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View Full Version : Tip for cutting drain teeth in acrylic?


donwilson
06/07/2011, 10:46 PM
I'm looking to cut some teeth into a sheet of acrylic for a small DIY thing. It's a sheet of very thin acrylic and I'm looking to cut 1 inch by 1 mm teeth into one side of it.

How should I go about this? Would a dremel work ok or would it cause the acrylic to shatter? What about a hot butter knife?

peppie
06/07/2011, 11:05 PM
A dremel will work. IME if you run the tool a High rpm it will melt the material and clog the cutter. It is hard to get it to look good.
If it were me I would make a sandwich. Plywood, acrylic, Plywood. Tape it together. Find a buddy with a table saw, set the blade to one inch and use the miter gauge to cut the teeth. This will give a uniformed, finished look.
Good Luck

needmore-reef
06/08/2011, 02:12 AM
a dremel will work. Ime if you run the tool a high rpm it will melt the material and clog the cutter. It is hard to get it to look good.
If it were me i would make a sandwich. Plywood, acrylic, plywood. Tape it together. Find a buddy with a table saw, set the blade to one inch and use the miter gauge to cut the teeth. This will give a uniformed, finished look.
Good luck

+1

PCFisher66
06/08/2011, 06:54 AM
^^^Agree, also the wood will lessen the chance of the plastic chipping.

Chris27
06/08/2011, 08:52 AM
A table saw will most definitely make quick work of it. Placing the acrylic between some dense foam will also work well, but usually you don't need it, as a fine tooth saw blade will cut it cleanly with shattering it.

Lorenz725
06/08/2011, 08:59 AM
+1 on table saw that is how i did mine.

Gold Stripe
06/08/2011, 09:00 AM
Router with a nice sharp bit. Worked like a charm.

acanlover
06/08/2011, 09:57 AM
yes mine were also cut with a table saw.

stingythingy45
06/08/2011, 10:07 AM
Only issue with a table saw is that the blade leaves square edges.
And that makes for a place for it to break/crack.
To drill thin plexiglass the edge of the drill must be dulled some.This will keep it from grabbing and breaking the plastic.
I'd drill series of holes then saw to them with a band saw.
But then again I've cut some teeth on a 90K CNC.:o

evsalty
06/08/2011, 10:14 AM
I used my table saw and a 10" cut-off blade insted of a toothed blade.

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu343/evsalty/40br/cuttnteath.jpg

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu343/evsalty/40br/assembled.jpg

firebirdude
06/08/2011, 10:15 AM
I used a table saw. Have someone pour ice water over the plexi as you're cutting it. ZERO melting.

insomniac2k2
06/08/2011, 10:42 AM
If you dont have a tablesaw, a dremmel or sideways cutting drillbit in a regular old drill will work just fine. I think i picked up my drillbit that I used to cut my teeth on my sump for about $10.

If you search my posts, you will see some pics and vids of my bit and my sump in action.