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View Full Version : How do you cut 8X4 Plywood and Acrylic



Ricardo Capelli
10-22-2010, 4:38 PM
I was wondering, what is the easiest way to cut your plywood and acrylic when you get them in bulk boards bigger than your machine's table. Thanks.

Rick

Robert Walters
10-22-2010, 4:55 PM
1) Have the supplier cut-to-size, which usually involves cutting charges.
2) For acrylic: table saw with a thin kerf 80 tooth carbide tipped blade.

Larry Bratton
10-22-2010, 5:11 PM
Ricardo:
I buy whole sheets of acrylic from Piedmont Plastics http://www.piedmontplastics.com/locations.asp and they cut mine into sheet size that fits my laser table. (24x36 in my case) at no charge. I can buy as little as one sheet, they will cut and ship by UPS also.

John Noell
10-23-2010, 2:34 AM
I live on a small island with VERY limited resources. We use either a table saw or circular saw with an ordinary all-purpose blade for both plywood and acrylic (3-8mm). The edges of the acrylic don't come out as nicely as if I had a 10" Freud 80 tooth, but I rarely need to laser all the way to the exact edge so it is not much of a problem.

Zsolt Paul
10-23-2010, 11:04 AM
FESTOOL circular saw with guide-rail system. High precision, quick, straight cuts on full sheets, one man operation. Love it!

Lee DeRaud
10-23-2010, 1:15 PM
I live on a small island with VERY limited resources. We use either a table saw or circular saw with an ordinary all-purpose blade for both plywood and acrylic (3-8mm). The edges of the acrylic don't come out as nicely as if I had a 10" Freud 80 tooth, but I rarely need to laser all the way to the exact edge so it is not much of a problem.+1 (except for the "island" part). A standard combo blade in a tablesaw works fine, especially if you run a couple strips of blue painter's tape down the cut line beforehand.

(Cutting isn't much of a problem for me, but removing that flimsy plastic 'masking' they use on the cheap GE acrylic is:
I've never been able to peel off more than about a foot-square section in one piece.:eek:)

John Noell
10-23-2010, 2:19 PM
...Cutting isn't much of a problem for me, but removing that flimsy plastic 'masking' they use on the cheap GE acrylic is:
I've never been able to peel off more than about a foot-square section in one piece.:eek:)Over here they use a flimsy white paper and in the tropics it becomes GLUED to the acrylic as it sits. Sometimes all I can do is go ahead and cut my pieces, then soak them in soapy water for an hour or so and GENTLY use a toothbrush. Sigh.

Guy Hilliard
10-23-2010, 10:09 PM
It may be killing a fly with a sledgehammer but I bust sheet goods for the laser with my CNC router. This way I can have several blank sizes and I select the one that makes most efficient use of the materials for the project I'm working on. Sheets are busted with the press of a button. If I had room (and the money) I'd get a small vertical panel saw.

Conrad Fiore
10-24-2010, 9:18 AM
Table saw. Carbide laminate blade with HiATB or TCG tip grind. Smooth cut top and bottom, no chipping or melting if you need a finished edge. Otherwise, any good carbide blade with 60-80 teeth on a 10" blade will do to break both those materials down.

Curt Heggemeyer
10-24-2010, 3:32 PM
I dont have a table saw here so I just get out the router and stick a bit in that will cut the thickness of the material and set up a couple guides and away I go. Leave a edge I can use if I have to. Im short on room so this works good for me.

Kevin Groenke
10-24-2010, 10:18 PM
Table saws w/TCG carbide tipped with -5 degree rake.
This IS the geometry of blades sold specifically for plastic and non-ferrous metal cutting.

The negative makes the cutting action less aggressive resulting in the cleanest cut.

I've observed that acrylic can chip the tips of HI-ATB blades.

-kg

Sam Gardner
10-25-2010, 6:04 AM
I've been using a plastic cutter knife. Much faster and no need for power tools. Just score with ruler and pop by bending over table edge or on floor. I cut 6mm by scoring 1 side only but 9mm requires 2 sides. The plastic cutter is one of the most useful tools i have around, i use it on rowmark laminates as well.

Ed Mihalack
10-25-2010, 8:20 AM
1. Circular saw
2. Fine carbide blade set at plywood thickness plus 1/4 inch
3. 2 saw horses
4. 4 x 8 Styrofoam insulation foil faced 1" (to stiffen the plywood)
5. 8' straight edge with clamps

Works great for me. All you handle is the saw instead of the unwieldy 4 x 8 sheets.