The best ways to cut acrylic or plexiglass sheets

[@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.👍

[@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

[@Arby1981]

thank you for this video

[@RODsDIY]

Ur welcome and thanks for leaving a comment.

[@vaisakhvm1726]

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

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for leaving a comment Vaisak.

[@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.

[@mano_lax]

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

[@RODsDIY]

Many thanks for your comment Mano_lax.

[@AttommicDog]

Thanks for the advice. My cuts came out perfect.

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your commenty Attommicdog.

[@gravity_dog]

This was helpful, thank you

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Dog.

[@mnair6636]

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

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Mnair.

[@Lastcallrepent]

Good Job 👍

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Last Call.

[@pekjinoei1042]

Thanks for the lesson to cut acrylic...

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Pekjinoei.

[@PubFX]

Thanks for the tips!

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment PubFX.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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?

[@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.

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

@@delhenry9837 thx for your comment. I stopped watching after reading, having learned all I needed to know.

[@mckennaandpineapple6156]

Thank you so much for this

[@RODsDIY]

And thank you for leaving a comment.

[@subhrajitmitra4129]

Thank you Stanlee....

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for leaving a comment Subhrajit.

[@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 👍

[@petemisc4291]

I hear this every night

[@RODsDIY]

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

[@romerorv2008]

thank you sir!

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Romero.

[@shironpathirana]

! Kit 👍

[@michaelhansen6481]

👍

[@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.

[@thomaswiza10]

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

[@RODsDIY]

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

[@nicetry2192]

Lovely guy

[@RODsDIY]

Lovely comment 😀 Thanks.

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@shironpathirana]

! Kit 👍

[@RODsDIY]

Thanks for your comment Shiron.