Suggestion for Cutting Acrylic Sheet Without Table Saw?

[Kengar]

I need to cut some 3/16" thick acrylic without a table saw. In the past, I have scored with Exacto knife, supported the sheet on two tubes of PVC with the score between between and parallel to the tubes, placed a third tube on top of the sheet right along the score, then whacked the top tube sharply (e.g., with yet another piece of pvc tube) to crack it. This time, however, I need the break to be fairly clean. Suggestion? Would a glass cutter form deeper, cleaner score (using a metal straight edge to guide it)? What about some sort of an engraving-type Dremel tool attachment? Heating blade of Exacto knife then slicing the sheet while the blade is still hot?

 

Thanks for assistance!

[droyal1110]

A sawzall or some sort of reciprocating saw with a neat or smooth metal type blade worked well for me. I just drew the lines and help my breath. I found the metal cutting blade worked best because it was smooth, it didn't chip or crack the acrylic, and it didn't melt the acrylic when cut so the shaving just fell off rather than heat up and stick. I found this to be 100% better than scoring and breaking. Just my .02

[zygote2k]

If you bring it to me, I can cut it on the CNC.

[Integral9]

A sawzall or some sort of reciprocating saw with a neat or smooth metal type blade worked well for me. I just drew the lines and help my breath. I found the metal cutting blade worked best because it was smooth, it didn't chip or crack the acrylic, and it didn't melt the acrylic when cut so the shaving just fell off rather than heat up and stick. I found this to be 100% better than scoring and breaking. Just my .02

 

That works well. I might add to use some clamps and a block of wood to help guide the saw. Clamp the wood to the plastic along the edge of the saw so that the blade follows the line. Then you just have to hold the saw against the wood to keep a straight line. A piece of hardwood flooring works great.

 

IME, you just about have to use metal blades to cut acrylic. Blades meant for wood will crack or chip your acrylic almost every time.

[Kengar]

thanks for the offer, zygotek. for this, I think I'll just get a router attachment and bit for my dremel, or perhaps ask the neighbor who, I think, may have a table saw set up in his garage.

 

However, I may ask to take you up on the offer in connection with making some clamp adapters. I ordered some Giesemann clamp-on fans, but from the specs (I haven't received the units yet) I don't think they will fit over the frame of my Oceanic tank. So, I plan to purchase some 3 X 3 X 3 acrylic cubes, router out a central slot to give me a U-shaped bracket, shoot and tap some holes to receive nylon srews, acrylic-cement a twelve-inch x .75 inch x 1.5 inch acrylic bar to the top of the bracket, and then clamp the fan uniit onto the acrylic bar. Would you be able to router that out for me? What about tapping the screw holes? Everything else I could probably handle myself.

 

Thanks!

[Kengar]

or then again, maybe I'll just get two of these!

 

http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/store_p...uct_ID=ws-brace

 

I forgot about these. I used them when I first set up this system and had wavy seas oscillators (pre-Vortech days)

[zygote2k]

I can cut up to 1/4 " acrylic and ABS.

[ctenophore]

Ken, I have a table saw with a plastics blade that is good for acrylic. A little closer than NoVA if you want to swing by.

 

Justin

[Kengar]

Hey Justin! Thank you for the offer; I appreciate it! I may see what is available at HD (or, if I absolutely have to, sLowe's) and get something to have around the house. If I'm not able to pull the trigger and buy another tool, I'll take you up on your offer. Regards,

 

Ken

[lanman]

If you bring it to me, I can cut it on the CNC.

 

You have a CNC router in your apartment??

 

Now THAT is tool-time!!

 

bob

[Kengar]

ultimately, i bought a cheap, 40 dllar black and decker jigsaw. will clamp a bar to the acrylic as a guide and go. thanks for the info and offeres.

[TROLL]

In my experience, jigsaw isn't exactly friendly with acrylic. They will just tear it up. If you want, you're welcome to come to my warehouse and use my tablesaw. Let us know how jigsaw and acrylic goes.

[Kengar]

In my experience, jigsaw isn't exactly friendly with acrylic. They will just tear it up. If you want, you're welcome to come to my warehouse and use my tablesaw. Let us know how jigsaw and acrylic goes.

 

 

I got the finest metal blade (i.e., smallest, most number of teeth) to use. Fortunately, teh sheet I bought is far larger than what I need for my application, so there is plenty of room for trial and error. Will advise later once i've taken a crack at it.