Mike

Gary, end mills are not designed for router use. Buy yourself a 1/4" up-cut spiral solid carbide bit and use it at full speed. You may get a bit of melting on the edge but it will usually snap off cleanly when it cools.

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garycurtis

Mike, I called the bits end mills, but in fact they are router bits made for end drilling, including both up-cut and down-cut spirals.

Still, nobody has answered the question about edge shaping on Plexiglass and lexan.

Gary

bobj3

Hi Gary

I not sure if this will help,,, They make saw blades to cut plexiglass most have 80 teeth or more and they make router bits just for doing the same job..

They have many flutes, I have two that I got from Grizzly but I can find the part number for them on the net or in the book from Grizzly..

If you hit plexiglass on the edge it will break the same thing is true if you use a standard router bit it's hitting the edge with a very small hammer in a way it maybe spinning at 20,000 rpm but it's still flat so to speak... most router bits have only two cutting flutes some have 3 but the plastic cutting router bits have as many as 15 or 20 flutes and they just take a very small bit at that..so you could say that it's always on the plastic like a soild rod...almost at 20,000 rpm's


If you want to see it just ask and I will post a snapshot of one...

Here's one that only has 3 flutes but made for plastic but it's small.
http://www.precisebits.com/products/...I1.x=8&I1.y=12

Here's one more,Fish tail point eliminates backside breakout and splinterin.
http://www.precisebits.com/products/...1.x=10&I1.y=10
http://www.precisebits.com/products/...1.x=15&I1.y=13

========

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waif69

Gary, I see that Mike indicated the speed to be full, I am guessing that to mean that you want the router to run at it's top speed. If I am wrong, Mike, please correct me.

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caliban

Delvies Plastics Has various sizes and thicknesses of acrylic sheet at decent prices. e.g.,

3/8" Crystal Clear Cell Cast Acrylic 12"x12"

Price: $8.50

Mike

Caliban, you need to remember the forum is worldwide. Pricing information on a product should include a location, IE.. Here in Detroit, MI a 4x8 sheet of 1/4" thick Masonite (brand name) or tempered hardboard runs about $13.00. This is one of the better choices for making templates since it is inexpensive, easy to work with and reasonably durable.

Gary, Full speed or 20K RPM should work. Sharp cutting tools are critical for success.

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caliban

Delvies Plastics is a web/mail order company located in Salt Lake City, Ut. According to the website, they ship worldwide.

All my templates are hardboard, but the question Fibertech asked was: "Bob, Where can you get Plexiglass?"

garycurtis

Somebody on an Enlish WWing website just offered a suggestion. They advised to sandwich plexiglass or Lexan between two sheets of 1/4 ply bore drilling or edge boring. For milling or shaping an edge.

I tried the technique this morning and it performed beautifully with a rabbeting bit. It should do even better with a spiral.

Thanks all,

Gary Curtis

Dave_Willemain

I have used this technique with hard board in the past. Cheap 1/8" works fine!

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waif69

That is a great tip, I wish I knew that before I made my router plate. I received a bit of tear out on a few of the edges.

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