Cutting plexiglass.

[digital mint 10+ year member]

I'm redoing my doors and planning on covering the access holes with plexiglass that i purchased already. It's not very thick but how should i go about cutting it?

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[project f-150 10+ year member]

how thick and what tools do you have? if its very thin i would use a dremel. Just use a fine cutting bit.

 

[MadAudio 10+ year member]

last time i used plexi i ended up using a dremel with that rotozip looking spiral cutting bit worked like a charm but you can also use a jigsaw with a decent blade or if the material is thin enough simply score it pretty good with a razor and snap it.

 

[digital mint 10+ year member]

Never thought about the dremel! thanks

 

[revrider1 5,000+ posts]

If its not to thick i just run the blade across my cut a few times then snap it, clean break.

 

[project f-150 10+ year member]

If its not to thick i just run the blade across my cut a few times then snap it, clean break.

That work real well with plexi? I have done that a million times with abs plastic but never tried with plexi.

 

[revrider1 5,000+ posts]

if its not to thick

 

[project f-150 10+ year member]

Also if you use the dremel or a similar tool watch to make sure that your actually cutting the glass and not just melting it out of the way or it will stick along the edge of the piece you want 2 keep and make it look like crap. And if you use a jigsaw use a blade with high tpi count and keep good downward pressure on it so the saw doesnt jump or you'll definetly crack it.

I will have to give it a try sometime. But for most small jobs with thin plexi my cuts are rarely going to be straight line cuts so who knows when i'll get to try it.

 

[project f-150 10+ year member]

Oh and one last thing then i'll shut up. If you use a jig saw you may want to put some masking tape down on the glass right next to your cut so that you dont accidentally scratch the glass when the saw slides across it.

 

[QtrHorse 10+ year member]

That work real well with plexi? I have done that a million times with abs plastic but never tried with plexi.

It works best w/ 1/8in or thinner but will work w/ 3/16in, you just need to cut it deep w/ the blade. The trick to cutting plexi/ acrylic w/ a saw is, start the cut slow and finish the cut slow. Both the start and finish cut, is where it will crack.

 

[project f-150 10+ year member]

I dont worry too much about cracking as much as i do chipping the glass along the cut linewhen i use a jig thats why i like the rotary tools