How is plexiglass cut? How and how to cut plexiglass at home How to cut acrylic glass
Good day to all.
I used to always cut plexiglass in cutting offices. Because the "grinder" only burns it, and with a hacksaw it turns out crooked and gemmorno.
In order not to waste time and money on cutting glass, my supervisor showed me a great and fast way. how to cut plexiglass with your own hands at home) Maybe someone is familiar with him, but I didn’t know))
We break the hacksaw blade, break it in half and shape it as in the photo.
We sharpen the "tip" marked with a yellow square. We will refer to it as a knife
For sharpening and giving this shape, an electric sharpener was used.
Plexiglas is best covered with masking tape. It will be more convenient to mark + it will not be scratched.
Then we firmly apply the ruler to the marked strip and with little effort we begin to cut the glass with the sharp tip of the knife. From one side of the glass to the other. We try to slightly press the knife to the ruler.
For evenness of the cutting surface, you can make small cuts on the edges of the glass.
We cut the glass to half its thickness and then break it at the cut line. To make it easier to break on the reverse side, you can make a shallow incision in the same way)
It is better to break to the side where the incision is deeper. And oops)
At the break point, the edges are not very even. They can be processed with a file or something abrasive)
In order to save time, we made such a "adaptation" :) Tightly and tightly wind the sandpaper on the drill and fix everything with ties.
It would seem, why such a skill as cutting plexiglass can come in handy, let the professionals do it, after all, their business is nothing. Only on the eve of the holidays, the question arises of what surprises and gifts to prepare for your loved ones. I want to be original, to do something special. Shops represent a standard set of things that can be found in every second house. It remains to make a gift with your own hands. The material is obvious - it is organic glass. Why? From it you can easily make a wonderful photo frame, an unusual lamp or an aquarium. How nice it will be then to hear the gratitude of loved ones and the praise of friends. Remember that cutting organic glass at home requires preparation and accuracy. We will tell you in detail about how and what to do.
Now many companies are engaged in the production of things from organic glass. Of course, the quality of cutting will be significantly different from what you do with your own hands. Processing specialists use a special laser that cuts organic glass without the slightest error or inaccuracy. Everything is fine, but such services are very expensive. In addition, an outsider will not be able to carry out your plan in its entirety. No matter how detailed explanations he was informed.
So, the process of cutting plexiglass at home is the same school labor lessons. The correct drawing, selected tools, perseverance, attentiveness, and the result will not keep you waiting. To cut in a straight line, you will need a regular jigsaw or a special knife - a cutter. First, clean the organic glass sheet. Even dust can cause difficulties during cutting. After cleaning, place the sheet of material on a horizontal surface. It must be level and stable. Otherwise, you may be injured and damage the material. Be sure to fix the plexiglass before starting work. Using a ruler, draw the desired lines with a dark marker. It is clearly visible and is washed off in one motion. Without removing the ruler, take a knife and swipe it with force on the plexiglass.
You need to do this until the sheet is cut. Do not overdo it with pressing force, because. the strength of organic glass is weak. This method is convenient in that you do not have to additionally process the edges.
You can also cut this material with a wire. To do this, you must first heat it up. Fix the sheet on weight. Then draw the wire along the drawn lines. It must be well tensioned with a load. This method is great for shape cutting if you want to make unusual details, and not just squares and rectangles. An ordinary hacksaw for metal can also be used to separate plexiglass. But the blade needs to be sharp. Do not forget about curly rulers, which are full in stores and supermarkets. Do not use fragile rulers.
Sometimes it is necessary, after cutting, to drill holes in the plexiglass for attaching parts, hanging, etc. This can also be easily done at home. You will need a regular drill, which is used in everyday life. To avoid jamming, you need to fix the material well. Further depending on the thickness of the material. Thin plexiglass is suitable for drills that have a sharpening angle of 45 degrees. Tolstoy - at 60 degrees. Large diameter holes are drilled at an angle of 70 degrees. Pay attention to the angle of inclination (should be 17 degrees) and the angle of the back sharpening (should be between 4 and 8 degrees). Try to avoid overheating of the material, which occurs during prolonged drilling. To do this, turn off the drill every 2 minutes. During breaks, you can remove the resulting chips or cut the edges of the sheet.
