I am Seeking Info on Cutting Acrylic Plastic -- Okay to Ask?

[Steven Heditch]

Hi, Everyone.

I love this Forum and know it's primarily a woodworking board. May I asked a question about a saw blade for cutting Acrylic?

Also, I have a really stupid question that shows what a Newb I am, and how little I know about these things.

Is there a way, or does someone out there make, a spacer that would adapt a 1/4" Dremel mandrel to mount a small circular saw blade with a 1/2" arbor? I have a need in my business for a small blade with super-low kerf (below .040" / 1.0 mm). I have found a number of jewelry slotting blades that do this, as well as some CNC blades.

Thanks in Advance,
Steven H.

[Bert McMahan]

I've cut plexiglass on my table saw before, it works great. I used a non-ferrous metal blade like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/HICO-100-Toot...1043209&sr=8-6

(Can't remember the brand I used, it wasn't that but it's very similar).

I've seen lots of people just use regular blades too. I guess it'd depend on how thick you want it.

For your second question, Dremel made this for a while:

https://www.amazon.com/HICO-100-Toot...1043209&sr=8-6

It tilts the mandrel a bit so you can get in there easier. Here are some more blades:

https://www.amazon.com/Circular-Saw-.../dp/B009GLRKWK

but it'd be hard to cut without the dremel body getting in the way.

[Erik Loza]

OP, I worked for an acrylic fabricator a few years back. Acrylic is easy to cut but if you have a need for cuts that delicate, I would look at having it done on a flatbed laser. As Bert said, it will tough to cut precisely with a Dremel.

Erik

[Robert D Evans]

Cut plexiglass just like wood. I've used the table saw, bandsaw and router on it. No special blades. After rounding the edges on the router table, I used a propane torch to heat the edges, which removed the tool marks and turned them glassy smooth.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Bosch makes a plexi jigsaw blade. It works great. Oscillate if you can.
No, I would not even try using a dremel.

[Richard Coers]

Something like a slitter blade will have to spin very slowly since they have little set in the teeth. Too much speed and you will weld the blade in the plastic unless you flood it with coolant.

[Steven Heditch]

Thanks, everyone! Great tips!

SH