I have bought some acrylic sheet for replacing the glass in my greenhouse.
On the sheet it suggests cutting it using a jigsaw, a cutting tool or
scoring it and breaking it along the score (a bit like cutting ceramic tiles
I suppose).
Any tips or thoughts?
Thanks
Mike

"Mike" wrote in message
...
I have bought some acrylic sheet for replacing the glass in my greenhouse.
On the sheet it suggests cutting it using a jigsaw, a cutting tool or
scoring it and breaking it along the score (a bit like cutting ceramic
tiles
I suppose).

Acrlyic is nasty stuff
A jig saw will either melt it or break it
unless you waste some practicing.
I've found deep scoring effective.

I've found deep scoring effective.


Agree, but crack can wander from the score, like glass. You can cut it by hand
with a hacksaw or almost any sort of wood saw, just keep the speed and pressure
low to avoid melting. You may get away with a jigsaw with care if it has a very
slow speed

On 29 Feb 2004 22:04:30 GMT, (OldScrawn) wrote:

I've found deep scoring effective.


Agree, but crack can wander from the score, like glass. You can cut it by hand
with a hacksaw or almost any sort of wood saw, just keep the speed and pressure
low to avoid melting. You may get away with a jigsaw with care if it has a very
slow speed

I'd also try and support it very close to where you are cutting. If
the saw snags it's likeky to crack.

As mentioned, slow and steady is the game here ;-)

T i m

"OldScrawn" wrote in message
...
I've found deep scoring effective.


Agree, but crack can wander from the score, like glass.

Better to bit the bullet & use Polycarbonate

The neighbours wine bottles bounce better
Luckily they are dead now

"Chris Oates" none wrote in message
...

"OldScrawn" wrote in message
...
I've found deep scoring effective.


Agree, but crack can wander from the score, like glass.

Better to bit the bullet & use Polycarbonate

The neighbours wine bottles bounce better
Luckily they are dead now



Why, were they full ones before?
--
©J.Milton.Hayes©


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Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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OldScrawn wrote:
I've found deep scoring effective.


Agree, but crack can wander from the score, like glass. You can cut it by hand
with a hacksaw or almost any sort of wood saw, just keep the speed and pressure

I've found that scoring deeply helps.
I've got some 30mm*5mm steel bar that is really handy.

Clamp onto sheet with some clamps, and then score several times (at least
ten) altering the angle slightly to dig a fairly deep groove, before
removing, placing on an edge, and using the bar to touch the whole
edge before pressing down on it slowly works well.

You can friction cut it, by taking a smooth 2mm or so rod, clamping in a
dremel, and simply running it along an edge.
Not neatly, but it's a handy alternative occasionally.

On Sun, 29 Feb 2004 20:48:04 -0000, "Mike"
wrote:

I have bought some acrylic sheet for replacing the glass in my greenhouse.
On the sheet it suggests cutting it using a jigsaw, a cutting tool or
scoring it and breaking it along the score (a bit like cutting ceramic tiles
I suppose).
Any tips or thoughts?

On a slightly related subject - what's the recommended cutting method
for transparent corrogated roof panels? These are some sort of plastic
and scoring isn't really an option when cutting across the width.

PoP

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If you need to contact me please submit your comments
via the web form at http://www.anyoldtripe.co.uk. I'll
probably still ignore you but at least I'll get the
message.....

The company i bought it from suggests using a "glodex cutting tool" - looks
like a Stanley knife from the illustration - any views?

Could you spell out, what you mean by a 30mm*5m steel bar? Where can one buy
these?

What's a dremel?

Sorry to be so ignorant!

Mike


I've found that scoring deeply helps.
I've got some 30mm*5mm steel bar that is really handy.

Clamp onto sheet with some clamps, and then score several times (at least
ten) altering the angle slightly to dig a fairly deep groove, before
removing, placing on an edge, and using the bar to touch the whole
edge before pressing down on it slowly works well.

You can friction cut it, by taking a smooth 2mm or so rod, clamping in a
dremel, and simply running it along an edge.
Not neatly, but it's a handy alternative occasionally.

Mike wrote:
The company i bought it from suggests using a "glodex cutting tool" - looks
like a Stanley knife from the illustration - any views?

A stanley knife works.
You may find that a "hook-shaped" blade works best, look in your local
DIY store blade section.


Could you spell out, what you mean by a 30mm*5m steel bar? Where can one buy
these?

Ironmonger?
It's simply a 30mm*5mm*2m (or so) steel bar.
Really handy for clamping to stuff and cutting using either stanley knives
or powertools.

What's a dremel?

It's often misused as a generic term, it's the main product of the Dremel
company, (http://www.dremel.com/) and is a small very high speed handheld
drill, held like a fat pencil in the hand.
(34000RPM is the top speed of most)
Very handy for many tasks.
There are others that make quality imitators, and lots of terrible
low-powered copies.

Sorry to be so ignorant!

Ignorance is curable.
Stupidity is not asking questions, or pretending you know already.

On Mon, 01 Mar 2004 16:11:47 +0000, PoP wrote:

On a slightly related subject - what's the recommended cutting method
for transparent corrogated roof panels? These are some sort of plastic
and scoring isn't really an option when cutting across the width.

