Follow the manufacturer's health and safety guidelines for safe operation. Before making your final cuts, experiment with different blades.īefore you begin: Bandsaws can be very dangerous when used inappropriately. Note: the values above are provided as a general guide bear in mind that the thickness of the material also influences the choice of blade. A general guide can be seen below: Blade width For best results, the number of teeth per inch on the blade should decrease as the thickness of the perspex increases. Selecting the right blade for cutting is important especially if you are cutting curves into your acrylic. Step 2: Select the right blade for cutting To begin, like all cutting processes, use a permanent marker or grease pencil to mark the area you would like to cut. How to cut acrylic sheets with a bandsawīandsaws are the perfect option for creating intricate and nonlinear shapes, due to being able to cut thick acrylic with perfect precision. Don’t worry - you can reduce these struggles by using non-flammable lubricants to reduce the heat. If you cut too slowly, the blade or acrylic can become too hot and melt if you cut too fast, the desired pattern becomes harder to follow. Ensure you take some time to experiment with different cutting speeds, as this can have a huge impact on the quality of the cut. Using your jigsaw, cut along the line you made in step 1. Important note: Jigsaws are extremely dangerous please read and follow the manufacturer's health and safety advice before using. Step 3: Saw through the acrylic and sand down Similar to the method used with a handsaw, the process begins with clamping your acrylic down and ensuring there is no movement or vibrations which could result in the acrylic chipping. So, as always, start with marking out the area you wish to cut with a marker pen or grease pencil. This is due to the fact that they produce a relatively clean cut and also allow you to create curved lines and shapes. Jigsaws are one of the more favoured tools for cutting acrylic sheets. Once complete, there is a very high chance that there will be a rough edge, so it is worth sanding and polishing the acrylic perspex to restore its transparency and shine. Keep checking that you are sticking to the guideline it can become very easy to go off-track whilst sawing. Start sawing along your line, ensuring that movement of the acrylic is kept to a minimum. Opt for a hacksaw with a fine tooth blade. The teeth on the blades of woodworking saws are generally far too large which can shatter acrylic when cutting. Avoid causing lots of movements or vibrations during the cutting process, as this is likely to result in acrylic chipping.īefore you begin: please note that you should not use a saw designed for cutting wood. To prevent the acrylic from moving, clamp it down to the solid surface. Place your acrylic on a solid surface, hanging the part which needs sawing over the edge. Just like scoring acrylic, mark the line you wish to cut along with a marker pen or grease pencil.
#HOW TO RUN CUT SHEETS IN ARTCUT CRACK#
The groove will deepen as the acrylic sheet bends whilst the crack propagates through the sheet. With a quick movement, push down on the overhanging edge to break it off. The edge of a workbench or table work perfectly just remember to use clamps to hold it in place. Place the scored line directly along a solid surface, facing up. Keep repeating this, ensuring you are cutting the acrylic deeper every time. Once in place, run your scoring knife along the marked line, using your ruler as a guide by doing this, you will be cutting a narrow groove in the acrylic. To ensure the panel doesn't move whilst scoring, clamp the material to a flat surface. With your ruler, draw a straight line along your chosen guidelines. If your acrylic sheets are thin (no more than 5mm thick), then they can be cut using a sharp scoring tool - there's no need to use any power tools for sheets this thin.įirstly, determine where you want to cut the acrylic - simply mark this using a marker pen or grease pencil. Follow these simple steps and you will be able to achieve very good results.
#HOW TO RUN CUT SHEETS IN ARTCUT HOW TO#
Perspex acrylic sheet has become very popular recently particularly in the engineering, lighting, construction and manufacturing industries, so popular in-fact that it is now being used by hobbyists and DIY enthusiasts too! You may be wondering why acrylic is so widely used, and luckily the answer is very simple - its durability, versatility, flexibility and sustainability make acrylic the perfect, cheaper, alternative to glass and other plastics.Īs long as you know how to cut it properly, acrylic is really easy to work with.