Cutting an acrylic tank down from 18" down to 13"

[cbashaw]

I got a new Sea Clear 29G acryylic tank last night for free from a friend. She gave it to me because it is cracked at the top.

 

I want to cut it down below the crack so it will be about 13" tall instead to the 18" it is now.

 

I know I could do this with a dremel but I think it would be a messy cut and I would have to make some type of trim around the top to make it look nice. Is there a better way to do this?

[Scott_LM]

If you have a tablesaw it can be done that way. Use the fence as the guide and raise the blade to the thickness of the acrylic. Rotate it after each cut and you should now have a 13" box instead of 18".

 

 

***Disclaimer****

 

This is very dangerous with a tablesaw. It could result in a nasty kickback. The appropriate safety measures should be taken.

[NAGA]

You'd be better off using a fence guide and using a spiral router bit with an up twist and using a router to cut it down. With quarter in material used on the tank you can likely get away with using a laminate trimmer to do this as well.

 

 

As far as the fence mount I would use either double face tape or a good set of clamps

[cbashaw]

 

***Disclaimer****

 

This is very dangerous with a tablesaw. It could result in a nasty kickback. The appropriate safety measures should be taken.

 

That is my biggest concern about using a table saw. The tank was free so if it cracks it wont be so bad but a piece of sharp acrylic stuck in me would not be good.

 

Would a laminate trimmer blade in my dremel work? I have a tile cutting guide for my dremel already.

 

Thanks,

Chris

[Scott_LM]

Albeit a PIA, you could use a dremmel and just clamp a straight edge X distance away to keep your line. the setup here would be the PIA.

 

I would actually draw it out and use a jigsaw to make a rough cut. Then using your trim bit to make nice edges. I don't like using router bits to cut more than half the diameter of the bit. It tends to melt to easy.

 

Take this for what it's worth as I am no expert with acrylic.

[Pat_13]

I would actually draw it out and use a jigsaw to make a rough cut. Then using your trim bit to make nice edges. I don't like using router bits to cut more than half the diameter of the bit. It tends to melt to easy.

 

I second the jigsaw and router. Let us know how it goes.

[flowerseller]

If you have a tablesaw it can be done that way. Use the fence as the guide and raise the blade to the thickness of the acrylic. Rotate it after each cut and you should now have a 13" box instead of 18".

***Disclaimer****

 

This is very dangerous with a tablesaw. It could result in a nasty kickback. The appropriate safety measures should be taken.

I just did this very thing with 1/2" plexi tank.

[cbashaw]

I decided to go with my dremel and a diamond cutting blade. I cut it down and had no problems. Now I just have to get a router bit to clean up the edges

 

 

I measured the tank in about 20 places then put painters tape just under and over the line that I had drawn where I wanted the cut to be. The downside to the dremel is that I had to make a beveled cut to go all the way through the acrylic with the blade I used. I'm sure that will be easy to clean up with the trim bit though.

 

It was easier than I thought it would be.

 

I think I might buy one of these for my next acrylic project but it's limited to 1/4" cutting thickness.

[craby]

A recommendation to reduce the chance a table saw will kick back on acrylic, PVC, Plexiglass, etc. is to set the saw blade height at 1/2 thickness or less & pass 2 or more times.

 

Each pass creates a deeper path for the blade to follow, reduces chipping/splintering, is safer, takes very little time to raise blade, reduces/eliminates melting.

 

What's a few more seconds for a better finished product ?

[cbashaw]

A recommendation to reduce the chance a table saw will kick back on acrylic, PVC, Plexiglass, etc. is to set the saw blade height at 1/2 thickness or less & pass 2 or more times.

 

Each pass creates a deeper path for the blade to follow, reduces chipping/splintering, is safer, takes very little time to raise blade, reduces/eliminates melting.

 

What's a few more seconds for a better finished product ?

 

That sounds like a good idea.