Best way of cutting perspex?

[MikeHunt79]

I want the edge to look nice and clean.

I've got: hacksaw, jigsaw, router, circular saw and a few other bits and bobs. Which tool would give the best finish on the edge?

 

["andy"]

i think you get blades specially for it for most those tools

for straight cuts the circular saw

a jigsaw with acrylic blades for doing not so straight edges

the blades for aluminium are very similar too , just want fine teeth really

too make it look perfect youll probably need to wet and dry the edge using a fine grit

 

[MikeHunt79]

It's mostly straight edges, so I'll give the circular saw a whirl. I've got some wet and dry, so I'll give it a go. Thanks!

 

[semi-pro waster]

I dimly recall that putting some kind of sticky tape on the perspex along the line of the cuts to prevent splintering helps but I'm not 100% on this or if indeed I'm getting confused with something else.

 

[Tru]

I used a special blade for a Stanley knife, it was hard work but left a super finish.

 

[Aod]

diamond-grit tile cutters saw through perspex and polycarbonate effortlessly and very cleanly.

 

[Tachyon]

You could cut it 2 or 3mm big then use a straight edge and trim it down to size using a straight cutter in your router. You can polish the edges using a finegrit sandpaper & scoth brite.

 

[lookitsjonno]

use a coping saw and wet and dry the edges

 

[Sherbs]

Guillotine

 

["andy"]

I dimly recall that putting some kind of sticky tape on the perspex along the line of the cuts to prevent splintering helps but I'm not 100% on this or if indeed I'm getting confused with something else.

oh yea i forgot to mention this , it will stop the blad slipping on the plastic when you start the cut
=

 

[[huzeeee]]

To get a perfect edge cut it with almost any saw( fine teeth are a must), wet and dry the edge, then use a blowtorch quickley down the edge, this causes all the minute bumps to melt together and become perfectley clear again If you have acces to a laser they do a good job aswell.

 

[georges]

Use masking tape on the bit where you're cutting through, this stops splintering. Then use a quick touch of a flame on the edge to melt it in to a flat, smooth line.

 

[~>Dg<~]

if you buy it in sheets should have sticky type tape on one side to stop splintering also need fine teeth on blade a fine bansaw type machine is best but if you cut to slow the plastc (perspex) melts around the blade.