covering CP with plastic laminate

[djflip]

ok....i bought a sheet of Lucite to cover my CP, and i cracked it.  I don't know what i was thinking.  I have a perfectly good dremel i could have used, but i decided to try to snap it between my fingers along the score mark.  STUPID!!!!

Ok...before I invest on another piece of plastic to laminate my CP with (btw, the leftover of the sheet is going to be used for my monitor cover) is it possible to cut buttons out of it using a regular 1 1/8" spade drill bit?

please find my CP layout here : <a href="http://www.geocities.com/djflip_flop/controls/cp_layout_thumb.jpg">http://www.geocities.com/djflip_flop/controls/cp_layout_thumb.jpg</a>

I don't know if Lexan is stronger, and won't crack using a spade bit, but the Lucite cracked when i tried to drill a hole using the bit.  I tried drilling it directly into the Lucite, which cracked.  I then sandwiched the Lucite between two pieces of wood, and cut a hole that way.  Thta worked!  the hole was perfect.  Would this hold true for multiple holes drilled close together?

[hyiu]

well.... my experience is... treat lexan like wood, and it will not crack.... very good although more $$....

[FractalWalk]

Lexan is stronger than Lucite but if you drill it too quickly or without support (i.e. sandwiched between wood) it will crack.

I've never used a dremel on acrylic/polycarbonate but I would bet that it would melt it rather than cut it which would not leave a clean edge.

The best method is to use a router, but a drill will also work if you are careful.

[dirt]

 If you run your drill in reverse you dont have to sandwich the lucite. It will melt right thru it no problem with no cracking.


dirt

[REBIRTH]

I used Lexan and drilled holes in it just as I would have drilled a hole in wood, with no problems at all.  I did sandwich it with wood for more support, but I ran the drill pretty fast without problems - no reason you can't goslow to make sure though.  What I did was:

(1) Cut the holes out in the CP first (I used wood, should be the same with MDF

(2) Placed a full sheet of scrap wood on the bottom, then the Lexan on top of the full sheet of scrap wood, then the CP with the holes on it on top of both of those - all clamped together so they were like 1 sturdy block.

(3) Put the drill bit in through the CP button holes into the Lexan and drilled away.

Here is a picture...

[Veinman]

Does Lexan go through a table saw fine?

[Joystick Jerk]

Does Lexan go through a table saw fine?

Ergh.... I don't know, I've never seen anyone try that before. But I'm having visions of the Lexan shattering and sending razor-sharp shards flying through the air.

You may be able to pull it off with a blade that has extremely fine teeth on it, but I still wouldn't trust it on a table-saw.

[markrvp]

I don't know about Lexan in a table saw.  I do know that they will cut fine with a BAND SAW.

I plastic monitor bezel, will however cut nicely with a table saw with an MDF backer.

[nostrebor]

Does Lexan go through a table saw fine?

Yes. Like butter.

High tooth count = better cut.

Zero clearance throat plate helps with support of thin sheets.

I strongly recommend carbide teeth for this, and a new or freshly sharpened blade is best.

[MrSaLTy]

They do make saw blades especially intended for use with Acrylic/lexan etc.

[RandyT]

An old trick for cutting acrylic (and I imagine lexan as well) is to get a blade with the highest tooth-count you can afford and put it in the tablesaw backwards.  Go nice and easy with it, but be careful as the material may have a tendancy to lift.

Disclaimer:  Try this one at your own risk.  Not responsible for missing fingers or eyeballs 

RandyT

[Joystick Jerk]

You may also want to consider taking the lexan to a hardware store that cuts tile with a professional water cooled system. Those machines obviously are great for cutting tile, which can break much easier than lexan will, and the water jet will help prevent any melting during the cutting.

