Cutting Acrylic Glass

fishfreak1242

fishfreak1242

Active Member
Im trying to construct my on fuge for my 55 gal FOWLR, and i want to know the tools used to cut some 1/4 thick acrylic baffles for the bubble trap i need to make. Are there any special blades or drill bit that wont crack it or can I just use a standard blade/drill bit? Thanks for the help!
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
The easiest way to cut acrylic is with a table saw and either a blade designed for acrylic (preferred) or a laminate blade (almost as good, easier to find and cheaper). I use a Freud laminate blade in my table saw. It costs about $60 and produces very decent cuts.
To drill it, a standard wood holesaw works very well for larger holes. For smaller holes, they make acrylic bits, but I never use them. A standard twist drill will work. A drill press works best because it can control the bit better. Twist drills, as they break through, can "pull" through the piece, often cracking it. Drill presses help thwart this.
If you don't have one, I suggest starting with about 3/16, and start stepping up about 1/8" at a time until you reach the desired size. Run the drill at high speed, and use very little pressure. Placing a piece of scrap wood under the piece will also help.
 
al mc

al mc

Active Member
Using some masking tape on both sides of the area you intend to drill will also decrease the chance of cracking the material. If you have not already checked the site of a hobbyist who does lots of DIY acrylic projects.. google the words melevs and reef. The site that comes up has design plans, step by step instructions and material lists.
 
fishfreak1242

fishfreak1242

Active Member
Originally Posted by SCSInet
http:///forum/post/2501453
The easiest way to cut acrylic is with a table saw and either a blade designed for acrylic (preferred) or a laminate blade (almost as good, easier to find and cheaper). I use a Freud laminate blade in my table saw. It costs about $60 and produces very decent cuts.
To drill it, a standard wood holesaw works very well for larger holes. For smaller holes, they make acrylic bits, but I never use them. A standard twist drill will work. A drill press works best because it can control the bit better. Twist drills, as they break through, can "pull" through the piece, often cracking it. Drill presses help thwart this.
If you don't have one, I suggest starting with about 3/16, and start stepping up about 1/8" at a time until you reach the desired size. Run the drill at high speed, and use very little pressure. Placing a piece of scrap wood under the piece will also help.
Would just a standard circular saw blade work?
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Originally Posted by fishfreak1242
http:///forum/post/2501952
Would just a standard circular saw blade work?
No - if by "standard" you mean like an ordinary rip, crosscut, or combination blade.
The teeth will at best heavily chip and crack the material, at worst it could rip off shards that are sent flying by the saw. You can get laminate blades for circular saws though. In a pinch, they might be your best option.
A jigsaw/sabre saw will also work, with minimal pressure and a fine tooth blade.
In both of these cases though, a straight enough cut to weld acrylic is nearly impossible. If all you are doing is cutting some hunks to silicon into an old aquarium to make sump baffles, they will work, but if you were joining acrylic to acrylic with welding cement then these are not the tools to use.
So if you go that route for your baffles, you'll be fine, but be sure that a factory edge is what forms the "lip" or "top edge" of the baffle. An uneven cut along the top will cause water to drain over the edge funny, and it might make your sump splash or produce micro-bubbles.
 
fishfreak1242

fishfreak1242

Active Member
Originally Posted by SCSInet
http:///forum/post/2501976
No - if by "standard" you mean like an ordinary rip, crosscut, or combination blade.
The teeth will at best heavily chip and crack the material, at worst it could rip off shards that are sent flying by the saw. You can get laminate blades for circular saws though. In a pinch, they might be your best option.
A jigsaw/sabre saw will also work, with minimal pressure and a fine tooth blade.
In both of these cases though, a straight enough cut to weld acrylic is nearly impossible. If all you are doing is cutting some hunks to silicon into an old aquarium to make sump baffles, they will work, but if you were joining acrylic to acrylic with welding cement then these are not the tools to use.
So if you go that route for your baffles, you'll be fine, but be sure that a factory edge is what forms the "lip" or "top edge" of the baffle. An uneven cut along the top will cause water to drain over the edge funny, and it might make your sump splash or produce micro-bubbles.
Thanks for the advice! That helps alot (no sarcasm)! Sorry that i'm not a big tool expert but I try.
 
scrad

scrad

New Member
Check out the thread I had about cutting Acrylic. I was in the same boat as you and needed to cut down a wet/dry filter to fit under my tank.
All I did was use a fairly new circular saw blade. Mine is 60 tooth and diamond tipped and I also used a table saw. Try to use a blade with 50t to 60t or more and you should be good. Put tape down the middle of the cutting line and you should be fine. Don't cut too fast or too slow. You'll melt stuff if it is too slow. Then take a propane torch and polish the edge.
Mine wasn't factory perfect, but it sits under the stand so who cares, right.
Good luck.
 
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