How to Easily Cut Plexiglass 

I'm 70 years old and had forgotten about this trick for 50 plus years when I worked for a general contractor right out of High School. Not only did you remind me but it brought back memories of working for one of the best mentors anyone could ever have hoped to work for.

holding the saw blade while the power is connected makes my spine tingle.

Outstanding recommendation! Thank you for taking the time to record this

Thanks for that, good tip, and special thanks for making it a 4 minute video where you explain everything, some would have made that video last 25 minutes! Clear and concise! Will watch again when we start on our greenhouse :)

Wow! I didn't know you could reverse the blade and cut plexi. Thank you for pointing that out!

So I came to RU-vid U. this afternoon for a quick course on cutting & drilling Lexan b/c I'd never done that. And I found... (a) use a draw knife & snap, (b) use a utility knife & snap, (c) cut on a table saw, (d) "cut" with a hot soldering iron (really!), (e) cut with a skill saw (w/o reversing the blade), and finally (f) this video about cutting with a skill saw with a reversed blade. Since I'm terrible at scoring (can't cut glass to save my life), wasn't interested in using a soldering iron, and don't have a table saw, that left using my skill saw. I had a steel cutting blade with a high tooth count, put it on backwards, and I got some nice cuts that way. The job was a good'un! 🙂 Thanks to your viewer for the tip and to you for the video.

Your tutorial is the best with clear information, no music, no-nonsense. I thank you for the tip!

my dad told me that trick years ago but when cutting metal like sheets of tin I wouldn’t of thought it would’ve worked for plexiglass but thanks for the tip

Thanks! This works well for cutting corrugated metal, but I didn’t think about it working with plexiglass, too.

Only yesterday I bought a plate of 6mm transparent acrylic and sweated on how to cut it (credit card obviously informed RU-vid of the purchase, in Denmark!). Now, I'll get a fuller nights sleep. Huge thanks. No circ-saw in this garage, gonna try Japanese hand pull-saw on this small job (it cuts backwards, crazy but true).

Thanks for the video. I am building a greenhouse and need to cut various shapes in my plexiglass. Reversing the blade advice saved me time. 🙏👌

thanks a million for saving me the time and frustration in cutting this beautiful hard-ass glass.

Thanks for this great advise. I could easily cut a Plexiglass sheet without damaging it .. Guy from Belgium

Thank you Steve! such Diamond timing, I'm looking into making a cold frame. My garden is too small for a greenhouse, but the seedlings will need frost protection, in tneir seed trays before planting out, once I get sowing in the early spring. Yes, I to, have learnt 'how to do' so much, from watching youtube videos .... you name it ... laying a block path, errecting fences, repairing my shed, building a raised bed, (& dismantling a pallet the easy way to!) fixing my car, apart from the girlie stuff of course like crochet / knitting and making face coverings.

Thanks for sharing this information. I’ve tried several other methods, never had considered reversing the blade.

Great vid. You also sold me on the quiet Dewalt cir saw. Gotta get me one of those.

I am going to try your method. Fortunately, I don’t have to cut as much plexiglass as you need. Many years ago a carpenter told me about your method. Very simple in easy. Years before that I know some people cut the plexiglass sandwiched between two pieces of wood to avoid vibrations and chips. Today with the price of lumber it would make much sense to do that. Thanks for sharing your method.

Thank you! I was debating on using masking tape and setting the depth on the blade and maybe starting in the middle to try and avoid chipping but it's awesome to see this work out, ( this way is simpler) we do the same thing with Hardie board cement siding if you don't have a Hardie board blade handy.

This was a game changer for me! Used on green house and then my chicken coop! Thnk u!!

I bought a circular saw blade made for laminate to cut a tub surround, when I was attaching the blade to the saw I noticed the rotation arrow was the opposite direction of standard saw blades and thought it was a mistake. So I put it on the wrong way and chipped off a 1/2" chunk out. Then reversed the blade again and it cut perfectly.

The house you are making is so cool. Good job there.

When you change any blade in any electric or gas saws you should always disconnect the power source so it can't come on and injure/kill you! Next time remember take your battery out!

Take the battery out when you change a blade. Same as unplugging a chord.

Thank you sir. You just saved me from having to buy a 60 tooth circular saw blade.

Why I never thought about it. Thank you.

Great tip. Thanks for posting! PLEASE take your battery out before changing blade and keep that left hand away from saw...fingers don't grow like plants that are 'trimmed' :)

Awesome result. Thanks for sharing this method

Just in time! I have to cut a "safety shield" for my DIY trim router table. Thanks!

Adjust the dept according to the thickness of the material you cut, but nice tip to reverse the blade

Thanks so much for this video. And just ignore all the keyboard warriors having a go at you about safety. I was wondering how I could quickly and easily cut a small piece of Plexiglass for my moon crab terrarium. Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom

Great job just getting to the point. Well done!!!

Love the idea i will surely give it a try. Thank you for sharing this video .

Good tip also for our makerspace!

