cutting acrylic w/table saw.

aqua_obs · #1 07/04/2003, 06:04 PM

Is a wood saw blade okay to use to cut 3/8" acrylic? I won't harm the blade? I've got an old scratched up 55ga acylic tank I need to cut a foot off of the end of so it will become a sump and fit under my stand. Happy 4th!

DJ88© · #2 07/04/2003, 06:11 PM

I have used wood blades as long as they have a lot of teeth. 80 or more I think. other wise it tears the acrylic up.

Dennis7 · #3 07/04/2003, 06:15 PM

I have been using a 80 tooth carbide blade for plywood(10").
I get excellence cuts with it, just feed speed.
Dennis

tilua · #4 07/05/2003, 03:24 AM

In my experience.. It gives you a cleaner cut if you set the blade depth just enough for the thickness of the piece.

AcroSteve · #5 07/05/2003, 05:12 AM

I do extensive woodworking and always use the upper end blades (>$80). I have been using these with 40 tooth "combination" blades without problems. I have not tried any blades with more teeth, or a "rip" or "crosscut".

Keep your feed rate smooth and consistant and you will get better results.

CedarReefer · #6 07/05/2003, 05:37 AM

I've cut plexiglass on my bandsaw. The only trouble I had was while I was cutting, it would melt just enough that when it past through the blade on the otherside, it would rejoin. Just a little tap and it would rebreak along the line.

Sean

houseofha · #7 07/05/2003, 09:16 AM

O bought a blade at HD specifically for cutting thin plywood or acrylic - I believe it has 110 teeth and cuts awesome - feed rate is critical and hitting the edge with a torch after your done cutting makes for an aswsome edge.

I made a 12g refuge and a 2.5g hong on fuge that are working well for over a year now.

Good luck.

House

aqua_obs · #8 07/05/2003, 01:34 PM

great info guys thanks!

I'll look for a blade that has more teeth, possibly the one at HD, keep the blade low (always a good safety idea) and count my fingers before and after! Thanks!

Acrylics · #9 07/05/2003, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by aqua_obs
great info guys thanks!

I'll look for a blade that has more teeth, possibly the one at HD, keep the blade low (always a good safety idea) and count my fingers before and after! Thanks!

Look for blades that are labeled "TCP" or "triple chip", they tend to chip the least. If looking at 10" blades, look at blades with at least 80 teeth and a narrow kerf (thin) makes it easier to push through. Often times you'll see these blades labeled for non-ferrous metals or for cutting laminates.

HTH,
James

Todd G. · #10 07/05/2003, 04:21 PM

I have cut plexi on table saw many times with plywood blade mounted *backwards*.

Mounting backwards= almost no chipping as it cut/melts its way thru.
Like butter.

Disclaimer: I have never cut anything thick than 1/4" using the above method, so I don't know how well it works on thicker plexi.

Best of luck.
Todd G.

gljjr · #11 07/05/2003, 07:33 PM

For what its worth. I tried one of the plywood/acrylic blades and it was only so-so. Then I tried a 40 tooth carbide and it worked like a dream. I won't go back to the plywood blade when cutting acrylic again! FYI: this is on my 8" tablesaw.

Roamer · #12 07/05/2003, 11:06 PM

I have a Forrest WoodWorker II 40 tooth combination blade on my table saw. It is definitely a high end blade ($135 or so), but it REALLY does a good job on anything and everything I have thrown at it from plywood to hardwood (rip and crosscut) to 3/8" acrylic. On acrylic, you do have get your feed rates right (most people tend to go too slow and melt the cut with friction instead of fast enough so the blade is cutting the acrylic), but the resulting cut is ready for glue up. When I do a bad job on the cut, I'll hit the edge with my scraper and clean up any saw marks, but usually there isn't anything there worth removing with the scrapper, so I go straight to glue up.