NJD Posted November 13, 2006 Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 Can you route Perspex or will it shatter, pinning you to the wall like a circus knife thrower? (sorry if this thread is in the wrong place, it was a bit too random to put in one of the main forums) Quote Link to comment
pukko Posted November 13, 2006 Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 Can you route Perspex or will it shatter, pinning you to the wall like a circus knife thrower? (sorry if this thread is in the wrong place, it was a bit too random to put in one of the main forums) Is that some kind of clear acrylic plastic, like plexi? (Sorry, I'm Swedish, I don't know all the names and terms...) In that case I would say you can, I started making a pickguard from that material for my first build. I found some tortoise material and used that, otherwise I would have finished it. Anyway, I routed the outer shape of the pickguard, and it didn't shatter at all. The edges did get a little uneven (like really small waves along the edge) but so small that it would have been easy to sand it away in no time. I routed the edges at a 45 degree angle, I don't know if that had anything to do with it. Might have been my inexperience at handling a router... Quote Link to comment
NJD Posted November 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 yeah same sort of stuff as plexiglass, any sort of clear plasticy stuff really... I have a plan to make some perspex fingerboard taper templates and maybe a more defined headstock template in comparrison to the MDF one i have now - the sides give on it. Quote Link to comment
thegarehanman Posted November 13, 2006 Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 A sharp router bit should cut it just fine if you go slowly. If you cut it on a saw, use a band saw. Plexi tends to dislike being cut with a jig saw. peace, russ Quote Link to comment
Desopolis Posted November 13, 2006 Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 +1 on not cutting with jig saw. a table saw or bandsaw did well, mainly becuase it doesnt put preasure on the piece, just removes it.. problem is on very large pieces is the blade gets super hot, and starts melting the edges(at least when I used it for speaker box's) Quote Link to comment
al heeley Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 had this problem with routing too, ended up a real mess. Quote Link to comment
thegarehanman Posted November 22, 2006 Report Share Posted November 22, 2006 The trick is to cut as close as feasibly possible and use the router only to get yourself up to the edge of a template. Maybe leave 1/16" to be routed off. This should yield better results. It's also worth mentioning tha tall clear plastics are not created equal. My plastic of choice is lexan, it is much more flexible and scratchproof than plexi. peace, russ Quote Link to comment
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