Cutting with a waterjet (water cutting) is suitable for both hard and foamed PVC. How to Cut Plastic Sheet: This video segment will show you how to cut plastic sheet. Use a straight edge or a ruler to mark a straight line on the sheet of plexiglass. Once you've scored the initial line, go over it a few times with the blade until a groove forms. Start with a small drill bit (See link below to pilot holes) and work up to the size you require. Did you make this project? In the unlikely case that the drill bit gets stuck in the acrylic sheet, simply put the drill into reverse to retrieve it. Make the original cut as clean as possible. Measure along the side of the thin plastic sheet and place a mark with the felt-tipped marker at the length you need to cut the plastic sheet. Using a very sharp scoring tool, clamps, a table or workbench with a straight edge and a metal rule, … Place the sheet over hard edge with groove-side up. How To Cut Acrylic Sheets For Keychains With Your Cricut Maker. In this case, 86% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. How to cut Plastic Sheet This video segment will show you how to cut plastic sheet. Thicker plexiglass, strangely enough, allows for the simplest of the cutting processes. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 102,145 times. Place the piece of corrugated roofing you're going to cut on a flat surface, and measure the length or width you need to cut with a tape measure. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Measure the ruler against the cutting line and then draw the knife repeatedly down its edge, gradually increasing the pressure with each pass. Share it with us! All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Use the hand-held jig saw to cut curves in the plastic sheeting. Extruded Acrylic Sheets. In other words, you shouldn’t use it to cut curved shapes or sand the plastic down with. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. When using 360 grit, start wet-sanding. Rotate the piece so that the cut line is on the edge of the work surface. Put on safety glasses before doing any kind of cutting, and wear ear plugs if you use an electric saw. I bet at this point, youre ready to hear about How To Cut Acrylic Sheets For Keychains With Your Cricut Maker. Yes, the recommended way to cut acrylic plastic is with a high-quality table saw with a carbide-tipped saw blade. Contact the machine manufacturer for the maximum sheet thickness of foamed PVC. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Whether you want your sheets polishing, holes screwing in, radius corners or more, you can be confident they will look the best around at reasonable prices. It should break cleanly along the cut line. X The scrap piece you are cutting off should be over the edge, since a fall when it is cut off might damage the acrylic. This video segment will show you how to cut plastic sheet. Placing masking tape over your cut line can help you make a cleaner edge with a jigsaw. First, determine the needed measurements for your acrylic sheet. To cut straight a thick sheet of acrylic or polycarbonate use the circular saw. Fit a circular saw or table saw with a fine blade with crosscut teeth to prevent chipping the piece during the cut. Measure it out, and use a ruler to make a straight line. Continue until you’ve scored a deep line in the plexiglass (it may take as many as ten or twelve scores), then turn the slab over and repeat the process. Set the sheet down on a sawhorse mark where you want to cut. Switch on the jigsaw and cut the plastic along the marked line. Hacksaw is the best to cut PVC and ABS pipes. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Check your mounting and reset if necessary to make sure the line that you need to cut is off the edge of the workbench. To cut thicker plastic sheets, it is best to use a saw (hand saw or power saw) with a carbide-tipped saw blade. Do not force the bit into the acrylic let it cut under its own weight and should the drill bit get stuck in the platic sheet, put the drill into reverse to get it out. With the right tools, you can quickly cut this type of roofing by using the following steps. As sheet bends, the groove will deepen as the crack propagate throughout the sheet. Clamp the sheet if needed. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. on Introduction, Mild spam at the end but still educational, About: TAP Plastics has been providing customers with unique fiberglass, plastic and related products since 1952. How to Cut Acrylic Sheets. You can also cut foamed PVC on a sheet metal cutting machine or cut it on a plotter machine. You can mark the line … % of people told us that this article helped them. If cutting a really large sheet, I recommend drawing your lines directly onto the protective plastic sheeting with a pen or pencil. Score the acrylic several more times along the same line, then place the acrylic on the edge of the table … Bend the overhang side of the sheet with quick and even motion. Line the plexiglass sheet along the cut line. However, you can't use the floor, as you need an edge to break the acrylic over later. Best Concrete Drill Bits | Reviews And Buying Guide. Once you confirm the clamp is secure, apply pressure to the piece of sheet that is hanging off of the table until it breaks off. You can also drill holes along the guideline if you want to. Acrylic sheets are fairly simple to cut. Clamp the plexiglass sheet to the work surface for stability. Can you cut acrylic plastic? This line will be your cutting guide so make sure it is straight and visible. Make sure you do not stop while cutting a plastic sheet, if you stop the movement while cutting, this will produce extreme amount of heat, cause whatever the type of plastic to melt. Otherwise, you'll need to use a saw to cut it. Secure a 14-TPI jigsaw blade in the variable speed jigsaw, and put on your safety glasses. Use a circular saw or a jigsaw for the best cut. The maximum sheet thickness depends on the capacities of the cutting or plotting machine. It will also show you the cutting option you have, should you choose to have a professional cut it for you. Sand the Cut Line Use a cut-off wheel to cut plastic using a Dremel. Then hold the material firmly using a clamp. If the cut was deep enough into the … To learn how to cut acrylic by sawing it, scroll down! Acrylic sheets are a tricky material to handle with power tools. To prevent the surface from getting scratched while cutting the corrugated plastic roofing sheet, place plywood or cardboard underneath the plastic. Finally, place the line you scored over the edge of a table and press down on the part of the acrylic that's hanging off of the table to break it off. Related Products. Step 2 Measure the length you need to cut, starting at one end of the corrugated plastic roofing sheet. Set the polycarbonate material on a cutting platform, as described in step 3 above. Step 4 Set the steel ruler onto the thin plastic sheet, aligning one edge with the marks you made in Step 3. Thin plastic sheets – those less than ¼â€ (6.35mm) in thickness – do not require a power tool or saw to cut a straight edge and may be treated much in the same way as glass. However, using a Dremel can be a great way to cut this type of material. