I have a customer who wants to replace a flat panel in a ligthed sign frame at a stip mall.
She gave me the measurements 191.5"x23.5" (but not the thickness, she'll call back) the panel needs to be white so I just need to put her name/logo on it.
Question- I checked with local suppliers and they said they have Lexan and Acrylic material, but do not cut the material to size. Do you just use a circular saw with a fine tooth blade to cut this material? I have cut plastics before that melt and leave a jagged edge. Because the of the price of this material, I want to avoid any mistakes if possible.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Pam, Pam's Signs
Posted by TransLab (Member # 470) on :
Regular saw blade turned backwards does the trick.
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
Paneling saw blade cutting backwards does it even smoother
Posted by Tasmus (Member # 445) on :
I put a little tape on the line and cut it with a regular carbide panelblade--normally.
Posted by Laura Butler (Member # 1830) on :
I cut it like Barry. Got a question though. How are you going to feel when you cut it using the customers measurements, you or her goes to put it up and its too large or even worst, too small?
Note of advice. If you can go out and measure yourself, there are somethings that you need to know ahead of time...what do the retainers look like, how wide are they, does the panel slide in the cabinet and then have retainers over it.
I did between $40-50,000 last year (2003)in just building illuminated signs. It the signs that we had to work on that we didn't do that caused us the worst problems.
Posted by fayette pivoda (Member # 4339) on :
Measure thrice and cut once, measure both the cabinet and the material, a good idea is to have the old face to lay upon the new material. I have a 80 tooth carbide saw blade I use for plastics only.
You can get this face from a single sheet of white acrylic, simply glue a clear plex backer piece to one side where they meet, then when you install be sure the two halfs can't drift away from each other. You could glue both halfs together but if ya have to do work on the face down the road that 191.5" of plastic can be a bear to handle.
Also, be sure to have the material in a stable position as you cut it, nothing like plex or lexan suddenly moving on ya when your cutting it.
Hope this helps ya
Posted by Pam Eddy (Member # 1858) on :
Thank you for the advice on cutting and reminder about measuring.
The customer measured the old panel they pulled out of the frame. I don't go out on location anymore, so I will definitely have her sign the estimate with the measurements clearly stated.
Thank you for the help.
Pam
Posted by Rovelle W. Gratz (Member # 4404) on :
Measure with a micrometer, mark with chalk and cut with a chainsaw. Always works for me.
