How to cut plexiglass while at home
Acrylic glass is a fairly lightweight and durable material that lends itself to any type of mechanical processing, including cutting, bending, grinding, etc. All these operations are performed using special machines and tools, in fact, according to algorithms similar to laser cutting of metal. However, it is possible to cut plexiglass at home with the introduction of a hand tool or improvised means.
The plexiglass cutting technology depends on the choice of the tool, the thickness of the sheet, and the shape that needs to be given to the finished product. The following methods are used to process this material:
- Milling. allows you to grind parts of various shapes from a solid sheet, including those with curved surfaces;
- Drilling. used to manufacture parts with holes of various diameters;
- Heat treatment. you can get smooth straight cuts of sheets of any thickness.
At home, hacksaws, hand cutters, circular saws, special cutters, as well as nichrome whine for heat treatment are used to cut acrylic glass.
How else can you cut plexiglass
In addition to mechanical methods, thermal methods are also used for cutting plexiglass. This allows you to quickly cut sheets of material of any thickness, as well as obtain workpieces with curved surfaces.
The main tool here is a nichrome thread, which is connected to a 24 V transformer. At the ends of the thread there are handles made of electrical insulating material. When an electric current passes through the nichrome filament, it heats up to 160 ° C. This temperature is sufficient to melt the acrylic glass. Therefore, when the incandescent filament comes in contact with the plexiglass, it melts, resulting in a smooth, neat cut, the edges of which do NOT require additional processing. Instead of nichrome thread, you can also use a slotted screwdriver.
How to cut plexiglass at home with a cutter
The cutter allows cutting organic glass with a sheet thickness of 5-10 mm. In addition to the cutter, you can use a circular saw or jigsaw. With the help of all THESE tools from plexiglass sheets, you can cut out complex shapes with curved surfaces.
The cut is made according to preliminary marking with subsequent processing of the edge. When working with a hand-held power tool, acrylic dust can be emitted, and the surface of the material heats up, which can cause swelling and melting of the letter at the site of the cut. Therefore, in this case, you should use personal protective equipment (glasses, respirator, etc.), and also provide for cooling systems for the surface of the plexiglass, for example, you can use a bottle of cold water, etc.
How to cut plexiglass with a hacksaw?
If you need to cut the plexiglass sheet into smaller pieces, it is best to use a metal hacksaw. To do this, mark the place of the proposed cut on the sheet. Such a marking is performed by marking light scratches on the surface without the use of markers and other dyes.
Next, a piece of plexiglass is cut off along the intended mowing line with a hacksaw, and the resulting edge is sanded with sandpaper.
How to cut plexiglass cutter
The cutters allow you to quickly and easily make a straight cut on a sheet of acrylic glass that is 2-3 mm thick. A metal ruler is the best way to keep your cut straight and neat. It is applied along the mowing line of the future cut and a letter is cut through half its thickness. Next, the acrylic glass is broken off according to the obtained cut and the resulting edge is processed.
HOW to cut plexiglass IN HOME
Plexiglas is one of the most popular construction and ornamental materials. Due to its technical characteristics, plexiglass is widely used in industry, construction and everyday life. The household use of acrylic glass is very diverse. souvenirs, key chains, business card holders, as well as decorative elements, lamps, aquariums and much more are made from it. Such widespread use of plexiglass in everyday life is due to its high strength, low weight, attractive appearance and ease of processing.
Most often, home craftsmen are faced with the question: how to cut plexiglass at home into pieces of various sizes and thicknesses. How to do this and what tools are better to use for cutting plexiglass. we will consider further.
Conclusion
Cutting organic glass at home is a fairly simple operation that can be performed using the tools at hand. In order to determine how and what to cut the plexiglass, you need to Pay attention to the thickness of the sheets, the presence of curved elements in the part, as well as the set of tools that are available in the home master. The most universal is the method with the introduction of a cutter and nichrome thread, and the simplest method is cutting with a hacksaw.
Method one. hacksaw for metal
Surely, almost every home craftsman has such a hacksaw in the toolbox. It is quite simple to work with it, your actions should be exactly the same as when cutting metal or wood. In advance, on a sheet of material, it is necessary to mark the mowing line of the cut, after which you can proceed. In the process, I control the evenness of the hacksaw stroke and DO NOT be too zealous so that the material does NOT start to melt, otherwise you will get an uneven and melted cut.
After you have cut off the desired elements, pay attention to the cut. It will turn out rough. Additional sanding will be required. You can use a file or sandpaper.
Cutting plexiglass at home
If you need to cut a Plexiglas letter into certain elements, you can use one of the following methods:
How to cut plexiglass
Cutting plexiglass at home is an activity that an ordinary person rarely encounters. Despite this, from time to time the question arises. how to cut plexiglass? But those people who like to craft with their own hands and use this unique material in their works very often face such a task. to quickly cut acrylic into the necessary elements. In production conditions, some methods of cutting this material are used, at home it is more convenient and practical to use other methods. Below we will consider what methods are used not in production.
