What to saw plexiglass at home
All about self-cutting plexiglass
Acrylic glass is called plastic. It is obtained by mixing methyl acrylic acid with the ester components and their subsequent polymerization. Known by the names of acrylic, plexiglass, plexiglass. As transparent as glass, but lighter in weight. When heated to 90-100 ° C, the material becomes malleable. It can be bent, given the desired shape. This property must be taken into account when machining. When heated, it is easy to deform the workpiece.
Acrylic begins to melt at 160 ° C. The blade of the power tool is heated and heats the workpiece in the process of cutting. The temperature goes over the melting point fairly quickly. Plexiglas melts, its particles stick to the cutting unit, which makes it difficult to work. That is why it is advisable to use cooling. So, in production you blow with a cold air jet or use water. The last method is usually used in the home workshop.
Useful tips
There are a few tips on how to saw plexiglass without chipping. To get a clean cut, leave the acrylic for a while over a gas torch.
You can also use the most common lighter. But it will take a lot more time.
You can use an electric jigsaw to cut plexiglass. Use narrow band saw blades.
When you buy them, look for the ones labeled MP.S. These are the most effective tools to solve the problem of how to cut plexiglass.
Watch the speed of the tool when working. The number of turns depends on it. In practice, the speed is chosen experimentally. The most important thing is that the plexiglass does not start to melt.
Be sure to wear a face mask. This will help protect you from splinters, which, when cut, will fly with great speed.
A hand torch
Another option, than to cut the plexiglass at home, make a handy tool from a blade for a hacksaw. Get a blade (even if it is used) and a file.
On the forums are advised to make a sharp spout on the grinding wheel. Wrap the handle with something to make it comfortable to work with. For example, with duct tape. The whole work takes a few minutes.
You can also buy a ready-made cutter for plexiglass in a store. A handy tool for the do-it-yourselfer. True, it is only effective for one-time work, when you have to cut sheets no thicker than two or three mm.
If you are looking for what to saw plexiglass in half, it is enough to make only a few cuts, and then break the material. Do not cut all the way through.
Jigsaw
Electric jigsaws with special files for organic glass are used for cutting polymethyl methacrylate. Plexiglas saw blades have special marking. letters of Latin alphabet MP.S.
To cut plexiglass at home you often use a jigsaw with saw blades marked MP.S
When sawing the blade it is necessary to control the speed of the tool. The higher the speed, the faster the jigsaw. At high cutting speed the synthetic polymer begins to melt. The cut surface becomes white and sealed, making it unusable.
How To Cut Plexiglass The Easy Way
The feed rate and the number of revolutions of the file are selected experimentally. Before starting to cut with a work blade it is recommended to practice on unnecessary fragments of polymethylmethacrylate.
The electric jigsaw is used to create straight and curved cutting lines.
Handheld torch
Another option than to cut plexiglass at home, make a handy tool from a blade for a hacksaw. Get a blade (even if it’s used) and a file.
On the forums it is advised to make a sharp spout on the sharpening wheel. You should wrap something around the handle to make it comfortable to work with. For example, with duct tape. All work takes a few minutes.
You can buy and ready-made cutter for plexiglas in the store. A handy tool for do-it-yourselfers. True, it is only effective for one-time work when you have to cut the sheet thickness of not more than two or three millimeters.
If you are looking for what to saw the plexiglass in half, then it is enough to make only a few cuts, and then break the material. There is no need to cut all the way through.
Cutting or sawing
Saws are mainly used to perform this operation:
Circular saws
In industry, it is common to cut acrylic on cut-off circular saws with a table, and in commerce, vertical panel saws. In mass production, automatic cutters with computer control are used. It is absolutely necessary to coordinate the three main parameters in the technological chart:
When cutting thick (more than three millimeters) sheets and blocks, it is mandatory to use cooling of the cutting zone (e.g., with cooling sprayers). Quite often this requirement is neglected for two reasons:
- no possibility to install a cooling unit (due to lack of space)
- there is a reluctance to introduce an additional cleaning operation of the workpiece before the subsequent operation (gluing, for example, or painting).
Band saws
Band saws, which are typically used for metal and wood work, are often used for edge trimming of molded Plexiglas products and contour cutting of organic glass. As a result of band saws the saw blade turns out rather rough, so it requires additional processing afterwards. Depending on the cutting contour, the width of the saw is from 3 to 13 mm. Number of teeth. from 3 to 8pcs. per centimeter of blade length.
Laser
The most convenient method of cutting acrylic is called a laser. However, this method can not be used at home, it is used only in industrial production.
The thin laser allows to make precise cuts and cut out even the smallest details of the future construction or product. If necessary, you can go to a specialized workshop or company that manufactures organic glass and glass products. It is advisable to make drawings and markings on the PMMA blade in advance.
Laser can accurately cut Plexiglas, even small parts, and is only used in industrial production
How to cut plastic PVC panels
Plastic panels have a number of advantages, making them indispensable m for fast and cheap repair of bathrooms, toilets, loggias and garden cottages.
Panels are impermeable to water, are classified as low-combustible, resistant to mechanical abrasion, have a long service life and are relatively cheap. They can finish both walls and ceilings. The installation of plastic panels is simple and does not require preparatory surface preparation.
One of the essential steps in the installation of plastic panels is to cut them to the required size. The labor involved in this step depends on the condition of the surface to be finished: if the wall, for example, flat and smooth, then you can prepare all the required size for her plastic panels in advance. If the wall has a different height, complex shape or includes building elements (windows, doors, overhangs, etc.), the wall can be made of plastic panels.д.), then you have to cut the panels as you go, which, of course, significantly increases installation time.
Laser cut plexiglass
How Plexiglas products are made in production? This material is usually cut with a laser. This is the most convenient method. But it is not possible to use it at home. Thanks to the thin laser, a precise cut can be made. Even the smallest details of future products are usually cut out this way. However, this cutting method has certain limitations: the laser beam creates high stress on the material. Subsequently, it is not possible to glue individual parts together.
It is possible to cut out articles of plexiglas only in industrial conditions. If necessary, seek help from an organization that provides this method. The main thing is to make all the drawings beforehand. It is also worth choosing an experienced master.