cuttin plastic

[Jimm]

I was trying to make a number placard for my mailbox. I previously made one out of 1/8 Baltic birch and finished it with 4 coats of poly. I guess I didn't get it sealed well enough for the Florida weather and it fell apart. I decided to make them out of plastic. I had a cheap cutting board I had bought to make runners for a tablesaw sled. I printed my pattern and tried to cut it bet the plastic melted and sealed the cut behind the blade. I tried slowing down blade speed and feed rate but no luck still seals the kerf. Any suggestions?

[don in brooklin on]

Steve has a couple of patterns were he cut plastic and the instructions were

The acrylic in 1/8” Thick. Leave the protective paper on both side of the acrylic while cutting. Apply the pattern directly to the protective. I used a #1 scroll reverse blade. The saw was set to a medium speed


If you have already removed protective paper you may be able to wrap in painters tape, box tape or shelf liner.

I know when I cut out a cake topper I used FD Ultra reverse #1 and did not have a problem.   I had the protective paper on.

Don

[Jimm]

Thanks I was using a number 7 blade with no tape just the pattern. This stuff I'm cutting is about 3/8 inch thick.

[Jimm]

Slowed my saw down as slow as it will go and reduced my feed rete to a crawl. Now it is cutting, the blower pumps based on motor so I have to keep blw=owing it off as I cut but at least it is working.