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Thread: CNC cutting of Lexan and PVC

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Santa Maria, CA., USA
    Posts
    480

    CNC cutting of Lexan and PVC

    Looking for some CNC cutting advice for Lexan (.178" thickness) and PVC sheets (.5" thickness).

    What router bit is suggested for each material please - and do I presume that lower speeds and feeds are in order to prevent melting of edges?

    Any advice appreciated.

    Pete
    Last edited by Peter Meacham; 07-30-2010 at 10:16 AM.
    Trotec 25W Laser, ShopBot PRT Alpha 48 x96 CNC, Roland Vinyl Cutter, Compucarve CNC, Ricoh GXe7700s Dye-sub printer, Hotronix Clamshell Heat Press, Pad Printing Equip, all normal woodworking and electrical tools.

  2. #2
    Peter, I'll have to recommend the O-Flute bit. Since switching over to the O-Flute, I've found it cuts most anything that's remotely soft, like acrylics, plastics, etc. I've not found much it doesn't cut and cut well.

    I was even cutting aluminum sheet with one the other day.

    I don't think you have to worry about melting lexan. Lexan cuts nice.

    O-Flute works great on PVC too.
    Lasers : Trotec Speedy 300 75W, Trotec Speedy 300 80W, Galvo Fiber Laser 20W
    Printers : Mimaki UJF-6042 UV Flatbed Printer , HP Designjet L26500 61" Wide Format Latex Printer, Summa S140-T 48" Vinyl Plotter
    Router : ShopBot 48" x 96" CNC Router Rotary Engravers : (2) Xenetech XOT 16 x 25 Rotary Engravers

    Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Santa Maria, CA., USA
    Posts
    480
    Scott

    Thanks for the input. Actually, I was uncertain exactly what an 0-flute bit was. I looked it up on the Onsrud web site and it looked to me to be a "straight" bit.

    So, that is what I used and it came out good cutting both materials. But, the straight bit may not exactly be an 0-flute - so, I am going to order a couple of the 0-flute bits as I will be doing more PVC for this local sign shop (now that I am their new best friend - with CNC capability).

    Pete
    Trotec 25W Laser, ShopBot PRT Alpha 48 x96 CNC, Roland Vinyl Cutter, Compucarve CNC, Ricoh GXe7700s Dye-sub printer, Hotronix Clamshell Heat Press, Pad Printing Equip, all normal woodworking and electrical tools.

  4. #4
    The O-Flute's come in straight and spiral. The straight helps on some materials because it packs the chips back into the kerf, so it helps keep your vacuum holding the work down. The upcut O-flute will pull the chips out and works well also.
    Lasers : Trotec Speedy 300 75W, Trotec Speedy 300 80W, Galvo Fiber Laser 20W
    Printers : Mimaki UJF-6042 UV Flatbed Printer , HP Designjet L26500 61" Wide Format Latex Printer, Summa S140-T 48" Vinyl Plotter
    Router : ShopBot 48" x 96" CNC Router Rotary Engravers : (2) Xenetech XOT 16 x 25 Rotary Engravers

    Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.

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