The best ways to cut acrylic or plexiglass sheets

In this video I show you the best ways to cut different thicknesses of acrylics or plexiglass. Different thicknesses of acrylics or plexiglass require different tools for cutting them with precision and without damaging the acrylic or plexiglass. If you can't afford a laser cutter this is the video for you.
If you find the background music too high, you must know I can't change that without deleting this video, something I can't do. So, you can turn the volume down or mute it, and turn on the subtitles. In any case, by 1:00 the music is less intrusive.
1:05 Video Intro
1:18 Cutting thin sheets (0.2-0.5 mm sheets)
2:16 Cutting medium sheets (1-3 mm sheets)
3:10 Cutting thick sheets (over 4 mm sheets)
4:41 Sanding the cuts
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[@alanaitken4206]

As myself retired engineer & toolmaker , spent a lot time on metals but hardly use acrylic materials , now I can understand how to cut acrylic sheets using simple tools . Brilliant and I ve been doing well on perfect jobs , thank you for sharing valuables advice & tips . From UK

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Alan.

[@David-hm9ic]

The technique for thinner sheets is spot on. For thicker sheets, a table saw is king for straight cuts and for 3mm - 1/8" and thicker curved pieces a band saw is an excellent tool.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your suggestions David.

[@jetblackstar]

Old school UA-cam. Informative and knowledge based 👍
Perfect

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Jetblackstar.

[@johnepperson8867]

GREAT SCOTT !!! Wish I'd known your methods when building my first Flux Capacitor. THANK YOU !!!

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment John.

[@johnepperson8867]

@@RODsDIY You're welcome Rod !!! I did subscribe, lots of cool things on your channel.

[@RODsDIY]

@@johnepperson8867 Thanks again.👍

[@jacko6652]

Excellent tips! Thank you!

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Jacko.

Just the info I needed. Thank you Rod.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment.

[@PreludeInZ]

Thank you very much for this! I think your video was perfect.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Preludein.

[@myzjed5576]

This video had exactly the information I was looking for. Thank you. Nevermind the trolls, complainers and know-it-alls that may comment. Keep up the helpful content. 👍 Cheers

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment @myzjed5576 👍

[@Arby1981]

thank you for this video

[@RODsDIY]

Ur welcome and thanks for leaving a comment.

[@ninehundreddollarluxuryyac5958]

Thank you! My attempt with a saw worked exactly like your example. Now I know how to do it right.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment @ninehundreddollarlux­uryyac5958

[@AttommicDog]

Thanks for the advice. My cuts came out perfect.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your commenty Attommicdog.

[@mano_lax]

Probably one of the BEST DIY vids I've ever watched. Thank you!

[@RODsDIY]

Many thanks for your comment Mano_lax.

[@xehpuk]

I used a wet tile saw because that's what I had. Worked great. I didn't notice any damage to the blade. Needed some cleaning up of half melted acrylic dust after.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Xehpuk. Nice how the melted acrylic just clicks off.

[@danalaniz7314]

Thank you so much. I'm just starting out and this is the first video I've watched. I'm very lucky because you gave me all the information I need in 5 minutes. You have given me a great leap forward in a process that normally would require watching multiple video posts to be sure I understand the process. Thank you for taking the time to post this video which I'm sure has helped a lot of people.

[@RODsDIY]

Many thanks for your comment Dana.

[@wendy6280]

Thankyou for your informative video. I am using 3mm plexiglass . My project is to fit a sheet of plexiglass into a window frame so I can divert hose from portable air conditioner through crank window. Just wanted to confirm ..did you just score the acrylic or score first then cut with the Stanley knife ? 🇦🇺

[@RODsDIY]

If I remember well Wendy, I said in the video that it's a good idea to start off slowly to ensure a straight path is clearly established before you go full in with the knife (thinner acrylic) or scoring tool (3 mm, not so thin acrylic). With any cutting tool on acrylics and glass, it's very easy to run off to a side and ruin the cut. Thanks for your comment.

[@wendy6280]

@ thankyou very much 🇦🇺💕

[@vaisakhvm1726]

Worked perfectly for me. Thank you very much for the video 😃

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for leaving a comment Vaisak.

[@davidlang4442]

I use a fine blade on a table saw..Works great!

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment David.

[@fepeerreview3150]

Thanks! That was very useful.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment FePeerReview.

[@sentinel1064]

- Nice job!

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Sentinel.

[@GeorgesDupont-do8pe]

Dremels with diamond cutters are good for cutting thick acrylic too. If you've no angle grinder like me. Don't forget to protect your respiration tracts and eyes.