To glue the cut parts of the plexiglass, you will need to degrease, clean and make the necessary adjustments. Apply glue in an even layer, and on each part. This will make the fixation clearer and more durable. Please note that when joining glass with an overlap, you need to use a lot of glue.
Choose the most convenient way and act. Make your home special: fill it with interesting organic glass items. They will not only please the eyes of the owners, but also of all guests. How nice it will be to hear the praise of friends. You don't have to be an interior designer or have a laser to cut plexiglass at home. A little imagination, a little effort and a few tools will help you implement the most daring and unusual ideas.
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The need to cut plexiglass does not arise very often when it comes to home use, but sometimes you still have to think about what tools may be required in such a situation.
If you decide to make something from plexiglass yourself, then you will need to master the skills of working with this material. The most common acrylic is 8 mm thick. It is worth noting that sawing or cutting organic glass is not at all difficult, because this material lends itself perfectly to all processing methods. Below we will consider how you can cut plexiglass at home using the available tools.
Cutting methods for Plexiglas
If you decide to start making some acrylic products or you may need to repair an existing product, then you may well need to drink it to remove the deformed element. The following methods are available at home:
- Use a hacksaw for metal. Plexiglas with a thickness of 8 mm can be easily cut with this tool, but be prepared for the fact that the cut will turn out to be sloppy, additional grinding with a file or needle file will be required.
- You can use a cutter. The method is as follows: a metal ruler is pressed onto the plexiglass element to be cut off, then it is carried out a couple of times with a cutter. The thickness is cut in half and it is carefully broken.
- A circular saw is also suitable, it will easily cope with organic glass 8 mm or thicker. Some craftsmen use cutters for metal, the thickness of which is from 0.5-1 mm. In the process of working with cutters, they wear out relatively quickly, this leads to the release of smoke, while the surface becomes rough, and due to high temperature it can foam. To avoid this result, the saw must be cooled during operation. To do this, you can install a container with water on one side of the cutter and from there feed it through a plastic hose. With the organization of such cooling, you can achieve a neat and transparent cut.
- If necessary, cut 8 mm or other Plexiglas sheet not in a straight line, you can use nichrome thread.
To do this, you need to build a small cutting tool. The nichrome thread will need to be warmed up well, for this it is connected to a transformer of 24V or less. When the thread is heated, it can cut acrylic along a predetermined trajectory. - Another method for cutting plexiglass with a thickness of 8 mm or with other parameters is use slotted screwdriver. Having attached its end to the place of the cut, the blade is heated with a 25W soldering iron. When the temperature reaches the melting of the material, with a sharp movement it is necessary to draw a straight line along the guide ruler. After that, it remains just to break off the part, it will be very easy to do.
As you can see from the above information, cutting plexiglass at home is a completely simple task. Home craftsmen use the listed methods, as well as adapt and come up with more convenient and accessible methods. So you can use a jigsaw, and if the thickness of the material is less than 2 mm, even an ordinary clerical knife can handle cutting.
Regardless of the chosen method of cutting or sawing plexiglass, in order to obtain a neat cut point, it is recommended to grind and then polish it.
At home, cutting Plexiglas is very rarely required. Usually such work is carried out by specialists in workshops. However, this skill can be useful in everyday life. After all, sometimes there is a desire to make a vase, an aquarium or a small decorative table with your own hands. So, the subject of our review is plexiglass. How to cut such material?
Material Features
Not everyone knows what plexiglass is. How to cut it at home and what features does it have? First of all, plexiglass has the performance characteristics of durable plastic, and also looks like ordinary glass. This material is transparent. However, unlike glass, it does not break.
Thanks to these properties, plexiglass has become popular. How to cut it at home? In this case, not everything is so simple. The material itself is quite durable. Plexiglas has been widely used. Indeed, in some cases, using ordinary glass is dangerous and problematic. You can process the material by almost all available methods. However, there are some nuances that should be considered when working with plexiglass.
