cutting Clear Lexan® Polycarbonate Sheeting?

[Mandell Mann]

Hello wood workers,

I hoping someone could tell me what saw or tools I can use to cut patterns out of Clear Lexan® Polycarbonate Sheeting?

[Mike Cutler]

Standard straight cuts.. A 40 tooth combination blade on a tablesaw with a zero clearance insert works great. I've been told a plywood blade installed backwards works also, but it seems to me that too much heat would build up.
A bandsaw works well on curved cuts, but you have to pay attention to the build up of plastic in and around the guide bearings. Keep the plastic "swarf" out of the way.
For drilling holes. Put your drillpress on the slowest speed and feed the bit slowly.. Forstner bits with wood backing are a must, Standard twist drills will blow out the exit if they are not backed.

[Bruce Benjamin]

I've never heard of using forstner bits before but they may work fine. Standard twist bits can cause problems but I have used them very carefully with some success. They do tend to crack the plastic sometimes. But why not just buy twist bits made for drilling Lexan? They are just ground at a different angle so they scrape more than a regular bit. They're available at most places that sell the plastic and they're pretty cheap.

Put your drillpress on the slowest speed and feed the bit slowly.. Forstner bits with wood backing are a must, Standard twist drills will blow out the exit if they are not backed.

[J D Thomas]

I've never heard of using forstner bits before but they may work fine.

I've used forstner bits all the time. You have to go slow, use a slower speed, say around 600-800, and back the bit out and clear away the shavings. About 2 months ago I got on a tear and made about a dozen various bases for all my routers. Offset and otherwise. I used forstner bits to cut the holes for the bits and it worked fine.

[Mike Cutler]

I've never heard of using forstner bits before but they may work fine. Standard twist bits can cause problems but I have used them very carefully with some success. They do tend to crack the plastic sometimes. But why not just buy twist bits made for drilling Lexan? They are just ground at a different angle so they scrape more than a regular bit. They're available at most places that sell the plastic and they're pretty cheap.

Bruce.
The forstner bits are for larger diameter holes and recesses.
I never knew there were twist drill bits specifically for Lexan. A standard twist drill works well but the material has to be backed and clamped as close to the drilling point as possible to prevent blowout.