[@RODsDIY]

Yes, thanks for the reminder and for your comment.

[@strikebr]

I used to cut acrylic every day. But with a laser CNC or with a CNC router. I'm doing this since 2002.

[@RODsDIY]

Oh, yeah. That's the baby I'd love to have.

[@kgilliagorilla2761]

@@strikebr haha I worked for a company that sold spiral bits for CNC routers. We had a CNC tool maker that made all kinds of bits up to 3/4”. CNCs are way cool.

[@johnantliff]

I have found using a multi-tool vibrating semi-circular cutter works well and I have not had any failures using this tool on various thicknesses of Acrylic sheeting.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for sharing.

[@ericwillis777]

Excellent, just what I needed to know.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Eric.

[@Pete.Ty1]

👍👍👍. Thanks

[@RODsDIY]

And thanks to you for leaving a comment.

[@lutraUK]

For the thicker pieces, using a wood/steel guide like yourself, I gently use a flat, fine tooth (42tpi) Japanese draw blade saw. This seems to work very efficiently, without producing the burrs produced by an angle grinder. Otherwise, a very good UA-cam to have available for the general public.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your generous comment LutraUK and your suggestion.

[@DavidCookeZ80]

Yep, hand tools are best to minimise melting. I'd also recommend a fine toothed pull saw (intended for cross-cutting wood, has a thin kerf), but a metal hacksaw or coping saw also work. For thinner still-flexible sheets an office paper cutter or even an old-school guilotine will get you a 90 degree cut with minimum effort.

[@RODsDIY]

@@DavidCookeZ80 Thanks for your comment and suggestions.

[@Chris-u5s8k]

Thank you🙏

[@RODsDIY]

And thank you for leaving a comment.

[@mnair6636]

Thank you for your guidance. Worked like a treat :)

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Mnair.

[@Rooster---ooo]

Nice!
I acquired a lifetime's supply (and the next) of 5mm acrylic sheets (about 40 1m x 3-4m and various offcuts) when the office I work at finally decided to take down all the covid 19 desk dividers. To save them from going into a skip, I carted them all back to my workshop in the back of my Mini over the course of a few weeks. I think they paid through the nose for them at the time (£40k or thereabout) & now I need to find ways to utilize them.
I've made a large wood store with some of the 4m lengths and quite a few jigs and tools. I've been cutting the sheets with a track saw, mitre saw and table saw, which works pretty well but creates a lot of white 'sawdust' which is stringy and clogs up the tools & dust collection system, as it seems to set in clumps as it cools, making a kind of plastic birds nest! I'd not considered cutting it with an angle grinder, and while slower, it would be a lot less mess to deal with. Thanks!

[@RODsDIY]

Many thanks for your comment and I envy your fortune. There are many many things you can do with your collection either for your home, workshop, presents or for selling. I'm sure you'll find loads of ideas in Pinterest and UA-cam.

[@Rooster---ooo]

@@RODsDIY I thought I was going to have to fight to get one or two of the screens but in the end, bar a half dozen or so, I managed to snaffle up the lot, plus a few dozen thick aluminium joining plates and L brackets. Definitely some good fortune & I've probably got a lifetime supply of both if I use them on small & medium size projects & not as full sheets.

[@RODsDIY]

@@Rooster---ooo Oh, yes, they always come in handy. I'm always picking up from the street broken pieces or full panes off advertisement panels or bus stops, or TV screens. Very useful; your junk my fortune. 😂😂😂

[@Rooster---ooo]

@@RODsDIY Absolutely. People like us see the potential of this 'junk'. When you see the price to buy these materials new, it makes your eyes water :p
I'm primarily a woodworker & find it difficult to pass a pallet. I keep a pallet breaker in my car for targets of opportunity. If only the local tip would let me loose on their skips. It hurts my soul to see what gets chucked out :(

[@RODsDIY]

@@Rooster---ooo "Targets of opportunity" is the perfect name. Driving around I have one eye on the holes in the road and the other on possible targets 😂😂😂, although nowadays I fall into more holes than opportunities 😂😂😂.

[@ashleylaw]

Excellent thank you. Trouble is I just cut mine before this came up on the recommendations !
Ah well. Next time.
Mine ? 5 mm , used my mitre saw as fast and slow as I could. It was Ok but had to sand it back and took the edges off to.

[@RODsDIY]

How many teeth does your saw have? Somehow some people get away with power tools, either it's the teeth per inch or it's how they go along with the job.

