"JohnR66" wrote in message
...
"blueman" wrote in message
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I bought a sheet of 48x24" plexiglass at home depot (maybe about 1/8"
thick).

I am trying to cut in 7" slices (each 48" long).
Per the instructions from the Home Depot guy, I bought a blade that is
supposed to score the Plexiglass and then you snap it.

Well, I am having 2 problems.
First, I am finding it hard to score precisely on a straight line
(even though I am following a steel straight edge). The blade keeps
wanting to slip away slightly.

Second, after scoring with several passes, when I snap it, it ends up
breaking only partially along the line (and the rest breaks away at a
short angle).

One solution, would be to just be more careful on scoring the line and
then scoring even deeper with more multiple passes.

Are there any EASIER and MORE accurate ways to cut plexiglass?
Can I use a regular table saw blade (or will it shatter it)?
What about a jigsaw or a dremel?

Thanks

I build acrylic display cases as a side business/hobby. I use a large
table saw with a very expensive ($200+) narrow kerf triple chip alternate
tooth profile blade made from C4 carbide (80 tooth). The blade should
protrude 1/4" through the material. Next it gets run through a joiner for
a beautiful edge that will take polishing nicely. For scoring, I use a
$1,800 Fletcher multi material cutter...

Okay, okay, you need the cheap solution! For scoring I recommend a drywall
T square. The large T section helps keep it square and in position. I put
some "Foamies" self adhesive foam on the back of the T to keep it
stationary. You MUST be sure the successive passes you make are in the
same groove or the break will run out of the groove. With a single motion
to break the material, I can break out up to 1/4 inch thick sheets that
look very clean. However, I find it is hard to breakout pieces near a
parallel edge without runout and the accuracy may be off 1/64 or more end
to end which is not ideal for cementing boxes together. I use a fletcher
scoring tool to make the cut. It has a comfortable grip and changable
blades. I only have to make 3 passes with this method on 1/8 material.

Check here for the heavy duty handheld plastic cutter
http://www.fletcher-terry.com/framing/

Good luck
John
Oh, and one last thing. It may cost more than the plastic, but if this is a
one shot deal, it may be better to have someone cut it for you.
John