Easy Way To Cut Acrylic Sheets

For thin sheets of plexiglass that are up to 3 16 inch 0 48 cm thick scoring the sheet and then snapping it is an easy way to cut it.

Easy way to cut acrylic sheets. Encapsulated with glass like clarity strength and resistance working with acrylic sheets guide to which. Be sure to use a compressor to keep the sheet in position to avoid chipping and more time needed to polish the cut. How to cut acrylic by hand. Push the acrylic through the table saw at a steady pace being sure to keep your fingers out of the way of the saw.

Start at one edge of the mark you made. Push the acrylic through a table saw for a straight cut. Don t move too quickly as you ll create a rougher edge but don t go too slowly as you can melt the plastic. Lay the plexiglass flat on a work surface.

Clamp down the straight edge on the cut line. To cut anything but a straight line opt for a jigsaw no matter which type of saw you. For best results use another tool like the earlier mentioned table saw to cut your acrylic roughly before getting a more exact finish with the router. Plexiglass may appear dull but the edges can get sharp particularly if they are freshly cut.

Place the sheet down flat on a table or a work station so you can measure and cut on a stable surface. Cutting acrylic by hand is the easiest way to go for a beginner who isn t familiar with power tools. A good pair of gloves worn while you are working on shaping an acrylic sheet can keep your fingers from getting nicked or gouged. Coloured acrylic comes in a variety of styles and clear acrylic sheets offer comparable optical clarity as class.

Make sure the surface is clean and clear of any objects that could impede your work or potentially mark or. All you need is a thin acrylic sheet a straight edge that is longer than your cut clamps and a scoring knife. Easier to cut than glass or wood plexiglass still requires some safety measures before you begin to cut the sturdy sheets. If you want a straight cut in a thin acrylic or polycarbonate plastic sheet up to inch thick reach for a simple utility knife then follow these steps.

For thicker sheets of plexiglass cut with a power saw be it a circular saw saber saw or table saw.