The best technique for cutting rigid plastic depends on its thickness.
Best way to cut abs plastic sheet.
You can easily cut thin plastic sheets less than 1 16 inch 063 thick with a utility knife.
Be sure to use a compressor to keep the sheet in position to avoid chipping and more time needed to polish the cut.
A jigsaw will work best if you re cutting heavy duty plastic including pvc pipe.
Prepare the work surface and lay the plastic on it.
X research source whether you re cutting out smaller sections from a larger piece or using the whole sheet for a project cutting abs at your home workstation can be easy with the right tools.
Cutting thin sheets of plastic if you want a straight cut in a thin acrylic or polycarbonate plastic sheet up to inch thick reach for a simple utility knife then follow these steps.
Here are some of the techniques you can put into practice when cutting abs plastic.
Using a plastic cutter.
Cut to size orders are cut with table and cnc panel saws and have a cut tolerance of 060.
Softer colored plastic sheets often require two passes and then must be snapped on the score.
This method works best if the sheets you are working on is approximately inch thick.
X research source the blade of a jigsaw is about 8 inches 20 cm long so won t lend itself to detailed cutting for example if you want to cut out a small circle of plastic.
Harder clear plastics such as polycarbonate may require multiple passes with a knife but the result will be a clean cut finished edge with no chips or cracks.
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or abs plastic is a durable yet malleable material used in a variety of products like computer keys and car interiors.
Straight cuts in thin sheets the cleanest and easiest way to make straight cuts in acrylic and polycarbonate sheets that are 3 8 inches thick or less is to use a hook knife.
Routers can be used to cut acrylic for both curved and straight cuts.
Cut to size items cannot be returned for a refund or exchange.