Last time I did them I took an angle grinder to them with a cutting disc
in place. Slow and careful is the key.
--

Dave

Clamp a straight edge across the sheet. Deeply score with the pointed edge
of an old chisel at least ten times. Repeat at the edges, starting on the
sheet and going off the edge. Clamp the sheet to a bench/table with a 2"x1"
along the score on top so that the score is on the edge of the bench. Use a
piece of 2"x1" (at least) to push the overhang down not more than 6" from
the score, until it snaps
No problem, works every time.
--
Lawrence
Nottingham, UK

"Mike" wrote in message
...
I have bought some acrylic sheet for replacing the glass in my greenhouse.
On the sheet it suggests cutting it using a jigsaw, a cutting tool or
scoring it and breaking it along the score (a bit like cutting ceramic
tiles
I suppose).
Any tips or thoughts?
Thanks
Mike

In message , PoP
writes
On Sun, 29 Feb 2004 20:48:04 -0000, "Mike"
wrote:

I have bought some acrylic sheet for replacing the glass in my greenhouse.
On the sheet it suggests cutting it using a jigsaw, a cutting tool or
scoring it and breaking it along the score (a bit like cutting ceramic tiles
I suppose).
Any tips or thoughts?

On a slightly related subject - what's the recommended cutting method
for transparent corrogated roof panels? These are some sort of plastic
and scoring isn't really an option when cutting across the width.

Go for twinwall instead, it lasts longer

--
geoff

In message
"Chris Oates" none wrote:


"Mike" wrote in message
...
I have bought some acrylic sheet for replacing the glass in my greenhouse.
On the sheet it suggests cutting it using a jigsaw, a cutting tool or
scoring it and breaking it along the score (a bit like cutting ceramic
tiles
I suppose).

Acrlyic is nasty stuff
A jig saw will either melt it or break it
unless you waste some practicing.
I've found deep scoring effective.




I've just cut some today. I used a bandsaw - no problems. :-)

--
Marcus
To reply use marcus at frenchay dot demon dot co dot uk

"Mike" wrote in message
news:ZqL0c.1983$GQ.381@newsfe1-win...
The company i bought it from suggests using a "glodex cutting tool" -
looks
like a Stanley knife from the illustration - any views?


Initially, I was thinking of a hot wire cutter - but if you have an
illustration, give us a link - Google gives naff all on glodex - except a
Miami Shipping Company - and I don't think *THAT'S* what you're looking for!

As an aside, I'm just embarking on the "Ooh - I think I'll build meself a
greenhouse - lark". Why do you want to use acrylic instead of glass? Apart
from the obvious breakage level, of course!
--

Reply address is spamtrapped. Remove theobvious for valid e-mail address

If you are talking about the type used in "asbestos roofed" garages and the
like, I used a standard sized (not Junior) hacksaw blade, out of the
hacksaw, with the "hand" end wrapped in a rag! Gently does it - as others
here have noted!
--

Reply address is spamtrapped. Remove theobvious for valid e-mail address
"PoP" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 29 Feb 2004 20:48:04 -0000, "Mike"
wrote:

I have bought some acrylic sheet for replacing the glass in my
greenhouse.
On the sheet it suggests cutting it using a jigsaw, a cutting tool or
scoring it and breaking it along the score (a bit like cutting ceramic
tiles
I suppose).
Any tips or thoughts?

On a slightly related subject - what's the recommended cutting method
for transparent corrogated roof panels? These are some sort of plastic
and scoring isn't really an option when cutting across the width.

PoP

-----
If you need to contact me please submit your comments
via the web form at http://www.anyoldtripe.co.uk. I'll
probably still ignore you but at least I'll get the
message.....

On Mon, 01 Mar 2004 16:11:47 +0000, PoP wrote:

On Sun, 29 Feb 2004 20:48:04 -0000, "Mike"
wrote:

I have bought some acrylic sheet for replacing the glass in my greenhouse.
On the sheet it suggests cutting it using a jigsaw, a cutting tool or
scoring it and breaking it along the score (a bit like cutting ceramic tiles
I suppose).
Any tips or thoughts?

On a slightly related subject - what's the recommended cutting method
for transparent corrogated roof panels? These are some sort of plastic
and scoring isn't really an option when cutting across the width.

snip

Lat time I looked there were two versions of clear corrugated roof
panels. One was cheap and nasty. It cracks, splinters etc if you as
much as take the saw out of the toolbox, the other is a heavier duty
version used in warehouses etc.

The first version is most likely the one you will see for sale retail.
My advice is don't try to cut it at all. Attempt to get sheets the
required length to allow you overlap the ends without too much waste.

Paul Mc Cann

On Wed, 03 Mar 2004 07:08:47 +0000, wrote:

Lat time I looked there were two versions of clear corrugated roof
panels. One was cheap and nasty. It cracks, splinters etc if you as
much as take the saw out of the toolbox, the other is a heavier duty
version used in warehouses etc.

I can confirm it does crack/splinter - hence my question.

The first version is most likely the one you will see for sale retail.
My advice is don't try to cut it at all. Attempt to get sheets the
required length to allow you overlap the ends without too much waste.

Length is no problem, but there's a gutter downpipe which requires a
cutout in the roof panel, and having already tried to cut a sheet (and
ended up with a mess) I'm head-scratching as to how to cut this!

Maybe my instant soldering iron gun might do the job.....

PoP

---
If you need to contact me please submit your comments
via the web form at http://www.anyoldtripe.co.uk. I'll
probably still ignore you but at least I'll get the
message.....

PoP wrote in message ...
Length is no problem, but there's a gutter downpipe which requires a
cutout in the roof panel, and having already tried to cut a sheet (and
ended up with a mess) I'm head-scratching as to how to cut this!


A low speed drill and a hole saw with lots of water will normally cut holes
in these materials.

Regards
Capitol

On Wed, 03 Mar 2004 16:43:56 +0000, PoP wrote:

Length is no problem, but there's a gutter downpipe which requires a
cutout in the roof panel, and having already tried to cut a sheet (and
ended up with a mess) I'm head-scratching as to how to cut this!

Maybe my instant soldering iron gun might do the job.....

Might be worth making a hot wire cutter from a car battery charger and
some resistive wire off an old radiant fire element.

cheers,
Pete.