Advice needed on routing Acrylic sheets

**sprog1** · 9th March 2014, 08:53 PM

Hi everyone, I want to trim 2mm Acrylic sheets which would be first laminated to MDF. I was thinking of using a down spiral bit with bearing, but before I ordered I asked the company I was ordering from, their opinion.
According to them, a up spiral bit would be better, because, if I used a down spiral bit, the Acrylic would gum up the bearing. Surely using a up spiral bit, wouldn't it cause break out? which is what I don't want.
Are they right?
Ron

**elanjacobs** · 9th March 2014, 09:43 PM

As long as the bit is sharp (since it will be brand new that shouldn't be a problem) I don't think an up-spiral will have breakout. You could also use a straight bit instead of a spiral, then there's no problem of breakout or bearing gumming up.

**Wrongwayfirst** · 10th March 2014, 10:25 AM

Could be off topic but when I have to drill acrylic I always do it in reverse. Much neater and no cracks/tear out.
cheers

**elanjacobs** · 10th March 2014, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by Wrongwayfirst

Could be off topic but when I have to drill acrylic I always do it in reverse. Much neater and no cracks/tear out.
cheers

Works for drilling, but a bit hard to run a router in reverse.

**sprog1** · 12th March 2014, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

As long as the bit is sharp (since it will be brand new that shouldn't be a problem) I don't think an up-spiral will have breakout. You could also use a straight bit instead of a spiral, then there's no problem of breakout or bearing gumming up.

Not having used Acrylic before, for some reason I though spiral bits would have been better, & I did not think about a straight bit.
Thanks Elan

**elanjacobs** · 12th March 2014, 10:12 PM

I've used a straight bit before with no problem. As long as you're only trimming a few mm it'll be fine.

**steamjunkprops** · 13th March 2014, 09:19 PM

You can use normal straight bits on acrylic. Just make sure it is sharp. A couple strokes with a little diamond sharpening tool will do that. I work with acrylic a lot as a model maker :P

With drilling acylic, try sharpening your drill bit to a much steeper angle and put a bit of scrap acrylic under it so it cannot jump. Drilling in reverse is just melting through.

**sprog1** · 13th March 2014, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by steamjunkprops

You can use normal straight bits on acrylic. Just make sure it is sharp. A couple strokes with a little diamond sharpening tool will do that. I work with acrylic a lot as a model maker :P

With drilling acylic, try sharpening your drill bit to a much steeper angle and put a bit of scrap acrylic under it so it cannot jump. Drilling in reverse is just melting through.

Thanks, I have a CMT flush trim router bit with replaceable blades which I think will be ideal.
Thanks again

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