[Dire Radiant]

cutting plexi by scoring and snapping is easy and produces perfect results but it takes PATIENCE. First make sure your straight edge is actually straight (sounds like a no-brainer but you see bent straight edges all the time) Clamp the straight edge to the plexi so it doesn't move. Then use the BACK of an exacto knife of utility knife to lightly score along the straight edge. If you use the sharp side your cut will tend to wander away from the line you want it on. Keep doing this until you have a reasonably deep groove in the plexi, then you can turn your knife over and use the sharp side without it going haywire. Cut lightly until you're about halfway through. then unclamp the straightedge. Put the piece of plexi over the edge of a table with the groove facing upwards and bend it down using steady pressure in the middle if the piece is more than a couple of feet wide, use something to press it down over the edge so the pressure is evenly distributed. I use my straight edge. If you do that you'll end up with a nice clean break every time.

[Veinman]

Thanks for the tips, I'm going to be getting a 24" x 48" x 1/8" sheet of lexan for my CP top, and I know I'm going to have to make some cuts. (And obviously drill some holes, but from what I have read that will be no problem).

Plus the left-over will become a marquee.

...provided I don't screw it up.

[tommy]

This was funny reading all the ideas you guys had to cut/drill plexi/lexan.

First of all you dont cut plexi with a knife, there is a special cutter like knife that is made just for cutting plastic glass, its probably not worth buying for most people because you will only use it one or two times. You can also use a jig saw, but your edges will need sanding as the saw frays it bad.

You can just snap the plexi in two but first you must make sure you have gone through atleast half way through the plexi/lexan first, just keep scoring the line and break it off the edge of a table so it breaks in one motion.

As for drilling i use antifreeze to keep the plastic from melting/cracking, and go slowly.

[Dire Radiant]

Yes you can get a plexi scriber. You can also get a panel line scriber from a model shop.  You get the same effect with the back of a knife, it just goes slower. The chances of this guy needing to cut enough plexi to make it worthwhile finding one are practically nil.

As for "you don't use a knife to cut plexi" you are simply incorrect. Yes I do. I've been doing it for years with very satisfactory results. I'd also be interested in how exactly antifreeze prevents cracking which is usually caused by a drillbit catching and putting stress on the material. Personally I use water which is just as effective and far less messy, not to mention not nearly as toxic.

[Grasshopper]

What I did was drill the holes in the wood first. Then I screwed the Acrylic to the wood and used a router fitted with a laminate trimming bit to cut the holes using the wood as a template. It worked first time and I'd never used a router before.

You can trim the edges of the Acrylic using the same technique.

Here are a few pictures:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,20128.0.html

[tommy]

In the picture above it shows somebody drilling holes in plexi with the wrong bit, thats why you 're having trouble, like i said before you guys are useing the wrong tools but i understand some of you cant get the correct ones.

I work with glass im trying to explain the correct way to do this.

[quarterback]

Then use the BACK of an exacto knife of utility knife to lightly score along the straight edge. If you use the sharp side your cut will tend to wander away from the line you want it on.

That's a great tip.  I have NEVER been able to use a utility/X-acto knife for something like this without it wandering away from the straight edge or actually shaving off part of the straight-edge itself.   

Thanks!

[IntruderAlert]

In the picture above it shows somebody drilling holes in plexi with the wrong bit, thats why you 're having trouble, like i said before you guys are useing the wrong tools but i understand some of you cant get the correct ones.

I work with glass im trying to explain the correct way to do this.

Listen to this guy!!!
He built a CP out of MIRROR !!!
REMEMBER?
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,32128.0.html



What kind of bit should we be using Tommy?

[tommy]

You guys arent going to be able to use the correct bit, it goes for $50.00, use something round that matches the hole you want exactly and use lube or antifreeze depending on what bit you go with.

[Timoe]

I have forstner bits, paddle pits, standard drill bits and a few high end hole saws.  What is this bit you are recommending?

[Dire Radiant]

A plexipoint bit I would imagine but he's right. I'd hate to see the price of a large one. Even the small ones cost an arm and a leg as drillbits go.