Cutting plastic mirrors
 

Hi

As an absolute novice, I'd be really grateful if you guys (and girls) could
help me out on how to cut small plastic (acrylic) mirrors and some practical
advice about what equipment I need to buy.

As background, I run a small ceramic/pottery shop and want to make some
hand-held vanity mirrors. I have sourced a supplier (around £80 for a 8' x
4' sheet, 3mm thick) but the cost of them to cut the mirrors for me is very
prohibitive and so I need to cut (and finish) them myself. Ideally they need
to be oval (aound 5" x 4") but if this is difficult then a 4" diameter
circle might be acceptable. I need to make around 50-100 at a time and they
need to be identical (or at least very close to identical) in shape.

I have done a Google usenet search and there are many suggestions of ways
that 'work' but unfortunately I don't understand the equipment they are
talking about (piloted flush cutting straight bit / carbide tipped combo
blades and so on) Suggestions have been made for band saws, jig saws and
circular saws but I am not sure how or if any of these could be used for low
level 'mass' production. I understand that there may be problems with
friction heating of the mirrors and fumes.

Any advice or practical tips in something close to laymans terms if
possible, on what equipment I need to buy (feel free to mention product
names) and how it should be used to cut / finish the mirrors will be very
gratefully received.

Many thanks and kind regards

John

Cutting plastic mirrors
 

JRH wrote:

Hi

As an absolute novice, I'd be really grateful if you guys (and girls) could
help me out on how to cut small plastic (acrylic) mirrors and some practical
advice about what equipment I need to buy.

As background, I run a small ceramic/pottery shop and want to make some
hand-held vanity mirrors. I have sourced a supplier (around £80 for a 8' x
4' sheet, 3mm thick) but the cost of them to cut the mirrors for me is very
prohibitive and so I need to cut (and finish) them myself. Ideally they need
to be oval (aound 5" x 4") but if this is difficult then a 4" diameter
circle might be acceptable. I need to make around 50-100 at a time and they
need to be identical (or at least very close to identical) in shape.

I have done a Google usenet search and there are many suggestions of ways
that 'work' but unfortunately I don't understand the equipment they are
talking about (piloted flush cutting straight bit / carbide tipped combo
blades and so on) Suggestions have been made for band saws, jig saws and
circular saws but I am not sure how or if any of these could be used for low
level 'mass' production. I understand that there may be problems with
friction heating of the mirrors and fumes.

Any advice or practical tips in something close to laymans terms if
possible, on what equipment I need to buy (feel free to mention product
names) and how it should be used to cut / finish the mirrors will be very
gratefully received.

Many thanks and kind regards

John

Never used or seen plastic mirror but I can imagine what it must be like. The
flush cutter would be like this
http://www.trendmachinery.co.uk/libr...es/PAGE017.PDF
You would attach a rough cut oversize piece of mirror to an exact size pattern
and then run a router around the pattern.the bearing (pilot) follows the pattern
and the cutter copies the shape.
Basic router technique but over and above the normal processes you would need to
make sure your method of securing the pattern to the mirror did not damage the
surfaces.
Cutters with the bearing at the shaft end of the cutter rather than the end,
allow the router base to bear on the pattern instead of the workpiece. These
would be better for your application.

Good Luck

Bob

Cutting plastic mirrors
 

JRH wrote in message ...
Hi

As an absolute novice, I'd be really grateful if you guys (and girls) could
help me out on how to cut small plastic (acrylic) mirrors and some
practical
advice about what equipment I need to buy.

As background, I run a small ceramic/pottery shop and want to make some
hand-held vanity mirrors. I have sourced a supplier (around £80 for a 8' x
4' sheet, 3mm thick) but the cost of them to cut the mirrors for me is very
prohibitive and so I need to cut (and finish) them myself.

I think I'd shop around a bit more first. With the right equipment 100 of
those would be a 5 minute job. All you need is someone with 5 minutes spare
capacity.
If ceramics are your game, I wouldn't get side tracked into plastics. You
can shop around by phone easily enough. A 5x4 oval doesn't need drawings
etc. I always start at the top. Ask the plastic manufacturer where you can
get small runs of their stuff cut to size.
Also try the web. It's certainly very easy to order engraved signs online
which is essentially the same machinery.

Cutting plastic mirrors
 

a fine toothed jig saw will do the job, once you start a cut it must go all
the way to the other side, that is to say you cannot take notches out of the
plastic or you will break it,
"JRH" wrote in message
...
Hi

As an absolute novice, I'd be really grateful if you guys (and girls)
could
help me out on how to cut small plastic (acrylic) mirrors and some
practical
advice about what equipment I need to buy.

As background, I run a small ceramic/pottery shop and want to make some
hand-held vanity mirrors. I have sourced a supplier (around £80 for a 8' x
4' sheet, 3mm thick) but the cost of them to cut the mirrors for me is
very
prohibitive and so I need to cut (and finish) them myself. Ideally they
need
to be oval (aound 5" x 4") but if this is difficult then a 4" diameter
circle might be acceptable. I need to make around 50-100 at a time and
they
need to be identical (or at least very close to identical) in shape.

I have done a Google usenet search and there are many suggestions of ways
that 'work' but unfortunately I don't understand the equipment they are
talking about (piloted flush cutting straight bit / carbide tipped combo
blades and so on) Suggestions have been made for band saws, jig saws and
circular saws but I am not sure how or if any of these could be used for
low
level 'mass' production. I understand that there may be problems with
friction heating of the mirrors and fumes.

Any advice or practical tips in something close to laymans terms if
possible, on what equipment I need to buy (feel free to mention product
names) and how it should be used to cut / finish the mirrors will be very
gratefully received.

Many thanks and kind regards

John

Thank you
 

On Sun, 24 Aug 2003 23:02:23 +0100, JRH wrote:

Thank you very much Bob, Stuart, Andy & our anonymous glazing expert who
never leaves his name :-)

Your answers have taken me into new positive directions and I'm very
grateful for your time and help.

Very kind regards
John


On a similar note, I'm sure I owe at least Andy a few beers for his CH
advice.


Regards,
Steve
--
Jack of all trades, master of some