Cutting Lexan [Archive]

dagger

07-02-2006, 10:50

Help! Our team just got the lexan but we are having trouble cutting it. Any suggestions? We don't have any water-jets, or laser cutters, we're just looking for simple solutions. Any suggestions are welcome!

Collin Fultz

07-02-2006, 10:52

Lexan (polycarbonate) is fairly easy to machine. You can use a bandsaw, table saw, hack saw, pair of tin snips (depending on it's thickness).

Plexi-glass is a different story.

Good luck!

Greg Needel

07-02-2006, 10:54

check out this thread.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41571

team222badbrad

07-02-2006, 11:09

If you have big sheets, you can use a table saw.

Mike Betts

07-02-2006, 11:20

Help! Our team just got the lexan but we are having trouble cutting it. Any suggestions? We don't have any water-jets, or laser cutters, we're just looking for simple solutions. Any suggestions are welcome!

The aforementioned thread has a lot of info. We can perhaps help you better if you give some specific details on your situation.

What is the thickness and size of sheet that you have? Also, what operations (drilling, cutting, bending, et cetera) do you need to do?

Mike

JohnBoucher

07-02-2006, 12:01

Carbide blade if you have access to one

Elgin Clock

07-02-2006, 12:14

Leave the protective backing paper (usually with the name plastered all over it) on the material until you are finished cutting.

This reduces the risk of chips and cracks as you cut it.

Think of that paper layer as safety glass in your car. If the panel breaks, it will not turn into little airborne missles heading toward your eyes.

Eric Scheuing

11-02-2006, 19:58

CNC if you can. If not, everyone else has given some valuable info.

Nitroxextreme

11-02-2006, 20:06

We just use jig-saw and then smooth the edges after.

JakeM

13-02-2006, 21:50

If its thinner than 1/8 ", possibly 3/16", leave the backing on and skor it real good with a sharp knife. Then just bend the cut open until it snaps. Just make sure the skor is even and deep all the way allong and this only works for straight cuts and will not go around corners. It leaves the best edge of any method, and makes a cool booming noise when working with big sheets.

Simon Strauss

13-02-2006, 22:03

a good ol fassion jig saw works just fine. i personaly cut out all of my team's lexan pieces last year using a 50 year old one in our shop, proof that teams who are too strapt for cash to buy a CNC can still do things properly.

KTorak

13-02-2006, 22:10

Table saw is what we us, but you have to be careful and keep it moving or it will start to melt it and then eat it...and that gets ugly (experience talking here). You can also round corners with a sander. We do all of our lexan cutting in the wood shop becuase of this.

David Guzman

13-02-2006, 22:14

Has anyone cut lexan on a plasma cutter before? Would it work if I put a very high seep? Would the whole sheet melt? I need an engineer or some one who knows to tell me what will likely happen to .125 lexan.

Thanks

Jeff Pahl

13-02-2006, 22:41

Has anyone cut lexan on a plasma cutter before? Would it work if I put a very high seep? Would the whole sheet melt? I need an engineer or some one who knows to tell me what will likely happen to .125 lexan.

Thanks
Nope, the part being cut needs to be conductive for a plasma cutter.

Sorry :(

Charger_07

15-02-2006, 15:20

we have used a jig saw and a band saw to cut out lexan