Best tool to cut plexiglass

[Sawdustd]

Upcoming project requires cutting 1/4" Plexiglas.  What power tool do you recommend?  Bandsaw, circular saw, jig saw. 
      Background:  For the past 4 years, I've built wooden props/ training aids for a local High School Robotics Team which builds a robot from scratch, according to  national specifications, using wood, aluminum plus electrical components and then competes in local, regional and national matches.  The "build" is truly rocket science.   To digress further, the team has about 15 members, guys and gals, ranging from Freshmen to Seniors and most with NO experience in using power tools, hand drills, drill press, circular saw, belt grinder or small band saw.    Compound that by the fact  that most don't know how to read a tape measure much less add or subtract fractions.   So the mentors  (Dads) step in as a coach.  Shop safety is paramount.  Everyone wears safety glasses and no one uses the bench mounted power tools  without a mentor standing by.   The kids are supper smart but have zero experience with tools but want to learn.   This is my first year in helping with the build process and I'm lovin it.
      Anyways, a large wedge shaped Plexiglas piece will be mounted on the top of the robot.  Last time I tired cutting Plexiglas, it melted.  Don't want to screw up a $100 piece of Plexiglas.

Dave

[woodhead]

Table saw or circular saw. last time you used a blade with too many teeth, therefore melting the plastic.



Al

[jgrogan]

recently cut a lot of 1/8" plexiglass (4' x 8' sheets) using a jig saw with a fine tooth woodworking blade.   Worked well with the blue protective film on.  When I took the film off and made a cut, the plexiglass melted

[Cecil]

I always used this for plexiglass.  



I have not cut plexiglass in years.  I generally use acrylic.  I use a Freud 7.25" 60 tooth blade in my table saw in today's world.  It has a very thin kerf and I don't want to use my more expensive freud 10" blades to cut acrylic.

It is my understanding the Plexiglass is an acrylic, but a specific brand name and it is a harder acrylic than other plastics.  Perhaps that is why it snaps so well and so easy when properly scored.

Others have more knowledge and experience in this area.

[doobes]

Upcoming project requires cutting 1/4" Plexiglas.  What power tool do you recommend?  ....
      Anyways, a large wedge shaped Plexiglas piece will be mounted on the top of the robot.  Last time I tired cutting Plexiglas, it melted.  Don't want to screw up a $100 piece of Plexiglas.

Dave

You don't mention how you tried to cut it, but as another poster mentioned, it sounds like too many teeth and too slow feed rate.

I typically use Walker to cut acrylic/plexi:



I've got a 3/8" 6 tpi blade on it.

[Phil Thien]

Plexiglas is a trade-name for acrylic sheets.  The stuff you find in home centers is extruded acrylic resin.  Not very tough, definitely not shatter resistant, a sharp acrylic knife (shown above) will cut it.

Polycarbonate (also known as Lexan and other trade names) is a tougher material.  Shatter resistant, etc.

If you have clear 1/4" stuff I imagine it is polycarbonate and not acrylic, but I could be wrong. Once you're over about 1/8" thick, I think most of the stuff at home centers becomes polycarbonate.

[brianwelch]

+1 for what Doobes said... I found both jig and table saws had the tendency to catch/crack the sheet...granted I was cutting thinner (1/8") product

[ez-duzit]

Use a table saw with a blade designed for cutting acrylic.

[fredhargis]

A local plastic supplier (US Plastics) uses a table saw, but with a high tooth count negative hook blade. I've done it with mine (TS) and a Freud lu91 and was reasonably successful (really a mess). If you use a jig saw dial the speed down some, it might help with the melting....as does having an orbital cut.

[gMike]

I recently cut son 1/4" polycarbonate with my jig saw.  I used a Bosch T101A blade made for cutting plexiglass and it worked quite well.  There was no melting and the cut was pretty clean.