How To Cut An Curved Acrylic Sheet
Be sure to use a compressor to keep the sheet in position to avoid chipping and more time needed to polish the cut.
How to cut an curved acrylic sheet. Mark your desired cut line using a straight edge then score the sheet of plastic with the utility knife making several passes until you. In this video we demonstrate the four most common ways to cut acrylic sheet also known as perspex acrylit. Snap the acrylic at the cut. 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.
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. Secure the sheet to a large work surface with a clamp. You only need to cover the area of the. Set up the acrylic glass on 2 beams so that you can cut through it with the jigsaw.
Cut a curved line with a jigsaw. With the sheet laid flat on the work surface use a ruler as a guide and draw a straight line where you want to cut the sheet. How to cut acrylic by hand clamp down the straight edge on the cut line. Use a dry erase marker so you can erase it after you cut the sheet.
Routers can be used to cut acrylic for both curved and straight cuts. Score the cut line. Cover the surface of the plexiglas with two layers of masking tape. Make 5 10 scratches with the scoring knife along the straight edge until you ve cut about halfway.
Make the line visible and be careful not to smudge the marker. Plexiglass can scratch easily which is why it s sold with a protective. The plywood will offer support for the. Measure the ruler against the cutting line and then draw the knife repeatedly down its edge gradually increasing the pressure with each pass.
Using solvent based glues on laser cut extruded acrylic can cause cracking due to the internal stresses from temperature differences in the acrylic. Set the 1 4 inch plywood flat on the worktable and place the plexiglas sheet on top of the plywood. Push the jigsaw from the outer edge towards your body along the line you made so you can constantly keep your eye on the blade and the line.