Neat trick with plexiglass

[Fawteen]

I discovered a couple of things about working with plexiglass today:

1. A fly cutter, with knives designed for cutting circular gaskets out of various forms of gasket material, will cut perfect circles out of plexiglass with a light touch and some WD40 for lube.

2. Self-drilling screws, mostly used for light sheet metal, will drill through and fasten plexiglas. Again, JUST enough pressure to make it cut and DO NOT overtighten. Resist the urge to give it that one extra little burp on the trigger. Go ahead, ask me how I know.

I needed to run a 4" dryer vent hose out through a home-made plexiglass window and knew a hole saw was NOT the answer with thin (1/16th) plexiglass. This worked slicker than a smelt.

 

[Steve@Advance]

You must have the right touch!

I just look at plexiglass and it cracks.

Poly carbonate (Lexan) is my choice.

 

[kcm.MN]

(quoted from post at 12:48:38 10/23/18) You must have the right touch!

I just look at plexiglass and it cracks.

Poly carbonate (Lexan) is my choice.

Same here. But back in the 80's, Dad and I were cutting holes in plexi with the circle cutter on the drill press. Had to have the bit perfectly perpendicular to the piece, that's for sure!

His circle cutter only had one cutter, rather than your (Fawteen) two. Was used mostly for making larger holes in sheet aluminum.

 

[IA Roy]

If you have a crack sometime. Heat a nail with a torch and melt a hole on both ends clear thru. That will prevent it from going further. You could also clamp plexiglass between 2 layers of wood and use a hole saw.

 

[Fawteen]

I use "plexiglass" as a generic term like Kleenex. It may well be lexan. Just some scraps I've had laying around for years, long since forgot what they were.

 

[Steve@Advance]

Lexan is amazing stuff.

Practically indestructible as far as impact. It's used for bullet proof protection.

It can be drilled, threaded, even bent in a brake press.

One thing it doesn't like is over tightened screws. Over time it will crack around the holes.

It does scratch easily, and will sun craze.

 

[cwtech]

Lexan (brand name) is actually polycarbonate.

Polycarbonate does NOT like many petroleum-based fluids.
...Even gasoline FUMES will cause it to disintegrate.

 

[Angle Iron]

Can not flame polish it or heat and bend with a flame, simply blackens and burns.

 

[Dr. Walt]

Angle Iron -- Use a Heat Gun , when working with Plastics HOT Air will accomplish things that a flame can't .

Doc

 

[Angle Iron]

(quoted from post at 00:24:43 10/27/18) Angle Iron -- Use a Heat Gun , when working with Plastics HOT Air will accomplish things that a flame can't .
You are right about the heat gun. A friend has a small hobby playing at etching and lighting little plackards. You can cut plexiglass, smooth the edges and flame treat to optically clear the edges.This allows him to edge light them. I have another friend that deals with polycarbonite as part of a stained glass business. He gave me some scrap. all went well until the edge polish and that did not work. From the research he did after that he said you could only do it chemically. So back to plexy.
Doc

 

[Mule Meat]

I have cut a lot of plexiglass and plastics.

Best thing I have found is a band or jig saw with a fine metal cutting blade and a spray bottle full of water with a few drops of dish soap. Using the water to keep the blade wet and cool will keep it from melting and damaging the plastics.