How can I cut acrylic?

[OhNo123]

I want to make something. Can I use a regular hand saw? Or should I use a jigsaw or a table saw?

 

[mellowvision]

table saw is ideal. many methods work. scoring and snapping is effective.

 

[TropicalNorth]

Lots of things work, hacksaws work well cause the teeth are small and the blade is thin. If your going to cut it with something powered go SLOWLY or it will crack and bits will go flying everywhere, especially if the acrylic is thin.

 

[J double R]

beware, if you do use the score and snap method, you NEED to wear leather/kevlar gloves.. i've lost a LOT of flesh (not just skin, either) from being careless with snapping acrylic.

 

[Lansirill]

I cut 3/32" acrylic using my dremel without too much of difficulty. I wasn't able to avoid melting the acrylic a little bit, but all that came of that was having some melted acrylic edges along my cuts that I snapped off by hand, and were removed completely when I rounded the edges.

 

[DavidZ]

If acrylic is thin, you can score, must be a deep straight line

If thick use a table saw

 

[Lansirill]

I cut 3/32" acrylic using my dremel without too much of difficulty. I wasn't able to avoid melting the acrylic a little bit, but all that came of that was having some melted acrylic edges along my cuts that I snapped off by hand, and were removed completely when I rounded the edges.

I actually lied. I cut Lexan, which I just realized is in fact polycarbonate plastic rather than acrylic plastic. What the difference is, I don't really know, but it's something different.

 

[ct-death]

Try using a table saw, but cut in reverse...trust me

 

[OhNo123]

What is scoring?

 

[Volenti]

What is scoring?

It's like drawing a line with a pencil, only you use a blade or other sharp implement to leave a groove in the material, this creates a weak point that causes the material to break along that line when you bend it.