As plexiglass is an expensive material, workers often cut the extra part and try to use this somewhere else. But cutting plexiglass is not easy if you don’t have the glass cutter in your workshop. So questions often arise: can you cut plexiglass with a bandsaw?
Yes, fortunately, bandsawing is an excellent solution here. Every workshop contains a regular bandsaw, and when you have that, you can cut the plexiglass without any mess. Just by following some simple steps, you can fix your solution at home. But without proper guidelines, you won’t be successful. Here we decrease your problem by 50% by elaborate the steps and suggestions of cutting plexiglass by a bandsaw.
What is a bandsaw? How does it work?
A bandsaw is a very necessary power tool that is basically used as a cutter. The bandsaw has a long sharp blade along super sharp teeth, the blade continuously moving with two powered wheels. It’s run by electricity.
Different kinds of things can be cut by a bandsaw. But mostly, we use it to cut wood, metal, and relatively common stuff. This common stuff can be glasses, hardboard, plastics, ceramics, or fiber. Though the machine is not designed to cut these things, cutting these things will not be counted as a sin.
The bandsaw mechanism is quite simple to understand. Two wheels are placed here, one is on the top, and another is on the bottom. A sharp thin blade is attached around both wheels. The wheel is connected to the motor, so the motor runs the wheels when we generate electricity, and the chain works. When you push any metal or wood toward the chain, it cuts smoothly.
Let’s get to know about Plexiglass.
The chemical compound which creates this plexiglass is called poly (methyl methacrylate) (C5O2H8)n, and the density is 1.2 g/cm. This glass completely looks the same as the regular glass. However, the traditional glass is comparatively weaker, whereas the plexiglass is stronger. There is not much difference that we can discuss.
Can you cut plexiglass with a bandsaw?
Actually, the bandsaw is not designed to cut any glass materials. The blades of the bandsaw are specially made to cut solid things. But you will be surprised to know that a bandsaw can cut the plexiglass without making any mess. Though it’s not an expert statement, most users share their experience and declare that it can cut the glass quite smoothly.
So the question often arises: what is the best way to cut plexiglass? Or how do you cut plexiglass without it breaking? Fortunately, we have a primary solution for that, and that will be convincing enough.
So without wasting another moment, let’s check out what is the best way to cut plexiglass by bandsaw without breaking it.
Cutting plexiglass is not much different from cutting a piece of wood. The method will be almost similar with some additional advice.
Step 1: Take the glass that you are going to cut. Draw a clear mark on the path where you want to cut. (Wear gloves and goggles because the glass chips can enter your eyes while cutting. Gass chips do fly!)
Step 2: The most important thing is the bandsaw power. To cut thicker glasses, you need higher power, whereas thinner glasses can cut with low power. Depending on your glass, set the power on a bandsaw as you tend to cut plexiglass, and it’s comparatively thicker, so you need high power.
Step 3: Place the plexiglass on the bandsaw table and put the glass towards the blade gently. Try to cut following the mark which you drew earlier.
Step 4: After cutting the glass, you can dip it in the water to make sure no glass chips are attached to the body.
If you gently follow this method, you will successfully cut the plexiglass without even breaking it.
Can you cut plexiglass with a hacksaw?
Though most people don’t believe it, it’s true that you can cut the plexiglass by hacksaw or regular hand saw. In this case, you really have to consider the quality of the glass after cutting because you can separate the glass by cutting it, but the edge won’t be much sharper.
To cut plexiglass, make sure you cut too fast because it’s so thick. If you cut the plexiglass at a slow pace, it will be a mess. The edge will be zigzagged, and you won’t be able to follow the path. But It’s possible to cut the plexiglass by hacksaw.
Can you cut acrylic with a bandsaw?
Yes, you are allowed to cut acrylic with a bandsaw. Whether the acrylic sheet is curved or plain, the bandsaw can separate that with its sharper teeth. Depending on the acrylic sheet’s thickness, you have to choose a bandsaw blade. If the thickness is greater than 0.5 inches, then set a special blade where the teeth are less per inch. Usually, people call it to skip tooth. Generate more power while cutting. The rest are as simple as that.
Can you cut plastic with a band saw?
Yes, bandsaws can cut plastic. As we have mentioned earlier, the bandsaw machine is designed to cut solid materials. So if this can cut a solid surface, regular plastic wouldn’t be a problem.
If you have the bandsaw at home and need to cut plastic for any reason, then you don’t need to buy any plastic cutter machine. A bandsaw can do this simple job. Instruction will be the same as others; set the blade depending on the plastic thickness. While cutting, stay calm.
Final thought
Hope you understand that bandsaw can save huge money by playing a different role as a cutter. At the same time, you get the answer to the question Can you cut plexiglass with a bandsaw?
Besides plexiglass, it can also cut most of your necessary materials at home. Remember the general rules, and apply when you cut something irregular by the bandsaw. Don’t forget, When the material is thick, speed will go up; when the material is thin, speed will go down.
As the Bandsaw is a dangerous tool, be gentle when cutting stuff in the machine.
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