Laser cutting of plexiglass
How are plexiglass products made in production? As a rule, a laser is used to cut this material. This is the most convenient method. However, it is simply impossible to apply it at home. Thanks to a thin laser, an accurate incision can be made. In this way, even small details of future products are usually cut out. However, this cutting method has certain limitations: the laser beam creates a high stress on the material. In the future, it is simply impossible to glue individual parts together.
Plexiglas products can only be cut in industrial conditions. If necessary, contact the appropriate organization for assistance. The main thing is to make all the drawings in advance. It is also worth choosing an experienced master.
Plexiglas: how to cut?
In some cases, the use of a saw is allowed. It can be tape or disk. The last type of saw is designed for a straight cut. In this case, the seam is neat and clear. As for it, it is suitable for the manufacture of blanks. It is unlikely that it will be possible to cut clear edges with such a tool. To make the surface smoother, it is recommended to use a cutter.
It should be noted that this method of cutting plexiglass can be used not only in production, but also at home.
Special equipment
Plexiglas products are cut with a high-speed tool. This allows you to get a smooth and high-quality seam. The speed of such equipment can be up to 4 thousand revolutions per minute. After that, the plexiglass undergoes additional mechanical processing.
However, do not forget that this material has a small thermal conductivity. As a result of cutting at high speed, the edges can quickly heat up. Some instruments have a Plexiglas mode.
Rescue hacksaw for metal
If you need to cut plexiglass at home, you can use This is the most affordable tool. However, this method has a serious drawback: the cut remains rough and rough. To eliminate such a defect, additional processing is required. To smooth the cut, sandpaper or a file is usually used.
Cutting plexiglass with a cutter
Ways to cut plexiglass at home can be completely different. Someone uses a hacksaw for metal, and someone uses a cutter. In fact, this tool is a saw with only one tooth. To cut plexiglass, you need a metal ruler of a certain length. This tool must be placed on the sheet of material in the place where you want to split it. After that, you need to hold the cutter along the ruler.
When the cut reaches ½ of the sheet thickness, you can stop and then gently break the material. If defects appear, they can be smoothed out. To do this, it is necessary to process the edge of the plexiglass with sandpaper. If desired, the cutter can be made independently from an emery cloth. Some experienced craftsmen use pieces of glass to cut Plexiglas. With this method, reliable protection for the hands is required.
Applying simple tools
If cutting plexiglass with a laser is an expensive pleasure for you, then you can cut the material with improvised materials. Very often, nichrome thread is used for such work. Before cutting, it must be heated. This will require a transformer whose power is 24 watts.
As a result of simple manipulations, you can carefully cut the plexiglass. Heated just melts the material. This allows not only to cut plexiglass, but also to cut curly details.
Also, some craftsmen use this option for cutting plexiglass at home. A screwdriver is usually pressed against the material with its butt. In this case, the tool must be held by the very edge of the handle. After that, the screwdriver blade is heated with a soldering iron, the power of which is 25 watts.
Plexiglas should start to melt. The tip of the screwdriver simply draws a line where the cut should be. After that, plexiglass breaks easily. To get a straight line, you can use a metal ruler or a hacksaw blade without teeth.
In addition to the methods described above, you can cut plexiglass with a milling cutter or a circular saw. The thickness of the blade in this case should be no more than 1 mm. It is worth considering that smoke may appear during the cutting process. In this case, the edges of the material often foam due to the increase in temperature as a result of friction. This can be avoided. It is necessary to cool the working surface of the tool.
Plexiglas is one of the first composite materials, it combines the properties of plastic material and glass well. Due to the special physical and mechanical features of this, among which strength and flexibility can be distinguished, it was possible to create a product that can be amenable to various processing methods.
Plexiglas, also called acrylic or plexiglass, you can cut, saw, carve, sharpen and perform other types of impact. Different names in most cases are associated with manufacturers and brands. It not only replaces glass well, but also surpasses it in a number of indicators:
- has high mechanical strength compared to glass;
- withstands heavy loads, which allows you to create large capacities from it;
- due to its ease of processing, it is used to create elegant interior elements or other small things of complex shape.