[@ashleylaw]

@@RODsDIY Quite a few 60 or 80 can't remember which blade is on at the moment. Its new to only used it for about 15 to cuts of nice old larch hard but no knots. And it is a 2,000 watt motor so it spins much faster than my circular saw that is only 1,500 watts. I used the acrylic for windows in my new barn doors (small personal doors 1.5 m by 2m sort of...nothing is level nothing is square ...!) I just made.

[@RODsDIY]

​Thanks@@ashleylaw

[@SK-tr9ii]

I've cut 1/16th inch plexiglass with a electric jig saw as shown at the beginning of this video. I covered the cutting area with one layer of masking tape and cut slow and smooth, not like the hack in this video.I had no issues as I cut panels to cover about a dozen small windows.

[@RODsDIY]

Maybe you should show us your method in a video so we learn how to do it. Maybe you got lucky, but the risk of cracking 3 mil plexiglass with power tools is too high. I have also cut plexiglass with the electric saw with no issue, but it must be clear, the risk of failures is very high.

[@SK-tr9ii]

@@RODsDIY I know nothing about making videos but my method was straight forward. The bottom of the workpiece was supported out to the edge being cut and a board was used as a fence on top. It was clamped together. The saw was ran at full speed and needs to be held firmly so it cannot grab the workpiece. As with any machining operation, cutting speed is important. Slow and steady. If I remember right, the blade was used and the cut was left with a partially melted edge which broke freely with little effort.
Maybe you are right and I got lucky with all the holes in the Swiss cheese lining up. I also clamped the finished panels between boards and drilled holes through them with a dull drill bit for mounting purposes.

[@mattharvey8712]

Bravo............I use same process........the other one u never see ......aluminum foil .....place a strip under cut area and rap it over the edge 2 inches.....u then use plasma cutter and ground clamp to alum........cut like metal......cheers

[@RODsDIY]

Many thanks for your comment Mattharvey.

[@ehRalph]

When drilling acrylic with a hole saw or Forster bit, I’ve gone to misting the cut with water and going slow to keep it cool.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Ralph. That should help keep the temperature down. However, when it comes to abrasive tools and some cutting tools, is it not true that they won't work unless they have a minimum speed?

[@pekjinoei1042]

Thanks for the lesson to cut acrylic...

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Pekjinoei.

[@robertheinkel6225]

On the thicker material, I just use my Dremel tool with a rotary bit. Cuts clean with no chipping.

[@RODsDIY]

There are many miniature projects where a dremel is just perfect. Just a pity some accesories are so expensive, but I suppose they are worth every penny.

[@trinityestrada9588]

Great information…thank you!

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Trinity.

[@Tz-Tagz]

Good job in showing some methods!

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Tz-Tagz.

[@delhenry9837]

First of all, the term "Plexiglass" is a trade name for the acrylic sheet developed by Rohm Hass Co. (Acrylite is the trade name for the acrylic sheets developed by Cynamade) Cutting acrylic sheets, no matter the thickness is best with a 60 tooth, alternate ground, carbide blade on table saws or panel saws and best if the acrylic sheet is "paper mask" vs "film mask". Cast acrylic sheets are much easier to work with than "extruded" products. When drilling any acrylic sheet, rod or tube, always use a "dull bit", never a sharp one!!! When grinding edges, it is best using an auto body wet type of sanding paper, and the "cast" products will always be easier to grind/polish than "extruded"...

[@RODsDIY]

Many thanks for sharing your knowledge Henry.

[@kerrytoby7041]

Cutting acrylic 2 mm and up to 18 mm is best on a ten inch blade ,80 tooth , not alternating tooth blade but most specifically a laminate blade. One tooth straight across the top and the next tooth bevelled back on the left side and right side for clearance. One and a half to 3 hp table saw. Larger saws as well with even larger blades of the same type. Cutting thinner sheet of acrylic is trickier. Cutting other plastics requires different understanding as they all have different properties. If one is not versed in cutting polycarbonate I wouldn't do it on a table saw without professional guidance.

[@RODsDIY]

@@kerrytoby7041 Thanks for the info and comments.

[@gravity_dog]

This was helpful, thank you

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Dog.

[@Lastcallrepent]

Good Job 👍

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Last Call.

[@PubFX]

Thanks for the tips!

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment PubFX.

[@subhrajitmitra4129]

Thank you Stanlee....

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for leaving a comment Subhrajit.

[@awalk5177]

I need to cut curves as opposed to straight lines, I have managed carefully with a jigsaw.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Awalk. No doubt curves, not circles, are a different challenge. Maybe a Dremel,, if you can afford one, is another option.

