how to cut plexiglass?

[glennster]

i have some 4 ft by 4 foot sheets of plexiglass, not the super polycarbonate stuff. i got it yesterday from menards. i need to cut it so i end up with 48 in by 28 inch sheets to cover some shop windows. what is the best way to cut it? razor knife? skilsaw? sabresaw? and is it better to cut at room temperature or cold. ? its about 30 degrees in the barn right now.

 

[tomturkey]

A sabre saw would be my second choice. My first would be a table saw with a 40 tooth carbide blade fed slowly. It will not snap after being cut with a razor knife unless it is very thin stuff. thats my two cents woth this morning. gobble

 

[Russ from MN]

I agree with a table saw and a fine tooth blade, I have cut a lot of it.

 

[Michael Soldan]

I cut it on a table saw . Two tricks to it , its better to cut it where it is warm and don't let it bounce up on you as you cut it . I've also used a router to cut a pear shaped piece for a storm window on the farm house.

 

[Zachary Hoyt]

I used a wood cutting bandsaw to cut patterns out of 1/8 plexiglas, and it worked for 1/4 too. I think the main enemies are heat from the blade of a power saw, or vibration/bouncing/bumping around.

 

[Loosehandle]

Small file sharpened to a hook on the end and straight edge or you can buy a tool. Make several passes and snap it off.

 

[Stephen Newell]

If it still has the protective coating on it I would cut it on a table saw with at least a 40 tooth blade. The more teeth the better.

 

[spacecadet9]

(quoted from post at 11:12:16 12/10/21) Small file sharpened to a hook on the end and straight edge or you can buy a tool. Make several passes and snap it off.

f it's the thin stuff score it and snap. I have hooked blades for a utility knife to do just that.

 

[Old560]

Last time I cut plexiglass I use this blade on a Skil saw. But I prefer to use my tablesaw and the more teeth on the blade the better.

 

[Steve@Advance]

Fine tooth blade on the table saw.

Clamp a board to the fence so it can't go under and hang up.

Keep it moving so it doesn't melt.

Have a game plan, maybe a helper, some way to support it as it's cut. It WILL shatter and crack if anything binds. It must be run straight through the blade. Keeping the blade low will help. Laying a board on top to hold it down helps. It tends to bow up off the table and snap back down, breaking it every time!

I hate that stuff! Very difficult to work with without breaking.

If mounting it with screws, very carefully predrill the holes. I like to fasten it with sheetmetal screws with the rubber washer, even then stop just as the head makes contact.

 

[Charles in Aus.]

It's hard to snap the thicker sheets but there are tricks that help .
Score on both sides not just the top , score deeply as well
. Unlike glass where you must score once or risk creating fracture lines you can score multiple times to create a deep line .
Support the sheet against the straight edge of a table or bench and clamp down another edge; a piece of hardwood or steel directly over it .
To snap clamp another two lathes over the piece you want and snap downwards sharply .
I have seen four inch strips from the long side of a 6x4 1/4" thick sheet snapped this way . The advantage over cutting is that the edge is ' dressed ' , somewhat polished in appearance . Not so useful for Windows but good if you are fabricating a box with exposed edges .

 

[glennster]

ok ! looks like i gotta dig the table saw out and give it a whirl! thanks!

 

[Mule Meat]

Jigsaw with a fine blade and a spray bottle of soapy water to keep the blade cool.

Best way that I have found yet to cut plexiglass and not damage it.

 

[Fawteen]

CARBIDE blade on the table saw. Cuts cooler. The more teeth the better.

 

[Stephen Newell]

One other note, especially with a carbide blade, lower the blade to where it only cuts through about 1/8.

Don't know what you are making but we used to make display boxes out of plexiglass. You can just cut it and glue it together with a plexiglass adhesive which is as thin as supper glue. The edges that show you can pass an acetylene torch over the edges and it would take a sawn edge and make it look like you spent an hour polishing it.

 

[Bob Harvey]

AS below, if there is a removable film on the plexi, do NOT use a jig saw. They have a tendency of vibrating up and down and leaving marks. I have cut a fair number of Plexiglas pieces, most with a 60 tooth carbide blade on a table saw ( quick, less heat and smooth). Luck to you.

 

[fixerupper]

(quoted from post at 11:52:41 12/10/21) Fine tooth blade on the table saw.

Clamp a board to the fence so it can't go under and hang up.

Keep it moving so it doesn't melt.

Have a game plan, maybe a helper, some way to support it as it's cut. It WILL shatter and crack if anything binds. It must be run straight through the blade. Keeping the blade low will help. Laying a board on top to hold it down helps. It tends to bow up off the table and snap back down, breaking it every time!

I hate that stuff! Very difficult to work with without breaking.

If mounting it with screws, very carefully predrill the holes. I like to fasten it with sheetmetal screws with the rubber washer, even then stop just as the head makes contact.

Like Steve said, be careful cutting it in a table saw. My neighbor used to make chlorinators out of it only he called it acrylic. He had a table saw blade with a special set and sharpening angle just for acrylic. I used to help him cut and assemble. Plexi has no mercy if it catches in the saw. You can get a bloody nose that requires stitches in a fraction of a second if the plexi isn't held down tight and fed perfectly straight. Nine times out of ten everything will go OK but you might remember that tenth time when something went wrong for the rest of your life.

 

[Hoenes]

I use a roto zip, with a drywall bit. High rpm, and takes out about an 1/8 plow. Clamp a 1 x with squeeze clamps for a straight line cut. Either clockwise or counter is best, can't remember which. Hold tight!

 

[Tony in SD]

I have used a jig saw with a blade that cuts both up and down.

 

[cjunrau]

I likuto run a board on top of the cut in table saw to keep
Down pressure on the cut. Blade 1/8 of an inch above glass. Makes a small cut in the board but I use waste pieces.

 

[Ark68SS]

1/8" ~ 3/16" carbide bit in a trim router with a straight board as a guide. Cuts like butter.
BillL

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I've cut with a router and a cut off blade on a right angle grinder.
The router is a cleaner cut.

 

[ztrmower]

i cut it all time with skill saw and 60 tooth blade,leave the film on makes alot of diff in cut lumber yard also just cuts it with there panel saw. where GOGGLES good luck

 

[Jim in N.M.]

I find it cuts cleaner if you put masking tape on where you want the cuts ( both sides) makes a nice clean edge !! Jim in N.M.

 

[ztrmower]

have any luck with your plexiglass,just was cutting some more here and got wondering how you got along. i cut an old mirror in shape of horse collar yesterday, that just took alot luck

 

[miangus]

Yes, that works very well. A laminate router and bit with a clamped straight edge.