Thin Trim From Museum Acrylic

Shayla

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Is trimming 1/2" off oversize Museum acrylic easy to do? I've cut 5/8" off acrylic, and know that just one white roller thingy on our Fletcher 3100 can handle that. As much as a sheet of the fancy stuff costs, I only want to try if it's not going to implode. Otherwise, will have our supplier cut it.

I'm good at trimming much smaller bits off glass, but acrylic is another critter.
 
I've done it, mostly while losing my mind that the museum plex is going to get scuffed up, but that's standard for any time I'm cutting it. I score one side a few times, flip it, score that side a few times, bring it to a table with the edge scooted over the edge and use flat nose pliers to snap the trim off. If it doesn't seem to want to give, I put it back and score it more.
 
You should be fine. I would score it pretty deeply on one side only, then take it out of your wall cutter and lay it on a table with the score right at the table edge and the offcut hanging over the edge. Grab the offcut with a pair of pliers at one end and bend it until it starts to separate. Work your way down the length of it until it is separated. You'll be golden.

James
 
Bring it over and I will trim it on my table saw with a top-of-the-line Tenryu no-melt plastics blade. I can trim off the thinnest amount possible. 1/32", 1/64", 1/128", 1/2560000". Not a problem.

They do make these blades for cordless saws so that is an option. Just have to make sure that the arbor fits. Dirk can advise.

For the low, low price of $45.45 with free Prime shipping, you too can cut acrylic far easier than your 3100 will allow. Amazon product ASIN B001NI4MWU They also make other cordless size from 4 to 6 1/2". Not sure what saws these would fit. Here are all their regular plastic blades. Tenryu America, Inc. - Tenryu Website Products page http://www.tenryu.com/prp.html and here are their pro series blades Tenryu America, Inc. - Tenryu Website Products page http://www.tenryu.com/prp.html

If you decide to bring it over, here is the $200 blade yours would be cut with. Amazon product ASIN B000G1KO6I
 
Bring it over and I will trim it on my table saw with a top-of-the-line Tenryu no-melt plastics blade. I can trim off the thinnest amount possible. 1/32", 1/64", 1/128", 1/2560000". Not a problem.

They do make these blades for cordless saws so that is an option. Just have to make sure that the arbor fits. Dirk can advise.

For the low, low price of $45.45 with free Prime shipping, you too can cut acrylic far easier than your 3100 will allow. Amazon product ASIN B001NI4MWU They also make other cordless size from 4 to 6 1/2". Not sure what saws these would fit. Here are all their regular plastic blades. Tenryu America, Inc. - Tenryu Website Products page http://www.tenryu.com/prp.html and here are their pro series blades Tenryu America, Inc. - Tenryu Website Products page http://www.tenryu.com/prp.html

If you decide to bring it over, here is the $200 blade yours would be cut with. Amazon product ASIN B000G1KO6I
If we drop by your shop, will you share your Skittles?
 
I just noticed that I left a review for the $195 blade above at Amazon product ASIN B000G1KO6I Here is what I said 2 years ago.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Cut. Best Blade I have used for acrylic
Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2018
Verified Purchase
This is the best blade I have used for acrylic. I have been cutting acrylic since 2001 and go through 6-10 8x4 sheets of .118" acrylic a month. I have tried most of the blades available including Tenyru's non-Pro plastic series blades and some of the home center plastic blades. The Tenyru leaves the edges clean enough (with no chipping) for further polishing; either flame or wet sanding and buffing.
 
A cordless acrylic saw blade is a great idea!
I've always been unhappy with the edges of scored acrylic.
Oh, but this.....
Amazon product ASIN B001NI4MWUMore than 3 times the cost here in the Great White North ☹️

Too bad on the cost up there. They must be delivered by Amazon Prime Dog Sled teams.

If you ever do get one, here is an actual edge of a piece of acrylic cut by me; not a promotional image.

AcrylicEdge-600.gif
 
BTW, the cut in the image above was done with the top-of-the-line 10" Pro Series blade on the table saw. I have two saws for cutting acrylic; the table saw and a panel saw with a 7 1/2" Tenryu regular plastic blade as show in the image below. I use the Panel Saw to cut the 4x8 sheets in half before further cuts on the table saw. The cut on the regular blade, while extremely good, is not quite as good as the pro series. If I were polishing the edges on a cut made with the Panel Saw, it would take a little more work than the Pro Series blade.

shop11.jpg
 
I just score it deep - 3 or 4 cuts and then set it on a hard surface and I use a canvas stretcher pliers because of the wide gripper giving a longer break than with the regular pliers. I start and just crack it all the way along taking many bites with the pliers. Once you get to the other end you can finish your break with you fingers.
 
I just score it deep - 3 or 4 cuts and then set it on a hard surface and I use a canvas stretcher pliers because of the wide gripper giving a longer break than with the regular pliers. I start and just crack it all the way along taking many bites with the pliers. Once you get to the other end you can finish your break with you fingers.
Your fingers, maybe. I have dainty lady fingers. My thumbs are about the size of Dirk's pinky.
 
Score it a lot and snap it off, working along the score, with glass pliers or even better canvas pliers. I used to have a length of 3/4"x3/4" aluminum angle trim that I'd lay on the bench underneath the score to snap the cut when I scored with a ruler and hand-held.

A drywall rasp can clean up the diamond points that happen if your off-cut breaks along the score. Blow, brush, vacuum or use whatever to get those shavings FAR AWAY before peeling the masking off though.

Bring it over here to Honolulu and I'll cut it with a laser for you ;)
 
Score it by hand or with your wall cutter. You now have a line and detent to help track a blade.

Set up your worktable with a rule or board to use as a fence.

I've used a Dremel with a cutoff wheel and sometimes a cordless circular saw (4 inch, 18V ) with a cheap fine tooth blade. The heat will form a bead that easily breaks away.

I now have a table saw with a 10" acrylic blade. I try and do all cutting with the table saw .
 
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