86, страница 10

Hardware

working with

Plastics

Get professional results with these tips from our shop.

Plastic is a very useful material in a woodworking shop, but working with it can be a frustrating experience. How do you cut plastic without chipping — or melting? How do you drill clean holes? And how do you get that nice, polished look on the edges? To get great results, it's all about using the right tools, techniques, and plastic.

THE RIGHT PLASTIC

There are endless varieties of plastics. But there are two readily available types that are used most often in the shop — acrylic and polycarbonate.

Acrylic. The most common type of plastic is acrylic. It's what you'll find at home centers and hardware

Cutting on the Table Saw. Use a carbide-

tipped blade and a backer board for m smooth, chip-free cuts.

For one thing, when it comes to cutting and drilling plastic, you can use the woodworking tools you probably already have.

Something else to keep in mind is that plastic is a relatively soft material. It's very easy to scratch while working with it in the shop.

10 ShopNotes No. 86

stores. You probably know it by its common trade name, Plexiglas.

Acrylic is a good plastic to use because it's relatively soft and easy to work with. You can use it instead of glass in cabinets or as a template for pattern routing, for example.

But there's one downside to using acrylic. It doesn't have very good impact resistance, so it's not the best choice for machine guards or safety shields. You'll want something more durable. A better option for this would be polycarbonate.

Grind a flat on both cutting edges to create a scraping action

Polycarbonate. You've probably heard of Lexan, one of the many trade names for polycarbonate. It's tougher than acrylic. With polycarbonate, I don't have to worry about chunks of wood or metal hitting it and causing it to crack or shatter as might happen with acrylic.

Working with Plastic. Once you decide which plastic is best for your application, there are some techniques you can use to get good results with less effort.