A Modder's Guide To Acrylic

Originally Posted by talladega
I've had it in my room in for like 3 or 4 months. lol There was no warning on the thing about it being under pressure at all. Looked. Afterwards. :) It said to cut out the metal tab and the utility knife wouldnt cut through so i was prying it open and it blows up in my face. It probly would have sprayed out even from poking a hole but atleast my eye wouldnt have gotten hit. That hurt for a while. Next time.... :D

Do the tighten the screw on lids to 10,00Lbs of torque or what? I couldnt unscrew it with my hands. Had to use a tool. :o

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm DR PEPPER!!!!!!!!!!

My way of opening cans like that, (5 gallon cans of Kilz go off like bombs too,) Is to tap the edge facing away from you with a sharp nail. to hold the nail in place, your hand has to be covering the lid. When it goes POP the contents paint the inside of your hand.(:D Loaded statement!) I had one fly off never to be seen again, so I learned to be cautious.
-I think the lids are the real reason channel lock pliers were invented. -In particular for the ones on PVC glue.:D You want the lid on pretty tight anyway. I didn't get the lid on my Tap solvent right one time, and I started to hear a hissing from the cap. It was the sound of my 'spensive glue going away!

@undertheradar - I think cc3d was talking about a trick to make gel glue using shavings, acetone, and MEK, (from the Mod The Nation Forums?)
-I do love the smell of good plexi. It is kinda sweet, now that you mention it.:D The cheap stuff smells like something you put on your yard to kill bugs.

@wywywywy - For me: tile saw:) I'm not sure I'd try it on a table saw. It would chip like crazy. Do you want a bondable edge? If you're going for just a decorative bevel, then I'd try a router or just file it down.

-Seth has a valid point. One of the best ways to cut extruded plexi is with a dremel. Everything else gums up.

Ah, tile saws. And yes I want a bondable edge.

I've never used one of these though.
So just a case of rotating the table top 45deg, then cut?

And if I am to buy one, I would guess 600w is more than enough?

Thanks.

I'm not sure if the table top versions will tilt, but they are the cheapest type of wetsaw you can get. (I was kind of joking when I said that.) They also have the ability to cut whole sheets or just tiny parts. My big tile saw is the type with the arm that hangs over the work. The arm and cutting table only have 14" of clearance. My handsaw type wetsaw is what I use for bevels, and it's great for cutting up big sheets. The problem is it cannot cut small pieces that a guide cannot be clamped to. If you buy a tile saw, make sure it can do what you want.:D
-Also- The duller the blade, the smoother the cut will be, (and slower.) I'd drag a brick ot the sides of the blade to break it in a bit. I have a blade that is so dull the edge is rounded off. It leaves a nearly glassy edge. A new blade will look like it was done with 80 grit sandpaper.
Power isn't important. The saws with big motors are for cutting up granite counters. You only want to cut plexi.

pros:
-does not chip
-cleaner edge
-safer (won't kick back like a regular tablesaw, and you can get your fingers close to the blade.)
cons:
-messy
-cost $ and can't be used for much
I hope I helped. (join us! JOIIIINNNN UUUSSSS!:))

Far easier when you have acess to a laser cutter :p

I was rather annoyed how you kept saying "No material, and I mean NO material can ----- like acrylic." That's just false. Polycarbonate as well as other plastics can be bent and fused and look great.

Have you ever tried fusing polycarbonate before? Pain in the butt.

There are problems with a laser cutter though. I prefer my CNC router. A Laser cutter is a bit like flame polishing your edges before bonding... the surface isnt as flat any more, and its surface capilaries are sealed, so bonding doesnt always take too well. You have to go back and sand the edges before bonding with the laser cut stuff.

Ya, know undertheradar YOU should write an article on acrylic since you've worked with it the most and seem quite knowledgable of it. After reading most of these posts about this particular subject, I am seeing that working with acrylic seems to be more of preference of how and what to use for this material to manipulate it specially from those who've worked with it but not necessarily are proficient of this subject. Preferably, I like to use my cnc machine to work with this material, the cuts are always precise and repeatable and with a speed control such as:

http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product_details.cfm?offerings_id=10760&keyword=router%20speed%20control&gclid=CM2csK-HjJUCFRIkxwodB07Ubg&cookietest=1&gord=1

will prevent any melting of any 1/4 inch thick plexi or acrylic (although I found a better priced speed control on ebay with shipping I payed $20 USD, can't go wrong, also this helps with knowing what feeds and speeds to use:

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMPXNO=1755757&PMT4NO=47742463

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=208081478&listingid=23336941&dcaid=17902

I have a Neiko brand found on ebay for $14.00 USD (this includes shipping, and the But IT Now)
it works on a laser with reflective tape method and man these investments are worth it, specially for thoise who contest their PC cases.

I am a machinist by trade, schooled in mechanical engineering but learning about acrylic comes from reading the project log here on bit-tech.net, they are loaded with info, more than anyone thinks, the subject may not be in depth but it is hands on by the modder that speaks more than just the subject, and if their way doesn't help you, then you're better off leaving it be. At 18,000 rpm the acrylic will melt because of the saw being used, I've used extruded and cell cast and for some reason, I got the same results, as far as melting goes, there were varying differences between the two but the melting at the same speeds was...welll, the same, hence the speed control, when purchasing the speed control be sure the item description says that torque in one way or the other is not lost. As for CNC, in the time it takes anyone on here to build and finish a Case, including it's electronic innards, you could've built your own cnc machine(specially for those who know how to CAD there designs.) Look into cnczone.com look up hossmachine and see the total cost for putting toghether a home brewed cnc machine (under $2000 USD) laser cutting is also very good.

I am a noob to acrylic and I am going to use your tips to make a Gigabyte Galaxy cpu block top. Thankyou for the article and for the tips to get me started.