Method two. cutter
If the thickness of the material is not large, even a regular stationery knife will suit you. So, before you can cut the elements you want, you need to prepare. In order for the line of the cut to be even, such as you need, prepare a ruler. It is better if it is metal, if there is none, any other will do. Place the ruler along the line of the cut, and then slide the cutter along the ruler with neat but firm movements. It can be multiple movements. The letter must be cut by 50% in thickness. Now break the letter with a neat but precise movement. The cut line will also NOT turn out perfectly flat, additional grinding will be required.
If necessary, you can make the cutter yourself. Some home craftsmen use an ordinary piece of glass, having previously secured the place where they hold with their hand.
Method three. circular saw or cutter for metal
Cutting plexiglass with your own hands can also be done using a circular saw or cutters for metal. If you choose a router bit, please note that its thickness should NOT be more than one millimeter. In the process of work, the cutter is very quickly triggered.
When cutting plexiglass with this method, it is necessary to take into account that a lot of smoke will be emitted, and the material will warm up rather quickly, possibly foaming at the processing site. To avoid possible consequences, you should take care of cooling the material with water in advance. Cooling can be organized as follows: take a regular bottle and fill with water, fix it near the cutter and supply water to the work surface using a plastic hose. If you use a hose with a thickness of 2.5 mm, about one liter of water will flow out during the time. Established this cooling method, you will be able to get a neat and transparent cut.
- You can build a tool to cut this material. You will need a nichrome thread. As a result of heating, it will be able to cut the plexiglass due to melting. To build such a tool, take a nichrome thread, a transformer whose power is 24 V. Connect the thread to the transformer, having previously fixed it on both sides, or by attaching a handle on one side, and hanging a weight on the other. When the filament is hot, you can cut the acrylic at the intended mowing line.
- Slotted screwdriver. It is necessary to press a screwdriver to the writing of the material, hold it by the edge of the handle. Tool blade Heat with a soldering iron. When the writing of the material begins to melt, you can cut it, move the tool with a movement of the hand. Use a metal ruler to get a straight line. After running the mowing line over the acrylic surface, it can be easily broken in the right place.
In addition to the listed methods, plexiglass at home can be cut using other tools, it can be a jigsaw (you need to choose the right mode) or a glass cutter. Each master, by trial and error, selects his own, suitable method for him. After studying the proposed information, it became clear that cutting Plexiglas products is not such a complicated process as it might seem at first glance.
Plexiglass: what to cut?
In some cases, a saw may be used. It can be tape or disk. The last type of saw is designed for straight cutting. In this case, the seam turns out to be neat and clear. As for the band saw, it is suitable for making blanks. Cutting clear edges with such a tool is unlikely to work. 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
Plexiglass 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, it should be remembered that this material has a low thermal conductivity. Cutting at high speed can quickly heat up the edges. Some tools have a Plexiglas mode.
Plexiglass: how to cut at home
At home, cutting plexiglass is rarely required. Usually this work is done by specialists in the workshops. However, this skill can be useful in everyday life. Indeed, 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. Plexiglass. How to cut such material?
We cut plexiglass cutter
The methods for cutting plexiglass at home can be very different. Someone uses a hacksaw for metal, and someone uses a cutter. Basically, this tool is dust with just one tooth. To cut the plexiglass, you need a metal ruler of a certain length. This tool must be placed on the sheet of material where you want to split it. After that, you need to move the cutter along the ruler.
When the cut reaches ½ the thickness of the sheet, you can stop and then gently underneath the material. If defects appear, they can be smoothed out. To do this, sand 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 plexiglass. This method requires reliable hand protection.
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 in everyday life? In this case, not everything is so simple. The material itself is quite durable. Plexiglass is widely used. Indeed, in some cases, using ordinary glass is dangerous and problematic. The material can be processed by almost all available methods. However, there are some nuances that should be considered when working with plexiglass.
Plexiglas laser cutting
How are plexiglass products made in production? As a rule, a laser is used to cut this material. This is the most convenient way. However, it is simply impossible to apply it at home. Thanks to the thin laser, a precise 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 high stress on the material. In the future, it is simply impossible to glue individual parts.
Plexiglas can only be cut in an industrial environment. If necessary, you should seek assistance from the appropriate organization. The main thing. Make all the drawings in advance. It is also worth picking up an experienced master.
A hacksaw for metal will help out
If you need to cut plexiglass at home, you can use a metal hacksaw. This is the most affordable tool. However, this method has a serious drawback: the cut site remains rough and rough. To eliminate such a defect, additional processing is required. To smooth the cut, they usually use sandpaper or a file.
Using simple tools
If cutting plexiglass with a laser. Is an expensive pleasure for you, then you can cut the material with materials at hand. Very often, a nichrome thread is used for such work. Before starting cutting, it must be heated. This will require a transformer with a power of 24 W.
As a result of simple manipulations, you can carefully cut the plexiglass. The heated nichrome thread can simply melt the material. This allows you not only to cut plexiglass, but also to cut curly details.
Also, some craftsmen use a slotted screwdriver. This option is suitable for cutting plexiglass at home. A screwdriver is usually pressed against the material with an end. 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 W.
The plexiglass should start melting. With the tip of a screwdriver, simply draw the line in the place where the cut should be. After that, the plexiglass breaks easily. To get a straight line, you can use a metal ruler or a hacksaw blade without teeth.
In addition to the above methods, you can cut the plexiglass with a cutter or circular saw. The blade thickness in this case should be NOT 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.