How To Work With Plexiglass Sheets

Buy cheap plexiglass acrylic sheets or panels online once you have decided to add plexiglass panels to your home the next decision you need to make is whom to buy from.

How to work with plexiglass sheets.

Make sure the surface is clean and clear of any objects that could impede your work or potentially mark or. The ideal temperature for polycarbonate is around 340 degrees fahrenheit. For a thin sheet of plexiglass that is material up to about 3 16 inch thick use a scoring method not dissimilar from a technique used to cut actual glass. It is produced in various thicknesses and tints.

If you try to drill a sheet of acrylic with conventional metal or wood drill bits there s a chance you ll end up cracking it. Lay the sheet on a flat surface and. Break the sheet at the scored line by pressing down on the outer edge in a quick motion. The heater comes in various lengths depending on the size of the sheets you want to work with.

It can be cut with a metal saw joined and sealed drilled ground and bent. Lay the plexiglass flat on a work surface. For thin sheets of plexiglass that are up to 3 16 inch 0 48 cm thick scoring the sheet and then snapping it is an easy way to cut it. Plexiglass or acrylic sheet this system works well for small pieces of plexiglass in thicknesses of up to 1 8 inch.

If the sheet is thin use a step drill bit instead. If you re working with a thick piece of acrylic you can use conventional drill bits if you first place a piece of masking tape over the area to be drilled. Lay your acrylic sheet on a flat work surface and mark the line to be cut. You can purchase a thermostat for the strip heater to control the heat output.

Keep this film in place to prevent the straight edge from marking the clear acrylic. Break the acrylic sheet. Using clamps to hold the sheet to the table makes the process easier. Place the sheet down flat on a table or a work station so you can measure and cut on a stable surface.

Plexiglass can scratch easily which is why it s sold with a protective film on the surface. You can wrap your hand around one edge and use your body weight to push down. For thicker acrylic you will need to use a metal bar clamped very securely and you may only be able to work with narrow strips of material as your heat source may not be able to heat wider areas of thick material.