Tip for cutting drain teeth in acrylic?

donwilson · 06/07/2011, 10:46 PM

I'm looking to cut some teeth into a sheet of acrylic for a small DIY thing. It's a sheet of very thin acrylic and I'm looking to cut 1 inch by 1 mm teeth into one side of it.

How should I go about this? Would a dremel work ok or would it cause the acrylic to shatter? What about a hot butter knife?

peppie · 06/07/2011, 11:05 PM

A dremel will work. IME if you run the tool a High rpm it will melt the material and clog the cutter. It is hard to get it to look good.
If it were me I would make a sandwich. Plywood, acrylic, Plywood. Tape it together. Find a buddy with a table saw, set the blade to one inch and use the miter gauge to cut the teeth. This will give a uniformed, finished look.
Good Luck

needmore-reef · 06/08/2011, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peppie

a dremel will work. Ime if you run the tool a high rpm it will melt the material and clog the cutter. It is hard to get it to look good.
If it were me i would make a sandwich. Plywood, acrylic, plywood. Tape it together. Find a buddy with a table saw, set the blade to one inch and use the miter gauge to cut the teeth. This will give a uniformed, finished look.
Good luck

+1

PCFisher66 · 06/08/2011, 06:54 AM

^^^Agree, also the wood will lessen the chance of the plastic chipping.

Chris27 · 06/08/2011, 08:52 AM

A table saw will most definitely make quick work of it. Placing the acrylic between some dense foam will also work well, but usually you don't need it, as a fine tooth saw blade will cut it cleanly with shattering it.

Lorenz725 · 06/08/2011, 08:59 AM

+1 on table saw that is how i did mine.

Gold Stripe · 06/08/2011, 09:00 AM

Router with a nice sharp bit. Worked like a charm.

acanlover · 06/08/2011, 09:57 AM

yes mine were also cut with a table saw.

stingythingy45 · 06/08/2011, 10:07 AM

Only issue with a table saw is that the blade leaves square edges.
And that makes for a place for it to break/crack.
To drill thin plexiglass the edge of the drill must be dulled some.This will keep it from grabbing and breaking the plastic.
I'd drill series of holes then saw to them with a band saw.
But then again I've cut some teeth on a 90K CNC.

evsalty · 06/08/2011, 10:14 AM

I used my table saw and a 10" cut-off blade insted of a toothed blade.

firebirdude · 06/08/2011, 10:15 AM

I used a table saw. Have someone pour ice water over the plexi as you're cutting it. ZERO melting.

insomniac2k2 · 06/08/2011, 10:42 AM

If you dont have a tablesaw, a dremmel or sideways cutting drillbit in a regular old drill will work just fine. I think i picked up my drillbit that I used to cut my teeth on my sump for about $10.

If you search my posts, you will see some pics and vids of my bit and my sump in action.

06/07/2011, 10:46 PM	#1
donwilson Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 114	Tip for cutting drain teeth in acrylic? I'm looking to cut some teeth into a sheet of acrylic for a small DIY thing. It's a sheet of very thin acrylic and I'm looking to cut 1 inch by 1 mm teeth into one side of it. How should I go about this? Would a dremel work ok or would it cause the acrylic to shatter? What about a hot butter knife?

06/08/2011, 08:52 AM	#5
Chris27 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 4,452	A table saw will most definitely make quick work of it. Placing the acrylic between some dense foam will also work well, but usually you don't need it, as a fine tooth saw blade will cut it cleanly with shattering it. __________________ Fill your tank with $5 bills, add gasoline and light it on fire.....only then will you know the real cost of reefing. Current Tank Info: 180 Mixed Reef

06/08/2011, 09:00 AM	#7
Gold Stripe Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 977	Router with a nice sharp bit. Worked like a charm. __________________ I swear its the last coral I will buy honey ...... I promise!

06/08/2011, 10:07 AM	#9
stingythingy45 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MA Posts: 3,296	Only issue with a table saw is that the blade leaves square edges. And that makes for a place for it to break/crack. To drill thin plexiglass the edge of the drill must be dulled some.This will keep it from grabbing and breaking the plastic. I'd drill series of holes then saw to them with a band saw. But then again I've cut some teeth on a 90K CNC. __________________ Bob Current Tank Info: 90 gallon,mixed Reef,2-250 watt Optix 3 pendants(Phoenix 14K)2-54 watt T5 Super actnics ,ASM G-2 Gate/recirc mods,70 gal. basement sump,20L ref

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06/07/2011, 11:05 PM	#2
peppie Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,883	A dremel will work. IME if you run the tool a High rpm it will melt the material and clog the cutter. It is hard to get it to look good. If it were me I would make a sandwich. Plywood, acrylic, Plywood. Tape it together. Find a buddy with a table saw, set the blade to one inch and use the miter gauge to cut the teeth. This will give a uniformed, finished look. Good Luck

06/08/2011, 06:54 AM	#4
PCFisher66 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Crestview, FL Posts: 138	^^^Agree, also the wood will lessen the chance of the plastic chipping.

06/08/2011, 08:59 AM	#6
Lorenz725 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 942	+1 on table saw that is how i did mine.

06/08/2011, 09:57 AM	#8
acanlover Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 66	yes mine were also cut with a table saw.

06/08/2011, 10:14 AM	#10
evsalty hmmmmmm Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: NW Mesa, AZ Posts: 3,531	I used my table saw and a 10" cut-off blade insted of a toothed blade.

06/08/2011, 10:15 AM	#11
firebirdude User and Abuser Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,836	I used a table saw. Have someone pour ice water over the plexi as you're cutting it. ZERO melting.

06/08/2011, 10:42 AM	#12
insomniac2k2 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: concord Posts: 1,280	If you dont have a tablesaw, a dremmel or sideways cutting drillbit in a regular old drill will work just fine. I think i picked up my drillbit that I used to cut my teeth on my sump for about $10. If you search my posts, you will see some pics and vids of my bit and my sump in action.