Easy Way To Cut Acrylic 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.

Easy way to cut acrylic sheets.

Push the acrylic through a table saw for a straight cut. Encapsulated with glass like clarity strength and resistance working with acrylic sheets guide to which. How to cut acrylic by hand. Cutting thin sheets of plastic.

Push the acrylic through the table saw at a steady pace being sure to keep your fingers out of the way of the saw. Be sure to use a compressor to keep the sheet in position to avoid chipping and more time needed to polish the cut. Clamp down the straight edge on the cut line. A good pair of gloves worn while you are working on shaping an acrylic sheet can keep your fingers from getting nicked or gouged.

Place the sheet down flat on a table or a work station so you can measure and cut on a stable surface. Whether you re a diy enthusiast or a professional builder acrylic perspex is becoming one of the preferred options for most of the constructors. To cut anything but a straight line opt for a jigsaw no matter which type of saw you. Easier to cut than glass or wood plexiglass still requires some safety measures before you begin to cut the sturdy sheets.

Don t move too quickly as you ll create a rougher edge but don t go too slowly as you can melt the plastic. Routers can be used to cut acrylic for both curved and straight cuts. 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. 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.

Make sure the surface is clean and clear of any objects that could impede your work or potentially mark or. Cutting acrylic by hand is the easiest way to go for a beginner who isn t familiar with power tools. Lay the plexiglass flat on a work surface. For thicker sheets of plexiglass cut with a power saw be it a circular saw saber saw or table saw.

Start at one edge of the mark you made.