Installation Guide

ManualsBrandsPlexiglas ManualsAcrylic Sheets48 in. x 48 in. x 1/4 in. Clear Acrylic Sheet

Routing Plexiglas

Acrylic Sheet

Portable routers are used for trimming the edges of flat or

formed parts, particularly when the part is too large or it is too

awkward to use a band saw or stationary router.

Routers should have a minimum no-load spindle speed of

10,000 rpm – higher speeds are more desirable. Double,

straight-fluted cutters

⁄

16 inches to

⁄

2 inch in diameter will produce

the smoothest cut at this speed. Cutters should be kept sharp

and should have a back clearance angle of approximately 10°

and a positive rake angle up to 15°. Templates should be provided

to guide the router. Machining Plexiglas

Acrylic Sheet (page 11)

gives complete details for routing Plexiglas

acrylic sheet.

For Plexiglas

MC acrylic sheet, double or triple, straight, fluted

router bits with a maximum diameter of

⁄

4 inches, a back lip

clearance of 10°, and a positive rake angle of about 10

produce

good edges. Two fluted edges are recommended. Steel router bits

will produce an excellent initial cut, but carbide bits can give a

comparable cut and will give many times longer life. The spindle

speed required to produce a satisfactory edge is 10,000 to

20,000 rpm. A smooth, constant feed rate of 10 to 25 feet per

minute is required to prevent localized heat buildup, which will

cause smearing or gumming of the cut edge. Low-horsepower

(1 hp) routers should not be used, since they may bind on the

material, removing chunks rather than yielding a smooth edge.

Avoid using router bits less than

⁄

16 inches in diameter because

smaller diameter bits tend to clog and break. Use a router setup

design that will effectively remove router chips.

Routers with computerized numerical control are favored by

some fabricators involved with high-speed production operations.

Scribing and Breaking

Straight cuts in 0.236 inches or thinner pieces of Plexiglas

acrylic sheet can be made by scribing with a special Plexiglas

acrylic sheet cutting tool available at Authorized Plastics Products

Distributors. Scribing is effective when the quantity of sheet to be

cut is limited, for it requires very little capital outlay for tools.

Neither thick sections nor patterned Plexiglas

acrylic sheet can be

cut by this method, however. If the sheet is masked, it should first

be scored using the tip of the tool and a metal straight edge as

the guide. Then the hook point of the cutting tool is placed at

the far edge of the material and drawn the full width while

applying firm pressure. This is repeated once for every 0.025

inches to 0.040 inches of sheet thickness.

The scribed line is then positioned face up over a

⁄

4-inch

diameter wood dowel running the length of the intended break.

The sheet is held with one hand and downward pressure applied

with the other hand on the short side of the break. The hands

should be kept adjacent to one another and successively

repositioned about 2 inches behind the break as it progresses

along the scribed line. The practical minimum cutoff width for

scribing and breaking is 1

⁄

2 inches.

Scraping Edges of Plexiglas

Acrylic Sheet

After cutting Plexiglas

acrylic sheet, it is often desirable to

scrape the edges. Scraping serves two purposes: it removes any

nicks or burrs that may form a notch to weaken the material,

and it improves the appearance of the edge by removing cutting

marks. Dubbing both edges at the same time may be done by

grinding a V-notch into the scraper.

A suitable scraping tool may be made from a piece of

power-hacksaw blade or tool steel with one edge ground to a

sharp 90° edge.

The Plexiglas

acrylic sheet part should be held firmly in a vise

or holding fixture. Scraping can be accomplished by pushing or

drawing of the tool, whichever is more comfortable. Firm,

steady pressure should be used throughout the scraping operation.

Care must be taken to keep the scraped edge square.