Hi there,

I'm an apartment-dwelling Oklahoman with limited access to tools. If I wanted to cut up some plexi but didn't wanna make a mess, how would I do it?

 

I believe laser is the best way to get a clean cut. Otherwise, a dremel would probably work...but you'll get plastic shavings everywhere.

 

box cutter and score it over and over again....until maybe 1/3-1/2 way through...then put scored on edge of counter...slap down..breaks cleanly...

also they sell small tool specifically designed for this at hardware stores....

or most places I have purchased it at will cut it for you...

 

I do computer case modifications and I use Lexan for case windows.... how I cut it is with a jigsaw with a medium tooth metal cutting blade, and duct tape on the shoe of the saw. Always cut, if possible, with the protective paper still on the plastic. Failing that, just jigsaw very carefully.

Yes, there will be shavings, there's no way around that unless you have access to a water cutter or a laser

 

I use laser.....smooth as glass....

 

Find someone with a waterjet and see if they'll cut it for you...

 

Talk to me about this "small tool"

Note that I won't just be making straight cuts, but round ones also

 

I cut plexy for architectural models.

A laser cutter would be ideal but not as easily accesible.

You can easily get a plexi blade from a local art store and score the plexy over and over again and snap it.
This method works best for straight cuts. This can be done just as easily with a heavy duty utility knife and a steady hand. The more runs you make the easier it snaps. In some cases you can cut right through the glass depending on the thickness.

Curves can be a little more challenging.

I suggest a radial band-saw for cuve cuts. Which most wood shops have or can be purchased at home depot or something. This tool will allow you to pretty much cut the glass in any form you want.

How think is the plexi you are talking about?
Anything thicker than 1/4" would be hard to do a clean manual job.

 

The "scoring" and "snapping" method is only good for straight cuts where you use a straight edge to guide the score and even then, if the score is not uniform and complete, you may get a jagged break.
Most power tools (jigsaws, band saws) run the blade at speeds that will melt the plexi (after a couple of inches) as it cuts. You just end up with a melted blob of plexiglass following the blade and filling in the cut. Anyone who has actually tried to cut plexi with a jigsaw will know this to be the case.
You can remedy this by trickling a small stream of cold water on the cutting front. This will get you a fine "sawdust" that gets carried away by the water stream. Using this method may require a second person or rigging up a gallon milk jug where you have punched a hole in one bottom corner. You can now cut any curve or line you desire. Obviously, it's best to do this outside where you don't have to worry about where the water goes.

 

as said the scoring method would only work for straight cuts reliably....Ive used a dremel with a metal cutting bit in the shape of a cone to cut curves but none of the curves needed to be uniform or circular or even.

ive heard of using jigsaw but in all the succesful cases they did 1 or 2 inches...stopped..water to cool down....wait....repeat....

constant water seems like it could work