Production methods of cutting
One of the advantages that allows you to widely, can be called light weight and good flexibility. This is especially important when installing gazebos or greenhouses, as the creation of these structures often requires a large amount of organic glass, which has a variety of sizes.
Many are interested in the question of how plexiglass is cut, and what tools are used for this? Indeed, if you do not know certain technological subtleties, it is quite easy to damage this material. For processing large volumes, industrial cutting methods and related equipment are most often used:
- milling cutting;
- laser cutting;
- cutting with a band saw;
- cutting with a circular saw.
Some time ago, special milling machines were most commonly used, which have a shaft speed of at least 4000 rpm. Milling cutting of plexiglass is used in cases where it is necessary that the material does not have time to quickly heat up in the cut zone. After cutting, a number of additional operations are usually carried out, including polishing or engraving.
Today, one of the most popular ways is cutting glass with a laser. This is the only way to achieve an accuracy of up to 0.005 mm, which is made possible by the width of the laser beam of 0.1 mm. The cut edges are immediately transparent and absolutely smooth, and there is practically no waste.
In the same way, industrial cutting is performed or. The disadvantage is that this method affects the internal stress of the material, after which it is not recommended to glue such a composite.
Band saws are more often used for cutting blanks from plexiglass. The downside of this method is that the cut will come out somewhat curvilinear. A straight cut gives a circular saw, but you must be able to work with this tool, as well as follow certain rules of caution during work.
Some features of the use of industrial equipment
Before cutting Plexiglas with a circular saw or using a router, some precautions should be taken. The material heats up quickly and begins not only to melt, but also to smoke. Constant cooling is required. To do this, use a strong stream of air or ordinary water. One liter of water is enough to work quietly for an hour.
The container is installed on one side, and water flows through a plastic hose with a diameter of about 2.5 millimeters. This allows you to make a straight and even cut without melted edges.
Cutting Plexiglas at home using a milling machine or a laser machine is in most cases impossible, since this complex technical equipment costs a lot of money and takes up a lot of space. At the same time, workshops with such machines appear in many cities in increasing numbers, which makes it possible to use the services of professionals.
DIY cutting methods
But how to cut plexiglass at home, which tool would be preferable? This largely depends on the type and thickness of the material chosen.
Some craftsmen prefer to use cutter or cutter, which is sold in hardware stores. You will need a flat surface and a metal ruler. After measuring, it is necessary to draw the cutter strongly along the edge several times. The ruler will act as a limiter. If the sheet was cut more than half, then it remains only to break off the material along the cut line. After that, you need to start cleaning the edges and use a joiner's jointer. If it is not at hand, then a needle file or sandpaper is quite suitable.
A nichrome thread has proven itself well, which is able to make not just a cut, but create a certain notch or a complex curly shape. For its operation, the simplest 24-volt transformer is usually used. When the thread is heated, the plexiglass begins to melt, and even a complex pattern can be made in a matter of minutes.
We must not forget about the simplest and most accessible method. Do-it-yourself glass cutting at home or in a garage usually involves the use of a tool such as a hacksaw. Of course, the cut will be somewhat rough, but this is easy to fix with a needle file, file or fine sandpaper.
A slotted screwdriver can also help in a deadlock situation. It is enough to heat its blade with a soldering iron with a power of more than 25 W, and then press the end part against the plexiglass and draw a straight line. starts to melt and a groove appears. The operation will not take much time, and the steel ruler will serve as a guide.
As a result
Working with plexiglass at home in most cases is not particularly difficult and requires the use of the simplest set of tools. Despite the simplicity, when choosing a certain cutting method, it is worth first testing it on a small part of the material, and after a kind of “training”, proceed to the finishing work.
It is better to entrust the use of a circular saw, milling or laser machine to specialists, especially since the number of workshops that offer these services is constantly growing. Often there you can find the right type of plexiglass.