cutting acrylic sheet (2mm)

What's your favourite way? I've got skill saws, grinders with very narrow disc, dremmel, Stanley knives, routers, jig saws, wet cutters, tile cutters etc.

Which have you got best results with?

 

Bahco do a small panel saw so to speak and it has very small teeth I use it for cutting plastic.

 

A Laser!

But seriously - what sort of cuts are you doing?

 

Any tool that doesn't generate heat......so a saw is probably the best way, even a fine tooth band saw if you go slowly.
John

 

I've tried saws in the past but they often bind and the stuff cracks easily. It's just to repair a greenhouse pane.

 

How about if I use a grinder with one of those 1 to 2 mm stainless steel cutting discs but don't go quite through - then snap it?

 

2mm is a bit on the thin side for greenhouse panes, Joe?
No matter, your cutting disc will likely as not melt it's way through rather than cut, so I'd do a bit at a time until you're nearly through - and then snap it.
The trouble is, if the acrylic is heated, it will melt and then weld itself back together.
John

 

Maybe it's 3mm. It's the stuff you see all over the shop in wickes and B&Q

 

http://www.boschtools.com/Products/Accessories/Pages/BoschAccessoryDetail.aspx?pid=T102BF#specs

That's a jigsaw blade specifically for cutting plexiglass aka acrylic.

But for long straight cuts, there may be better options.

 

Yes, but don't press too hard and you can go straight through. Put timber under the cut line and some on top each side of the cut to keep the sheet from bouncing.

 

I've found with anything up to 6mm or so the easiest way (especially for straight cuts) is to simply score with a stanley and then snap - you get a very crisp line.

 

My daughter tried that method and it didn't always crack as intended.

 

The stuff you are dealing with Joe is more likely to be polycarbonate.......its much more flexible than the genuine acrylic which is very brittle.
Acrylic can have fillers added (called 'talc' often enough) which gives it a matt finish - but increases its flexibility.
Plastics like these are best cut with a blade that produces a chip - less chance of it rewelding back together.
John

 

It's clear. Who would put opaque sheets on a greenhouse?

 

No one......which is why your chosen material is likely to be polycarbonate, not acrylic.
John