Cutting Plexiglass (Perspex)

Dave M · 2017-08-30T22:57:06+00:00

Anyone have experience in accurately cutting 1/8" thick acrylic Plexiglas (Perspex) for LED displays? I need to make filters for some panel meters of my own design, but am having trouble finding off-the-shelf bezels and filters of the sizes I need. Before everyone tells me that there are cheap Chinese panel meters available on the web, I already know about them. My meters are for a unique application and the available digital panel meters can't be modified to fill my needs. The display is the really unique part, and I need to make my own filters for the displays. I need 3 different sizes; 1.25" x 2.5". 2.75" x 5" and 4" x 5". I've thought about using a table saw with a cabinet-grade finishing blade. That's possible, but somewhat dangerous due to the small size of the filters. Also thought about hot wire cutting. That's quite possible, relatively safe (just have to keep fingers off the hot wire). Might be hard to keep the wire taut enough to make straight cuts, and guiding the plastic through the wire or the wire through the plastic. Also thought about cutting on a drill press or milling machine. Again, a bit dangerous due to the small size of the work. Clamping would be tricky. Any suggestions as to a good, safe approach to cutting the plastic? Dave M

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Jim Thompson 8 years ago

For my "bender" I used a strong spring to keep the NiCr wire taut.

Should be a similar solution for "cutters". ...Jim Thompson

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tabbypurr 8 years ago

Abrasion melt-cutting dose that but it's easy to snap it off without harm.

NT

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Jim Thompson 8 years ago

I was never directly involved but, when I was with OmniComp/GenRad, we had a mechanical engineer type who built all the cabinet mock-ups for all the various models of portable test gear. IIRC he used a very fine toothed, *very high speed* table saw, cut the Plexiglas like just another piece of plywood.

(*) Laird Pettit...

...Jim Thompson

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Cutting Plexiglass (Perspex)

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