How to Cut Plexiglass

Plexiglass is a clear type of acrylic most commonly used in place of glass. It is considered a "soft acrylic", meaning it has a higher sensitivity to heat than harder acrylic materials. Plexiglass is prone to some melting (smearing) and chipping on the edge that is being cut. The wide range of saw blade options makes easy to choose the right one to minimize these two problems while cutting plexiglass.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fine grain sandpaper
• Table or circular saw
• Sheet of plexiglass
• Goggles
• Saw blades
• Ruler or measuring tape

Cut Plexiglass With a Power Saw

1. Use a ruler or measuring tape to determine the thickness of the plexiglass you want to cut. Thinner plastic tends to chip more, so you will need a saw blade with more teeth to reduce the risk of chipping. General Saw company's catalog of plastic saw blades can help you choose a blade (see Resources below).

2. Choose your saw blades based on the thickness and hardness of the plexiglass. You may need two or more different blades to alternate during use, since harder acrylics chip more than softer materials. Acrylics that are softer are more likely to melt, and require saw blades with fewer teeth in order to cut effectively.

3. Attach the blade you have chosen to your saw. A table saw or circular saw work best for plexiglass. The saw you decide to use is a matter of personal preference, or whichever you happen to own.

4. Put on goggles before operating the saw. It is important to protect your eyes from plastic chips that may fly.

5. Place your plexiglass sheet on the work area and begin to saw. If you experience a lot of chipping, you may need to use a blade with more teeth, and if you get smearing, you should increase the number of teeth on the blade. It may take a few tries to determine which blade (or combination of blades) work best.

6. Use a fine grain piece of sandpaper to smooth any rough edges on your cut piece of plexiglass.

Tips & Warnings

• Maintain your saw to ensure the best performance. Sharpen blades as soon as they seem dull.
• Clean the saw when needed and keep sharp blades out of reach of children.
• Plexiglass shards can cut you just as bad as metal or glass, so be sure to sweep your working space clean of all debris after working and wear tough work shoes at all times.

Resources

• Catalog of saw blades and accessories

[plasticman]

on 12/30/2008 Plexiglass can be cut with a variety of blades and tools: Click here for some options:
http://www.professionalplastics.com/PlasticToolsAccessories

[dethson]

on 8/12/2008 nope. not helpful at all.