Perfect. I’ve actually used this truck before years ago but forgot. Thanks.

👍👍👍 Very nice cut and good idea!

Thanks, worked very well! Yer smart to be wearin' long sleeves. You don't get yer arms blasted by micro particles of lucite! Also, if you didn't mention, good ventilation, lest one breathe in toxic fumes.

You are awesome thanks for the video and yes please take care of your hands they aré gifted!!!

Thanks Dave, tip worked just as advised.

I wouldn't worry about disconnecting the battery. Being the cameraman makes him invincible. 😅

I have splintered lots of plexiglass and polycarbonate. This is an easy trick to get a smooth cut.

if you adjust the blade depth to be just sticking an 1/8th past the thickness of the plastic, maybe it cuts better? less effort better, not outcome better?

WHAAAAT!!! Thanks for posting! Very cool idea.

Only think I would have done differently is remove the battery while blade flipping.... being extra cautious .. thanks .. this of help... I am looking to buy my first battery powered saw too. I lived in NS at onetime in the 70s

Thanks! I had forgotten about that method!

Fantastic informative video sir thank you 👍

Superb tip! well i hope so anyway as i’m about to give it a try… 😂

nice concise video, thanks for sharing

Good idea for cutting the plastic. For safety, it would be good to remove the battery before touching the blade.

Thank you friend!

Good video good man, thanks

Amazing thank you thank you!

I need to cut rv window pattern to replace mine

Nicely done

thanks for the info, clean.

how about reducing how much blade you have for cutting and clamping a little more securely so no chatter, and no chipping? I am reminded of the method from some time ago to reverse the blade. Great , short lesson- Tar. Russell- OZ.

Thanks man nice and easy

Seeing how well it cuts, I'm doing it this way. But please be careful, I wouldn't be putting my hand that close to the blade. Circular saw accidents are common in the emergency dept of hospitals. My sister worked there and said so and I also saw one come through when I was in for a kidney stone. Please be careful sir.

Good job.

Nice video Sir, Kind of confused, you had your googles and hearing protection. But you worked on the saw with the battery in and then at the end what was the deal with that left thumb and hand up there where you are cutting. I will try your method, I have not had to cut any for a long time and now find myself needing to do so.

What happens if you cut without reversing the blade?

Genius!

Well done, thanks

Does it matter how many teeth my blade has? fine tooth vs. framing blade? What blade did you use?that was a really nice cut!👍 I've got to cut 3. -4'×8'×1/4" sheets in half lengthwise, and at $270.00 a sheet, well that's got me pretty nervous.thanks for the vid.

thanks, very helpful

But I didn’t understand why reverse the blade?

thanks ... smart guy

Bob's your uncle!! 👍

That is a nice clean cut, but I still don't understand why you turned the blade around. Wouldn't it do the same thing going the other direction? I'm going to have to study this some more.

Just use a proper blade for plexiglass/acrylic and you should be fine.

Top Tip 😊👍

Does it matter what blade you’re using? Does it have to be one that has more teeth than blades used for cutting wood?

Genesis Awsomen tip Cool, 🤗😎. Thanks

Use a fine tooth blade, using one with fewer teeth will make a much rougher uglier cut. I found this out until I started cutting. Lol

Thank You!

Awesome. Thx. 👍

Thank you so much!!!

Thanks for this - - How thick was the plexiglass you were cutting? Will this work for 1/8" plexiglass?

Someone must have mentioned this already, but whenever you change a blade, take the battery off.

Very nice! Thanks

same for Acrylic?? I got the problem w the melting w the jigsaw...

Hey Can we cut the curves by this!?

What kind of blade is being reversed? Wood blade?

How and why does this work?

Would this method work when cutting really thin 2 mm thickness clear polystyrene sheeting?

Nice job mate.. any idea how to cut curved shapes..eg circle. Almost all videos on you tube show only straight line cuts.

The real question is, why does this trick work? I’d like to know

Can I use Dimond blade circular saw?

shouldn't you have taken the battery out first?

What about curves?

you are the man think you

How many teeth on your blade? Thanks for the idea!!

OMG. I just caught your video. Helpful except one thing. It appears you left the battery in while you were taking the blade in and out of the saw. My dad taught me how to run machinery and told me stories of how people cut off fingers and even hands not adhering to safety. He ran machinery for over 75 years. Please, please take the battery out of the saw before touching the blade. Accidents happen all the time. I was frontline safety where I worked and I see stuff without even thinking about it. I want you to be safe and I am sure your family does too. Thanks for the information.

Would the same work on much thinner plexi/perspex? Nice Nova Scotia accent by the way ;-)

How come it does not melt with circular saw?

Nice pun.

Makes sense that explains why goku never beat vegeta

Thanks man!

Did not work that way for me! Chipped at the starting corner and the end. And very noisy - not the quiet cut I watched you do. Ruined the one piece I had!

You should always disconnect the battery or power supply when messing about with blades etc

If I were to do it I would use a new circular saw blade with medium number of teeth and cut it like you would cut wood.