How To Trim Acrylic Sheet

Cutting thin sheets of plastic.

How to trim acrylic sheet.

Routers can be used to cut acrylic for both curved and straight cuts. Use the saw at a slower speed or keep the material cool by spraying water over the cut point during the saw operation. Line the plexiglass sheet along the cut line. Next repeat on the opposite side of the.

For a thin sheet of plexiglass that is material up to about 3 16 inch thick use a scoring method not dissimilar from a technique used to cut actual glass. If you want a straight cut in a thin acrylic or polycarbonate plastic sheet up to inch thick reach for a simple utility knife then follow these steps. How to cut acrylic by hand. To cut acrylic sheets start by marking the line you want to cut using a ruler and a permanent marker.

For best results use another tool like the earlier mentioned table saw to cut your acrylic roughly before getting a more exact finish with the router. Then score the line using a plastic scoring blade using the ruler as a guide so your line is straight. All you need is a thin acrylic sheet a straight edge that is longer than your cut clamps and a scoring knife. Fit a circular saw or table saw with a fine blade with crosscut teeth to prevent chipping the piece during the cut.

Lay the sheet on a flat surface and. Clamp the plexiglass sheet to the work surface for stability. Cutting acrylic by hand is the easiest way to go for a beginner who isn t familiar with power tools. Be sure to use a compressor to keep the sheet in position to avoid chipping and more time needed to polish the cut.

Clamp down the straight edge on the cut line.