|
Re: best way to cut lexan?
[Re: Mr.Yuck]
#1756306
02/16/15 11:29 PM
02/16/15 11:29 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,372
Las Vegas
Al_Alguire
I Live Here
|
I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,372
Las Vegas
|
Body saw or jigsaw here. Then we sand the edges and roll them as well.
"I am not ashamed to confess I am ignorant of what I do not know."
"It's never wrong to do the right thing"
|
|
|
Re: best way to cut lexan?
[Re: dvw]
#1756307
02/16/15 11:39 PM
02/16/15 11:39 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
Mr.Yuck
OP
Not enough dumb comments...yet
|
OP
Not enough dumb comments...yet
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
|
Quote:
Jigsaw works for me. Not to fast or it will melt. Make sure the bottom shoe of the saw has no burrs or it will cut through the protective paper. I apply tape to the bottom of the saw/ If you want to finish the edges pull the protective film back about a 1/8" so you can sand it with out getting the film in the sand paper, use 150 grit to finish.
Doug
This vent is Lexan
that looks great. Any blade work best?
|
|
|
Re: best way to cut lexan?
[Re: Mr.Yuck]
#1756310
02/17/15 01:19 AM
02/17/15 01:19 AM
|
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
Master
|
Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
|
Jigsaw.... sand the edge so its nice then warm with a propane torch to re-clear the edge... just go lightly with the torch... try it on a piece of scrap first to get the feel 
|
|
|
Re: best way to cut lexan?
[Re: MR_P_BODY]
#1756311
02/17/15 10:43 AM
02/17/15 10:43 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 159
australia
charger410
member
|
member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 159
australia
|
Jigsaw and sand. I used a blade made to cut plastic. Make sure you use scratch resistant Lexan and not GP general purpose.
Peter. Australian Charger, alloy block injected 410in, w9 na 9.03@148 leafs 3000lb
1967 barracuda 605 hemi Stage5 millennium 8.2@170
|
|
|
Re: best way to cut lexan?
[Re: gregsdart]
#1756313
02/17/15 11:40 AM
02/17/15 11:40 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,032
MN
JERICOGTX
I Live Here
|
I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,032
MN
|
Anyone have a good way of forming the lexan?
69 GTX
68 Road Runner
|
|
|
Re: best way to cut lexan?
[Re: JERICOGTX]
#1756314
02/17/15 12:12 PM
02/17/15 12:12 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
Master
|
Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
|
Quote:
Anyone have a good way of forming the lexan?
Its called heat.. just enough to make it move..it
takes a heating tray.. which is usually big(5'x12')
|
|
|
Re: best way to cut lexan?
[Re: cagebob1]
#1756316
02/17/15 12:52 PM
02/17/15 12:52 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
Master
|
Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
|
Quote:
Would the Arizona sun do the same thing? 
Maybe if its thin enough... I use to watch the guys
in the plastic shop at work form it but I forget the
temp they would heat it to.. it varied on the thickness
|
|
|
Re: best way to cut lexan?
[Re: MR_P_BODY]
#1756317
02/17/15 01:08 PM
02/17/15 01:08 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,879
Ontario, Canada
Stanton
Don't question me!
|
Don't question me!
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,879
Ontario, Canada
|
Quote:
Quote:
Anyone have a good way of forming the lexan?
Its called heat.. just enough to make it move..it
takes a heating tray.. which is usually big(5'x12')
Lexan does not like heat. Lexan has a high moisture content which will form air bubbles when heated. When Lexan IS formed with heat it is slowly (hours !!) brought up to temperature to remove the moisture. Its then formed and allowed to cool.
Plexi is easily formed with heat, but that's not what you're using!
If you need to bend the lexan, it can be "cold" bent in a brake. Thinner material will easily go 180* and I've bent 1/2" material past 90*.
If by "forming" you mean curving it to fit a window opening, I'd suggest you just put it in place and fasten it down to take the curvature. Hopefully your material isn't too thick. A customer of mine has a chump car and they use 1/8" material.
|
|
|
Re: best way to cut lexan?
[Re: Stanton]
#1756318
02/17/15 01:15 PM
02/17/15 01:15 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
Master
|
Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
|
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Anyone have a good way of forming the lexan?
Its called heat.. just enough to make it move..it
takes a heating tray.. which is usually big(5'x12')
Lexan does not like heat. Lexan has a high moisture content which will form air bubbles when heated. When Lexan IS formed with heat it is slowly (hours !!) brought up to temperature to remove the moisture. Its then formed and allowed to cool.
Plexi is easily formed with heat, but that's not what you're using!
If you need to bend the lexan, it can be "cold" bent in a brake. Thinner material will easily go 180* and I've bent 1/2" material past 90*.
If by "forming" you mean curving it to fit a window opening, I'd suggest you just put it in place and fasten it down to take the curvature. Hopefully your material isn't too thick. A customer of mine has a chump car and they use 1/8" material.
It did take them hours to heat it up.. then they
would place it and let it cool overnight.... I use
1/8" for the windshield and rear hatch glass... that
does form easy without any heat
|
|
|
Re: best way to cut lexan?
[Re: Mr.Yuck]
#1756320
02/17/15 01:23 PM
02/17/15 01:23 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
Master
|
Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
|
Quote:
All I'm making is about 5" pf rear spoiler and "vent" windows. They don't have to be perfect If I have time I might make some sail panels as the trans am looks kinda silly w/o the rear hatch. Not much curves to make. I bought a sheet of 3/16 or maybe 1/4....
I made plastic bumpers for my Valiant and they turned
out very nice.. I vacuformed them... I mounted the
bumper up on a piece of 2x10 on posts.. heated the
plastic with a heat gun and propane torch.. when it
sagged down I tape the edges to the wood then I slowly
started heating and then turned on the vac pump..
the vac was applied via the back of the board through
a hole that the hose was in and taped off... a couple
hours later it was done and cooled it over night and
trimmed it
|
|
|
Re: best way to cut lexan?
[Re: AndyF]
#1756322
02/17/15 03:56 PM
02/17/15 03:56 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
Master
|
Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
|
Quote:
A waterjet is the best way to cut Lexan
LOL... I sure dont have one in my shop.... but I wish..
on long straight cuts I have sheared it in a shear
but it was just 1/8"
|
|
|
|
|