[@awalk5177]

@@RODsDIY Thank you, good idea. I have a dremmel yes. Brilliant, thank you so much.

[@RODsDIY]

@@awalk5177 👍

[@G_Vompiris]

Wouldn' it be preferable to cut the arcylic with the angle grinder at low speed, if our tool offers such an option? Thank you for the video! :)

[@RODsDIY]

Maybe, angle grinders use high speed because they are designed for cutting metal or stone. If you have access to a variable speed or you have access to a Dremel you could try that option. 🙂 Thanks for your comment and suggestion Vompiris.

[@G_Vompiris]

@@RODsDIY Nowadays more and more brands manufacture small angle grinders with speed control for very low prices, as well as Dremel-like power tools. I will keep in mind the low speed and the multiple passes. :)

[@RODsDIY]

@@G_Vompiris 👍

[@joefw2446]

Thank you sir!

[@RODsDIY]

And thank you for leaving a comment.

[@douglasthompson2740]

That takes care of the easy cuts. What about circles and weird shapes?? Tight corners, inside cuts, etc. etc.

[@RODsDIY]

For the circles I can offer you this: ua-cam.com/video/tYtYsgO3oLs/v-deo.html
For weird shapes I imagine the only option is going little by little following the line with one of the tools I have mentioned. Maybe a cutting disc on a Dremel is a good option, although it's an expensive tool.

[@mckennaandpineapple6156]

Thank you so much for this

[@RODsDIY]

And thank you for leaving a comment.

[@petemisc4291]

I hear this every night

[@RODsDIY]

Well, it wasn't supposed to be ASMR, but nice to know it helps 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Robert-zx2df]

Never had issue using jig saw or circular saw

[@RODsDIY]

I don't know how you do it but everytime I have tried to cut acrylic it breaks, and I've used the finest-teeth saw.

[@romerorv2008]

thank you sir!

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Romero.

[@welshboyo1042]

I wouldent recommend putting your left hand on grinder where this gentleman does... 😮😮

[@RODsDIY]

You are right. If you are a newbie, don't do that. As I have years in this I know there is very low risk of breakage in such a soft cut but still, a 1% probability is still a risk, and ending up in the hospital is not fun.

[@nicetry2192]

Lovely guy

[@RODsDIY]

Lovely comment 😀 Thanks.

[@shironpathirana]

! Kit 👍

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Shiron.

[@thomaswiza10]

Straight cuts are fine, let’s see some curves cut ?

[@RODsDIY]

There you are Thomas: ua-cam.com/video/tYtYsgO3oLs/v-deo.html

[@michaelhansen6481]

👍

[@PirateFunk]

Thank you sir.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for leaving a comment Pirate.

[@PirateFunk]

@@RODsDIY​​⁠ I want to make shelves for my coworkers’ lockers at work. The lockers are cleaned out once a month so I want too give them something light but sturdy so they can transport the shelves fairly easily at the end of the month. I think acrylic would be the ideal material. What is your opinion?

[@RODsDIY]

@@PirateFunk Of course. You can drop something on to acrylic and it won't break, like glass. It's thin so gives more space than wood. It's strong like steel, but it's transparent, so it helps with lighting a locker and finding things. Yeah, I agree, it seems to be your best option.

[@PirateFunk]

@@RODsDIY Thank you very much for your opinion.

[@RODsDIY]

@@PirateFunk Ur welcome

[@glasslinger]

That's great but most of the time curved pieces need to be cut. Oh well.

[@RODsDIY]

Maybe this helps: ua-cam.com/video/tYtYsgO3oLs/v-deo.html
Thanks for leaving a comment.

[@gordonhall9871]

Richard Harris

[@RODsDIY]

Just don't call me horse, please. 😁

[@ovalwingnut]

Thank you for the video p.s. Less music more YOU

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment. I'm reducing the volume in the next videos, so the background music isn't frontground, but the m,usic is needed in most cases.

[@ovalwingnut]

@@RODsDIY You R a Gentleman and a scholar...

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks, you are very generous with your words@@ovalwingnut

[@infatum9]

Wish i saw this vid 1 month ago. Exactly me mistake with the saw.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for leaving a comment Infatum.

[@infatum9]

Idea. Wish systems were even more integrated. The moment one buys a certain material in a shop, a vid would pop up in UA-cam in the suggested videos with a name - Don't be that 1000 idiot who broke the material. Would make people conscious.

[@MucaroBoricua]

Mmm, I wouldn't call those "precision cuts".

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for leaving a comment Mucaro.

[@shironpathirana]

! Kit 👍