ways from bath and basin splashbacks to, in a thicker form, shelves. Make sure the cutting attachment is cutting straight up and down, and not at an angle. How to Cut Plexiglass Method 1 of 3: Scoring and Snapping Thin Plexiglass. To cut acrylic sheets, start by marking the line you want to cut using a ruler and a permanent marker. Cutting the plexiglass sheet. Start with rough paper ~180 grit and a foam sanding block. Hand Saw It is possible to cut acrylic sheet by hand with a saw, although it is time consuming and will require extensive polishing to bring the transparency and shine back to the Perspex. 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. Safety glasses. Thick acrylic slabs are best handled by scoring. Score the acrylic several more times along the same line, then place the acrylic on the edge of the table and use light, quick pressure to … When you need to cut Lexan, you can essentially treat it as a sheet of plywood and cut it with any power saw you would use for that material. Acrylic is a clear plastic also commonly called plexiglass. Thicker plexiglass, strangely enough, allows for the simplest of the cutting processes. The cutting process is quite simple as you will only require a sharp saw or hobby knife. Acrylic sheets may be cut with standard workshop equipment including hand saws and power saws, and Perspex dowel or blocks may be machined using conventional high-speed milling machines with excellent results. Otherwise, you'll need to use a saw to cut it. 9. I bet at this point, youre ready to hear about How To Cut Acrylic Sheets For Keychains With Your Cricut Maker. 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