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Cutting Plexiglass
Posted by Henry in MI on June 16th, 2003 03:54 PM
In reply to Cutting plexiglass? by Sue on June 16th, 2003 10:51 AM [Go to top of thread]
12 of 18 people found this post helpful
Sue, there are several types of polycarbonate, the chemical name for trade named products like Plexiglass and Lexan. The variations do react a little differently, but scoring with a sharp knife and snapping the material at the score line (same process you use for drywall) is the best for moderately thin material. You can file or use a candle or cigarette lighter to lightly melt the edge to smooth it.
With thicker material, and this material is available in thicknesses over and inch, you have to saw it with a table saw and a carbide blade. It helps if you can slow the saw down, if you can. Anything that generates heat does tend to melt the polycarbonate. Feed the material into the saw slowly.
This doesn't work on "medium" thickness polycarbonate because there is just not enough material to absorb the heat without melting. One bit of info that you can use to score and snap a thicker piece than you think you can is to take advantage of a law of physics or two. If you put the score line on a table edge, the air will push down on the part that's on the table with 15 pounds of force per square inch. The part that's hanging out has this force on both sides so it's equal. Let the weight of the air work for you and when you snap, a body that is not in motion will tend to not move, so this will help you snap the polycarbonate too.
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