I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I cut some
plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?

-Thanks
Brian

What Kind of Blade did you use ????
"stoutman" .@. wrote in message news:v%0Db.390724$ao4.1290370@attbi_s51...
I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I cut
some
plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?

-Thanks
Brian

stoutman wrote:
I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I
cut some plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?

I read on a site that scoring on each side with a utility knife & snapping
works. Never tried it myself.

-- Mark

There are specialty acrylic blades, but they're expensive... I used to do
alot of aquarium related work with plexiglass, and have found that cutting a
bit over dimenion with a decent combo blade and then joniting the edges
works very well.

Brian.


"stoutman" .@. wrote in message news:v%0Db.390724$ao4.1290370@attbi_s51...
I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I cut
some
plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?

-Thanks
Brian

I agree with George. I have cut Lexan, Plexiglas, FRP, Santana, PVC pipe,
and probably another dozen types of plastic in a table saw. The only ones
that I have had any trouble with was old (many years old) plastic lenses
from fluorescent fixtures.

I use a carbide blade with ATB teeth, nothing special, not any huge quantity
of teeth. I have a zero clearance plate on my saw at all times, this may be
the difference. Take a piece of scrap ply, masonite, or even cardboard;
lower the blade; tape the scrap to the table top; turn on the saw; raise the
blade up and through the sacrificial material. Try the cut again to see if
it makes a substantial difference.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing. . . .
DanG


"stoutman" .@. wrote in message news:v%0Db.390724$ao4.1290370@attbi_s51...
I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I cut
some
plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?

-Thanks
Brian

I read on a site that scoring on each side with a utility knife & snapping
works. Never tried it myself.

-- Mark

Works Quite well.
You Can run it down a jointer after that is you want too.

Thanks, Tony D.

On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 17:22:35 GMT, "stoutman" .@. scribbled

I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I cut some
plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?

I've had good success using a triple chip grind blade (those designed
for melamine & laminates).

Luigi
Replace "no" with "yk" for real email address

On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 17:22:35 GMT, "stoutman" .@. wrote:

I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I cut some
plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?

-Thanks
Brian



I did not have a problem cutting plexi on the tablesaw using a ply or
laminate blade (one with a lot of teeth). No chipping. A jigsaw or
bandsaw will work too, but the edge will need a little filing and
sanding. Another method is to sandwich the thin plexi with a
same-sized hardboard.

"Mark Jerde" wrote in message
news
stoutman wrote:
I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I
cut some plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?

I read on a site that scoring on each side with a utility knife & snapping
works. Never tried it myself.

It is real important to score a straight line. If it wavers, the break can
go anywhere. (been there, repeatedly.)

Luigi Zanasi wrote in message . ..
On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 17:22:35 GMT, "stoutman" .@. scribbled

I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I cut some
plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?


..........

Put your blade on backwards. No chips even with a sloppy saw, cold
thin plexiglass, & coarse blade. It leaves a nice finish.

I'm gonna give that a try.

I don't wanna have to buy a new saw blade just to cut some Plexiglas.

-Thanks to all who posted.


"dave martin" wrote in message
om...
Luigi Zanasi wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 17:22:35 GMT, "stoutman" .@. scribbled

I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I cut
some
plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?


.........

Put your blade on backwards. No chips even with a sloppy saw, cold
thin plexiglass, & coarse blade. It leaves a nice finish.

In article v%0Db.390724$ao4.1290370@attbi_s51, stoutman .@. wrote:
I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I cut some
plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?

-Thanks
Brian



I've had good results with a good quality 40 tooth general purpose
blade on the tablesaw; Forrest WWII and the Oldham top of the line
blade both worked well.
--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

stoutman wandered in from the void and babbled something like:

I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I cut some
plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?

I generally score my lexan and plexi with a scoring knife made just
for this purpose, then snap it over the sharp edge of a piece of wood.
It can be touched up on a joiner, if neccessary.
The folding scoring knifes cost about $3.00. Works like a charm.

FWIW,
Greg

Mark Jerde wrote:

stoutman wrote:

I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I
cut some plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?


I read on a site that scoring on each side with a utility knife & snapping
works. Never tried it myself.

I've cut a lot of it with a straight edge and a scribe by cutting about
half way through with the scribe, making numerous passes of course, then
sandwiching between to boards with a sharp edged board on the underside
and just behind the scribe line and snapping it downwards. Works great!

cut it between two pieces of wood
"Grandpa" jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote in message
...
Mark Jerde wrote:

stoutman wrote:

I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I
cut some plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?


I read on a site that scoring on each side with a utility knife &
snapping
works. Never tried it myself.

I've cut a lot of it with a straight edge and a scribe by cutting about
half way through with the scribe, making numerous passes of course, then
sandwiching between to boards with a sharp edged board on the underside
and just behind the scribe line and snapping it downwards. Works great!

I got minimal chipping by only raising the blade far enough for the tips of the
teeth to clear the work, and then applying masking tape to both faces before
cutting.

I just cut some yesterday with a 10 TPI blade in my jigsaw. No
chipping, but some minor melting that I fixed up with a file.

On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 17:22:35 GMT, "stoutman" .@. wrote:

I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I cut some
plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?

-Thanks
Brian


"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"
- Arthur C Clarke

"stoutman" .@. wrote in news:8O7Db.394029$ao4.1303244@attbi_s51:

I'm gonna give that a try.

I don't wanna have to buy a new saw blade just to cut some Plexiglas.

-Thanks to all who posted.


"dave martin" wrote in message
om...
Luigi Zanasi wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 17:22:35 GMT, "stoutman" .@. scribbled

I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels.
I cut
some
plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?


.........

Put your blade on backwards. No chips even with a sloppy saw, cold
thin plexiglass, & coarse blade. It leaves a nice finish.




be careful with this approach...if you knock a tooth off, you'll have a
little bullet coming atcha......

zero clearance plate in the saw and a 80 tooth triple chip blade. Or TCG for
short.
"stoutman" .@. wrote in message news:v%0Db.390724$ao4.1290370@attbi_s51...
I am making some bird feeders that have 1/4'' plexiglass panels. I cut
some
plexiglass on the tablesaw and it chipped all along the edge.

How do you cut this stuff without any chipout?

-Thanks
Brian