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. To make it easier to work with, find a flat surface big enough to accommodate your plastic sheet. Place the sheet of plexiglass on a sawhorse so you can cut through the sheet while keeping it flat and secure. They are sensitive to heat, and they can chip or crack as well, depending on the type of plastic you chose for your application. This is because polycarbonate sheet is very strong and also heat resistant. Any suggestions? [1] It will also show you the cutting option you have, should you choose to have TAP Plastics cut it for you. Polycarbonate Sheets - Thin Gauge. For straight cuts in acrylic, a plastic-scoring blade can be used. Start with rough paper ~180 grit and a foam sanding block. Next, repeat on the opposite side of the acrylic sheet over the same line. Place a corresponding mark on the side parallel to the side that you marked previously. Step 1 – Preparing the Roofing. While our safe-to-the-touch blades protect you from accidental lacerations, they’re as sharp as they need to be to cut corrugated plastic sheets, either with or against the grain. To learn how to cut acrylic by sawing it, scroll down! Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. With a straightedge as a guide, pull the blade toward you, leaving a score mark. Lay the corrugated plastic roofing sheet on a hard, stable surface. To get you started, we’ve created a guide with tips on how to cut polycarbonate sheet. If your sheet is relatively thin--less than 3⁄16 inch (0.48 cm)--you can use the scoring method. "I experienced difficulty finding an acrylic box the size I needed, but I didn't know how to cut a sheet to my, "The specific steps on scoring an acrylic sheet for a straight cut, esp. If you don't have a buffing edge, you can stop with fine sandpaper. We specialize in fiberglass resins and fabrics for fiberglass repair, plastic containers, and custom f…, How to Make Charcuterie Boards Using Clear Acrylic Templates. Use the saw at a slower speed, or keep the material cool by spraying water over the cut point during the saw operation. Adjust the saw speed so the blade is moving at approximately 12,000 strokes per minute. This video segment will show you how to cut plastic sheet. Acrylic Sheet | Acrylic Cutting Tool | 24″ Ruler | Painter’s Tape. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Research source. If you want to cut plexiglass/acrylic sheets, make sure you leave the protective film on the sheet while cutting. Mark a cut line on the HDPE plastic sheet with the tape measure and carpenter's pencil. Unbranded Plastic Sheet Cutting Tool-GE-41 - The Home Depot To cut acrylic you will need to have the knife blade but from there it’s like … References This will reduce the sanding time significantly. Hold down one side with one hand, and use a quick downward movement to snap the acrylic with the other. Railroad Rail Lantern / Sign Stand Split With Axe. If you want to cut curves on the plastic, use the jigsaw. This article has been viewed 102,145 times. Do not try to pull it out. Corrugated plastic sheets can be difficult to cut without the right tools. If you're a do-it-yourself-er, you've likely needed to use acrylic sheeting in a project. KOMATEX Foamed PVC Sheets. Once the sheet has been scored, clamp the acrylic on a table edge so that the table edge aligns with the scored line of the sheet. Purchase waterproof sandpaper designed for plastic. Sheet acrylic plastic is a versatile, glasslike construction material that can be cut or shaped for a wide variety of items. wikiHow's. Begin cutting along the line you made when preparing the acrylic sheet. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Install a metal-cutting blade into the saw, with at least 10 teeth per inch of blade. Cutting polycarbonate is easy compared to cutting acrylic sheet and is a task that can be tackled even by a newbie DIYer. First, grab a metal ruler and a utility knife (preferably one with a brand new blade). Slice ® makes tools with finger-friendly ® blades, in multiple handle configurations, that tackle this material with ease. Step 1, Set the acrylic on a flat surface. To cut acrylic sheets, start by marking the line you want to cut using a ruler and a permanent marker. With the foam block and sand paper, cup the edge to smooth it round. Now I can customize my own sheets. You can use a regular blade, but the cut will be more jagged. By using our site, you agree to our. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Our acrylic cutting machines are all modern top of the range models, ensuring all your sheets and projects are cut efficiently and accurately with a great looking finish to them. Recent Posts. 12 years ago Make marks on both sides or ends of the sheet with a felt marker, and draw a line between them, using a straightedge. At all times, let the drill bit cut under its own weight - avoid forcing the drill bit into the acrylic sheet as this can cause the acrylic to crack, chip or break. ", http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/how-to/acrylic/cutting-acrylic, https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-cut-plexiglass/#.WehX5jBGnIU, https://makezine.com/2015/10/29/skill-builder-acrylic/, https://www.hunker.com/13402629/how-to-cut-acrylic-sheet, https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/jigsaw-101-how-to-cut-shapes, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Begin by deciding where you want to cut the acrylic. [2] X Research sourceStep 2, Mark your line. It will also show you the cutting option you have, should you choose to have a professional cut it for you. Cutting a Straight Line by Scoring the Acrylic, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/01\/Cut-Acrylic-Sheets-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cut-Acrylic-Sheets-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/01\/Cut-Acrylic-Sheets-Step-1.jpg\/aid9420717-v4-728px-Cut-Acrylic-Sheets-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"