How To Cut Acrylic?

[Danzig]

I picked up some acrylic sheets at Lowe's Home Improvement today. I'm not sure if they cut it at the store but i was in a rush and i don't know if they charge you. I paid $17 for 18''X24'' 1/4'' thick piece of acrylic, does that sound right? Anyways im wondering if i can cut it with a razor knife/utility knife or should i use a saws-all with a fine tooth metal blade? I prefer the utility knife method. Any advice would be great. Those are the only two tools i have to do this with by the way.

 

[Danzig]

Please anyone?

 

[2Quills]

Yes, you can use a use a utility knife. Use a strait edge, prefferably like a metal carpenters square or something along those lines. Then just score a nice strait line with your knife, make a few passes. Then line the piece along the scored line up with the edge of a strait table and just snap it downwards, like scoring and snapping a piece of drywall or glass. Fast and firm motion works best.

 

[Danzig]

Yes, you can use a use a utility knife. Use a strait edge, prefferably like a metal carpenters square or something along those lines. Then just score a nice strait line with your knife, make a few passes. Then line the piece along the scored line up with the edge of a strait table and just snap it downwards, like scoring and snapping a piece of drywall or glass. Fast and firm motion works best.

So i can do this with 1/4'' acrylic correct? Just making sure lol. And does the price i paid sound correct? I appreciate your feedback

 

[peppie]

Yes, you can use a use a utility knife. Use a strait edge, prefferably like a metal carpenters square or something along those lines. Then just score a nice strait line with your knife, make a few passes. Then line the piece along the scored line up with the edge of a strait table and just snap it downwards, like scoring and snapping a piece of drywall or glass. Fast and firm motion works best.

This method will work. If you are going to weld the pieces together you will need to dress the edges to get a properly welded seam.

 

[2Quills]

Agreed on the edges. This method alone won't produce a nice clean edge for welding purposes. I half assumed you might be using the one piece to possibly make a couple of baffles out of.

What are your plans for these pieces?

I should also mention that it took me a few practice tries to get 1/4" acrylic to score and snap properly without jacking up the pieces. I found for me it worked best clamping the piece and my carpenters square down to the table. Want to avoid your strait edge sliding around on you when you're trying to score a strait line. And score it really well, more than a few passes actually, probably more like 5 or 6.

The price sounds about on par for puchasing a small piece. Might find better deals getting larger pieces from a plastics shop or distributor somewhere.

 

[Danzig]

This method will work. If you are going to weld the pieces together you will need to dress the edges to get a properly welded seam.

I am going to be using aquarium safe silicone and i will sand down the edges. I will score it plenty of times, probably on both sides. And did i pay a good price for the acrylic sheets? I dont know the prices so it seemed really expensive like maybe i got overcharged or something. And i will be caulking it to my glass sump. I am using this for baffles btw.

 

[greg0385]

They sell a tool next to the plexiglass thats made to score the plexiglass. Its only a few bucks and is what i used with a ruler to score straight lines.

 

[slumpysix]

you could use a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade to keep it from having a really rough edge. I used one many times for baffles.

 

[Danzig]

oh wow this stuff sucks to cut with a utility knife.. i did about 10 passes with a sharp utility knife and its only 1/16th deep and little shards are breaking along the cut.. And i dont see how this is going to be anything like scoring sheetrock lol which ive done plenty of times..

 

[myram]

I used a fine tooth metal blade in my jig saw and it cuts like butter. Just don't rush it as it will overheat and start to melt.

Mine wasn't 1/4" thick, it was thinner but still worked great.

I wasted my money on the "special tool" next to the lexan, worked like crap.

Steve

 

[icereefer]

I just run my stuff threw my Table saw.

 

[yellowRubi]

i just run my stuff threw my table saw.

+1

 

[trickedout900]

The op said he was using silicone for assembly, will silicone adhere to acrylic? I thought I read somewhere you can not do this?

 

[cody6766]

I just used a lot of it and my panels stayed in place. It works well in a sump, but I wouldn't use it to hold water

 

[Catastrophi]

If it is just baffles for a sump then then the silicone will hold the acrylic.

 

[thor109]

I've always cut on table saw for best/straightest cuts. I still smooth the edges. As far as gluing cement is best but silicon can work if cleaned good. I would not trust silicon for external seems.

just a heads up
Glass cages will cut it for you at about same price you pay at lowes.

 

[trickedout900]

Thanks for clearing up the silicone question, I didn't want to see Danzig waste his time and money

 

[MaLi]

Silicon will not bind acrylic long term. Stay away from this method. Best for acrylic is to use Weld-on. If the edges you cut are not great use Weld-on 16. You should be able to buy it at any glass cutting business that deals with acrylic as well.

good luck,
Marian

 

[jimmyj7090]

Silicon will not bind acrylic long term. Stay away from this method. Best for acrylic is to use Weld-on. If the edges you cut are not great use Weld-on 16. You should be able to buy it at any glass cutting business that deals with acrylic as well.

good luck,
Marian

He's putting acrylic (plastic?) baffles in a glass tank (right?).

Silicone will work, but glass baffles in a glass tank would be better. WO#16 would not be appropriate for attaching glass to acrylic.