What tool should I use to cut Acrylic?

[sfarid123]

Hi,

I'm trying to cut acrylic sheets to make baffels for my 10g refugium. The Acrylic sheet is a little over 1/8" thick. What is the best tool I can use to get a clean decent cut?

Thanks

 

[troylee]

jig saw,router,skill saw,table saw.......what do you have????

 

[sfarid123]

All I got for now is kitchen knife an some cutting razor.

 

[Paul_PSU]

I used a table saw for mine.

 

[troylee]

lol you're kidding right???? if not you can try to score it with the razor knife and break it but imo it's not clean.......

 

[sean_954]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13863384#post13863384 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sfarid123
All I got for now is kitchen knife an some cutting razor.

Kitchen knife and some razor ....lol , wow ........i would say u invest in a circular saw w/ a 200 teeth blade and a router .
that should do the trick for with ofcourse some weld on #3 or #4 and some #16 to patch some of the gaps u may have .

 

[sfarid123]

That's all right with me! Its only going to be a couple baffles . Do i need to do a lot of scoring before I snap the sheet?

 

[troylee]

not really just a couple passes with a straight edge should do the trick.....

 

[sfarid123]

Awesome! thanks for all the tips guys though , I will have to invest in a circular saw.

 

[troylee]

glad we could help...and get a jig saw you can do more with it than a circular saw....then your limited to straight cuts with that....

 

[~sp0ok~]

i used a skill saw

 

[Scooter Blennie]

table saw all the way
i used a jig saw but i could never get a straight cut
but if i wanted a circle i used a jig saw
ian

 

[troylee]

try clamping a straight edge next time and run the base along it works like a champ.............im with you on the table saw but not to many people have one..........

 

[brandon2432]

the shorter the peice of acrilic the harder it is going to be to snap it or break it on the score. It will probably crack. FYI

 

[sailoracu2]

go to a rental store and see if you can rent a saw or router.

 

[Kenzy]

Or see if the place you are buying the plexi from will cut it for you.

 

[erellis]

I bought a dremel and picked up some good cutting bits that has worked well. A little hard to get straight cuts great for others though and on a low budget also.

 

[hllywd]

That sounds like the best option (Kenzy's) given the available tools... Almost anywhere you buy it from should be able to cut it to your dimensions.

Kitchen knife?!?!? Sounds like you're one good slip from losing a thumb:eek2:


Tim

 

[MSU Fan]

Ok, I don't think that that thin of acrylic will work for a baffle - it flexes too much. Get the 1/4" stuff, much stiffer.

At minimum, I would recommend getting the dremel - it will make you life so much easier.