Cutting Plexiglass

S Brian · Post by **S Brian** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 7:49 pm

I need to cut a piece of 1/4" thick plexiglass. It will be about 7" diameter. Have any of you used your bandsaw to do this? What size blade and what speed setting do you suggest?

Gene Howe · Post by **Gene Howe** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 8:01 pm

Slowest speed. Due to heat build up, I'd use a 1/4" or 3/8" blade. When you buy plexiglass, it usually has a protective paper covering. Leave it on until the cuts are complete. For some reason, it seems to help cool the blade.In the absence of the paper, I have put packing tape on the top side. That helps, too.

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:27 pm

S Brian wrote:I need to cut a piece of 1/4" thick Plexiglass. It will be about 7" diameter. Have any of you used your bandsaw to do this? What size blade and what speed setting do you suggest?

I cut it on the bandsaw with a 10-14 tooth blade and very slow speed (250 on the PowerPro) with great success. I have been looking at a dedicated Plexiglass blade for the tablesaw but they are too expensive for me to justify when the place I buy the sheet material will do most straight cuts for free.

A more detailed explaination on how to cut Plexiglass
http://www.eplastics.com/Plastic/Plastics_Library/How-to-Cut-Plexiglass

The tables talked about in the article can be fould here, they give details of the proper blade for different types of saws.
https://system.netsuite.com/core/media/media.nl?id=7482&c=621686&h=9843e380931a066ece38&_xt=.pdf&ck=GBSUFBqcAbXG9lJj&vid=GBSZ0Z55AcQ1M30q&cktime=105498