"Acrylic"

[PerranOak]

Many books (American?) refer to the use of clear acrylic to make parts of jigs.

What is acrylic?

Is it what I'd call "perspex"?

Where do I buy it?

Can I rout it?

Ta muchly.

 

[wizer]

yes if it is referring to transparent plastic then perspex will do. eBay is a good place to buy it in small sections

 

[Peter T]

The Americans also refer to it as Plexiglas.

Perspex is a clear acrylic material but a better material would be polycarbonate. This is also a clear plastic material but it is much stronger and tougher than perspex.

One trade name that I have seen for polycarbonate is Lexan, but this may be an American name.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Yes, you can rout it BUT it needs to be handled carefully. Get your router spindle speed as slow as possible as a high speed will just melt it rather than cut it. You can make fast cuts to keep the temperature down, too, but then the depth of cut needs to be small to allow that.

S

 

[Digit]

It's polymethylmethacrylate or PMMA, just showing off! Different producers use different name, Perspex is ICI's brand name for sheet material. It can be worked with any woodworking hand or machine tools. Cutting too fast will cause it to melt locally and weld back together again, otherwise no problems.

Roy.

 

[Rich]

I used "lexan" for the windows in my greenhouse and sized them on my tablesaw, I found it difficult to cut with a jigsaw, I have also made jigs for my routers with the same material.

Rich.

 

[PerranOak]

Beauty! Cheers all.

What sort of thickness is best for general jig use?

Do I need a special bit?

 

[Digit]

Feather boards and similar 3-4 mil, routing fixtures using a guide bush or ball bearing, again 3-4 mil. Any other jigs I suggest you ask. No special bit required but if routing keep the speed down or use small diameter cutters to stop it melting.

Roy.

 

[Rich]

I used 5mm, but only because I was given a carbootful for free,

Rich.

 

[Digit]

=P~

Roy.

 

[p111dom]

Yes Lexan is deffinately the stuff you need. Plexiglass will shatter. I use Lexan all the time in 8, 10 ans 12mm thicknessed. I've also used 30mm thick stuff before which was a factory lamination of all three. Heavy stuff!

 

[SeanG]

Signmakers ofen have a offcut pile that they will swap for beer tokens.

And in the one I went into, I could see a panel saw in their workshop that made me drool.........

 

[ivan]

Lexan is polycarbonate (generic name), good for guards etc as fairly crack proof (lens in safety goggles for eg) but it's not as rigid as acrylic.

 

[PerranOak]

Thanks all.

I'll try polycarb first as I've found small sheets on eBay.

I don't know any signwriters!

 

[Digit]

I don't know any signwriters!

Try a drive around a local industrial estate. You might be surprised what ends up in skips.
Anything you have the company won't have to pay to dispose of.

Roy.

 

[Derek Willis.]

I have quite a stock of Polycarbonate and acrylic sheet, I have managed to buy, very cheap, many offcuts from a mail order firm near me, and I have many jigs made from this material, they have so much waste that I could fill the back of the car for a tenner.
Derek.

 

[stevel]

Hi PerranOak.
If you are near Falmouth, Penryn Plastics next to ASDA have plenty of offcuts/small sheets for not much money.

steve

 

[PerranOak]

Cheers mate, great idea!

I should've gone on-line earlier as I just passed there today on my way to Falmouth!!!