Cutting Acrylic?

[Riffe]

what's the best way to cut acrylic on a straight line without using a machine?

 

[CoRPS]

I've heard of people using a razor, cutting a little canal (for lack of a better word), getting it about halfway through, flipping it around on a table and snapping the rest off.

 

[hyperfocal]

Are you planning on gluing the cut edge? If so, you'll need a pretty-much perfect cut -- something very difficult to achieve with hand tools

 

[doublejesus]

i've only ever scored it several times with either a razor or an acrylic scoring knife and then snapped it. It's important to use a straight edge to serve as a guide for scoring or you'll have scratches everywhere.

 

[Riffe]

how about using a hand saw?

 

[Eric Williams]

If you do not work for a sign company and have a panel saw, which most of you probably dont you can use a skill saw or table saw with a 80 or 100 tooth blade for long cuts or a jig saw for small cuts. The blades can be purchased at almost any hardware store. I just picked one up today at Sears. When using the skill saw just go slow and let the saw do the work. If you try moving to fast you will crack the plex or acrylic. If your do not have a table saw with a fence just clamp a straight edge down and use it as a guide. Also a router works really well for acrylic and lexan.

 

[kgross]

if you don't have the tools, I would highly suggest hiring somebody to make the cuts for you. If you are wanting to cut and glue you need very good cuts.

Kim

 

[savethereef]

i cut acrylic before with a rotary and a diamond wheel before. to remove baffles in my sump

 

[barbra]

If you are really determined it can be accomplished with a dremel, but it takes a steady hand. You can sand the edges of acrylic to get the smooth edges required for bonding.

 

[38bill]

If you want to cut it with a hand saw use a fine blade. Something like a hacksaw blade is best. Most other hand saw blades are too coarse and they move too slow so they will chip the edges. I have not tried one of those Japanese trim saws but I bet they would work well as the teeth are very fine and not offset. Depending on the thickness, scoring and snapping may work OK but the edge may need to be squared up. You can do this with fine sand paper on a flat block or a fine metal file. I like to use the file first to get everything square and then I polish the edge with a very fine wet/dry sand paper being careful not to round the edge if it is going to be glued.