How To Cut Plexiglass With Dremel. Plexiglass can make for an amazing template. It’s durable and clear, making it easy to work with which is surprising because the material itself can be so brittle at times.
That’s why there are precision tools out there on the market that are capable of cutting through the material without causing it to chip away or crack. A Dremel tool is one such tool.
How To Cut Plexiglass With Dremel
From wood to metal, fiberglass to plastic, Dremel tools are perfect for cutting almost any material. They’re capable of operating at very high speeds (often between 10,000 and 35,000 RPMs) making them perfect for cutting a material using a fine finish on the end product.
Safe Yourself
When using the Dremel tool, safety must come before anything else. Firstly ensure you are wearing protective eyewear and gloves to prevent harm to your eyes and hands.
The Dremel is a very powerful piece of kit and can pose a risk if not handled correctly. To avoid injury and other unnecessary mishaps.
It’s essential to take a look in the instruction manual for all of the required precautions you should take before starting work and these would naturally be on top of how the electric cord should be examined prior to use.
Laying Plexiglass Flat
Plexiglass is relatively easy to cut as you’ll find out. First, make sure that the surface on which you’re going to place the plexiglass is flat.
Mark the area you must cut using a marker then secure it in place at all times to ensure that it doesn’t move while you are cutting the plexiglass.
If you want to achieve a straight edge, secure a straight edge against the material so that no movement of any kind takes place during the process of cutting.
Clamps keep things steady and help you cut them straight – there’s no way around that. The movement that comes from measuring, marking, or cutting will weaken the quality of your work and ruin your end cut.
A tape measure or ruler can be useful if the edge is straight, but when you’re freehanding it clamp down a marker for both beginning and endpoints. Don’t use any cutting guides with this method.
Check Blade Lands
Check where the blade lands when you run the Dremel tool against the straight edge. The edge of the blade has to hit the line for precise cuts.
If it’s not in position, make a slight adjustment to the straight edge until it does. Set your Dremel tool as you turn it on at 6 or 8. If it is set above 6, it will cut more material than needed, and if, below 8, hardly any will be taken off. Cut at a 45-degree angle, then move to a 90-degree angle to maximize blade exposure.
Repeat until satisfied. While you are cutting along the marked lines, use water in a spray bottle so that it keeps the Dremel tool. Check the mounting and reset before doing any test cuts on a scrap piece of material so that you do not damage your Dremel tool on a first cut.
Removing Bits And Material
Always have the right tool for the job. If you’re sure that you don’t need a Dremel, then think about removing that cutting bit from being used on your project and using a different material.
Sand Down Edges
When you’ve finished cutting your plexiglass, sand the edges. For obvious reasons, while using a circular saw, the edges become rough and uneven.
Use fine-grit sandpaper fitted to a sanding block to restore them to their previous smoothness.
Elongate your strokes as much as possible to ensure maximum surface area contact with the plexiglass. If there are any surplus materials to be cut off, flip it over and start a new one.
Related Guides
