Cutting Acrylic Sheet

[physics90]

I need to cut the acrylic sheet for my son’s Magic Mirror. I AM NOT A WORDWORKER by any stretch of the imagination. I could run don to Lowe’s and purchase a jigsaw, but wanted to see if y’all thought it would be possible, reasonable, to cut the sheet with a simple hand saw? Since the cut edge will be hidden, is it important that it look nice? Or should I be more worried about the sheet cracking or splintering?

[Mykle1]

@physics90

I’ve cut acrylic a number of times and never had a problem but I’ve never used a saw of any kind. Remember, acrylic mirror will scratch easily. I wouldn’t drag a saw across it. If you are willing, try this:

Use a razor knife, sometimes called a utility knife or box cutter. A fresh blade works best. Don’t take the protective film off the mirror until you’re done cutting.

Lay a straight edge along your measurement line and secure it firmly. Now, run the knife along the straight edge several times, applying medium pressure and being careful to stay in the groove each time. Have you ever “snapped” sheetrock? This is exactly the same idea.

Once you’re done, lay the mirror on a table with the side you just cut facing up. bring the cut line to the straight edge of the table so that the edge of the table and the cut line are aligned on top of each other. Hold down firmly on the mirror that is over the table. Push down on the mirror that is not supported by the table. It’s going to need a good amount of pressure but the mirror will “snap” nicely, right along the cut line you made.

This is how I’ve done it, more than a few times

[physics90]

Thank you. That’s exactly what I had decided on doing after a little more research.

[Mykle1]

@physics90

Welcome! Report your results for posterity.